Strangely, those same misgivings that I had with вЂAchitectвЂ¦вЂ™ remain more or less present here too. And he does a fine job in trying to tell the story with as much strength and commitment as possible, which I find very laudable indeed. StoltzвЂ™s voice definitely remains an acquired taste I find but itвЂ™s a taste I am really beginning to acquire.

It has retained that higher-pitched delivery from the previous albums and contains that sense of passion that was always present. In some ways, it doesnвЂ™t seem possible that it has been nearly 20 years since HollowвЂ™s last outing because StoltzвЂ™s voice is almost instantly recognisable. As concepts go, it is refreshingly brief and certainly not overblown and exhausting. The story plays out over ten tracks, during a 45-minute running time. According to Stoltz, the best-placed intentions donвЂ™t work out and the womanвЂ™s son is led down the wrong path by a new set of friends. In keeping with вЂArchitectвЂ¦вЂ™, this new album is a concept piece, about a mother who moves home to try to protect her adolescent son. Naturally, I agreed to take a listen and, after several more spins, IвЂ™m in a position to offer my thoughts on вЂBetween Eternities of DarknessвЂ™, effectively the solo work of vocalist and guitarist Andreas Stoltz, with Stalder Zantos on the drums and a few others offering brief guest appearances elsewhere. The world moves in mysterious ways, I can tell you. After вЂArchitect of the MindвЂ™ the Swedes seemed to disappear off the face of the planet.ДЄs fate and happenstance would have it, just a couple of days later, I get a message in my inbox from Andreas Stoltz, an original founding member of Hollow, proudly declaring that Hollow were back and releasing their first album in two decades. But nevertheless, I liked it enough to casually wonder to myself whatever happened to the band. The progressive-leaning power metal was nicely written and executed, but the production and generally higher-pitched vocal delivery meant that it felt quite harsh to listen to.

If IвЂ™m honest, it never got particularly regular rotation, although I liked several of the songs on the album.

IвЂ™ll admit I knew nothing about Hollow at the time and decided to buy it based on the record label alone because I was aware by that time of the pedigree of the Nuclear Blast label. It was recorded by a Swedish band called Hollow and I remember discovering it in a second-hand record shop a few years after its release. I had cause the other week to rehouse a few of my ever-expanding CDs and in so doing, I cast my eyes upon an album called вЂArchitect of the MindвЂ™, a little-known album released via Nuclear Blast Records in 1999. Album Title: Between Eternities of Darkness

Sea of darkness album