Hollingshead: Trail

Carl Westholm is a busy man. The former Candlemass and Avatarium keyboardist has at least three bands going, as far as I can tell: Bakelit, Carptree, and Hollingshead, the last of which has recently released its second album, Trail. The band’s debut, Stay Dead, appeared in 2020 and the band has mostly the same lineup. Johan Niemann (bass) and Fredrik Haake (drums) have once again joined Westholm. The new man is Tony Naima on vocals, replacing Gidon Tannenbaum.

The band’s music could roughly be called heavy prog, with slightly more emphasis on the heavy than the prog. There are several real bangers on the album, including the opener “In Empty Boxes� as well as “Lugnet� and “Falling.� And most of the rest are enjoyable. I think there’s only one real filler, “Room of the Others,� which, well, doesn’t seem to do anything other than put the album a little over the 45-minute mark.

The standout player on the album is Westholm, who adds some inventive keyboard sounds throughout. He’s closely followed by Haake, who is a powerhouse when given the chance. And Niemann helps to hold down the rhythm section far more than competently and at times provides some real highlights of his own. How about the vocals? Naima won’t be mistaken for a top-tier singer, but his voice fits the music much more than Tannenbaum’s did, from what I have heard of the debut.

Trail is unlikely to blow your mind, but it will likely keep you entertained. Recommended.

Track Listing
1. In Empty Boxes (4:44)
2. Drink the Teardrops (3:57)
3. Lugnet (4:52)
4. She (6:09)
5. If Only I Knew (4:23)
6. Falling (7:02)
7. The Ride (4:33)
8. Room of the Others (5:31)
9. A Million Steps (6:12)

Added: January 26th 2025
Reviewer: Aaron Steelman
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 570
Language: english

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