Hollow Stare’s latest single, I’m Barely Alive, stands out as a potent blend of aggressive deathcore and intricate progressive metal...
Featured on their album Diary Of A Madman, the track opens with a striking orchestral intro that sets a dramatic stage before erupting into a relentless assault of heavy guitars and powerful drums. The song’s dynamic range is complemented by Ben Fleming’s intense vocals, which convey deep emotional vulnerability and raw energy. Produced by Daniel Friedman-Posner, I’m Barely Alive showcases the band's signature ability to merge brutal riffs with melodically rich passages, creating a track that is both ferocious and hauntingly beautiful.
This single has been a focal point in their promotional efforts; It exemplifies Hollow Stare’s distinctive sound and their skillful balance of sonic aggression with melodic elements, making it a standout track in their discography. As part of our interview, we delve into the making of I’m Barely Alive and explore its significance within Hollow Stare’s top five fave tracks, and why they matter most!
1. Periphery - The Bad Thing:
"I owe this song a lot- it's pretty much responsible for the life path I've taken and was the first song I heard that blew me away so much I knew I wanted to produce music myself. It's also just such a badass song, from start to finish. I love the anger, the vibe, the grooves, the breakdown, the tones, the vocals, it's just peak metal, you know? Badass as hell. It's also in my opinion the pinnacle moment of the story being told across their double concept albums Juggernaut: Alpha and Omega. Absolutely incredible record that tells an incredible story that I believe climaxes in The Bad Thing. Periphery has also become my all-time favorite band since I discovered them, and this is just one of many tracks I could recommend by them."
2. Daft Punk - Face to Face:
"I've been listening to Daft Punk for as long as I can remember, definitely since childhood. Face to Face has been my favorite song by them for a long time, and I'll still bump it regularly to this day. I grew up playing a lot of instruments- primarily guitar, and as such I was naturally kind of a purist when it came to music and didn't like sampling or electronic music, but Daft Punk opened my eyes and my ears. They're a large reason I've developed a lot of the sounds that I have in my own music for sure."
3. Aesop Rock - Tuesday:
"Aesop Rock is one of my favorite rappers of all time. Don't get me wrong, there are so many greats out there who are true masters of lyricism such as Eminem and Kendrik Lamar, but Ian Bavitz (Aesop Rock) has a very metaphorical approach to storytelling that I really love, plus he's got a really iconic voice that accurately represents his brand of laissez-faire attitude. Tuesday kind of perfectly encapsulates the messages behind his music in my opinion: He's a rapper, and a damn good one, but he's no god, just a man- like we all are. Tuesday is an incredibly human song, and I love that."
4. AJR - World's Smallest Violin:
"Back in my undergraduate college days I went on two dates with this girl we'll call Izzy and she turned me on to this pop band AJR, which I admittedly expected to hate. To my surprise, it was fantastic, and quickly became one of my top listened to artists because I loved to sing along while driving. Their music is all about what it's like to grow up and I found it in my early 20s, so I guess it just hit home pretty hard. They have a lot of great songs and I struggled to pick my favorite, but I think this song is the most unique and fun out of the lot."
5. Ice Nine Kills - Welcome To Horrorwood:
"Ben actually finally made me listen to this band after we had made our first couple of Hollow Stare songs. I don't know why I've put them off forever. I suppose I've always assumed they were one of those scene bands I never could super into, but when I finally gave them a chance, WOW!. That's all I had to say. Welcome to Horrorwood is an absolute banger of a record from start to finish, but I think the intro track, "Welcome to Horrorwood" is one of the best concept album introductions I've ever heard. It makes me uncontrollably headbang every time, and the cleverness behind the lyricism and music composition is absolutely masterful alongside top-tier production throughout the entire album. It's a wild song, a wild album, and a wild ride. This album has been my most listened-to record of 2024 so far."