10 Best Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Songs Of 2018
3. Holding Absence – “Like A Shadow”
Nowadays, for an underground band to succeed they have to be unique right off the bat. Unlike the bygone days of the 1980s, where early demos or EPs were only really heard by die-hard collectors and record labels, the advent of the internet means that your group’s material is universally accessible from the very off.
Luckily, Holding Absence have been magnificent since day one. After forming in late 2016, the Welshmen debuted the following February with the double A-side “Permanent”/“Dream of Me” – two jams that cemented their penchant for mixing metalcore musicianship with ambient production and catchy melodies.
In 2018, the band have continued teasing their ever-expanding fan-base with one luscious track after another. And even though their split EP with raging upstarts Loathe gave us the duology of “Saint Cecilia” and “Everything”, it’s their latest single – “Like a Shadow” – that takes the cake.
By amplifying Holding Absence’s catchiness to the max, “Like a Shadow” quickly becomes a pop song delivered via a metal filter. Lucas Woodland’s clean vocals are as beautiful as ever, the emo-esque lyrics (which use the metaphors of echoes and shadows to imply a break-up) are accessible and the chorus is the band’s best to date. Clearly, they’re aware of this too, as the refrain permeates the entire track, both opening and closing it.