Hollow Heart (Stripped) - Where Oceans Burn (2020) REVIEW

HOLLOW HEART (STRIPPED) - WHERE OCEANS BURN (2020)

Manchester’s own Where Oceans Burn released their debut single ‘Hollow Heart’ back in the July of 2019 and have continued its life through a ‘Stripped’ release. The track was shared on December 30th 2020.

Piano sounds as the track begins, introducing a haunting atmosphere - whereas the original version starts with building guitars. Lead vocalist Alex quickly flaunts strong vocals as the song flows with ease, sounding like a complete ensemble of forceful vocal and sturdy keys. The chorus holds prominent lyrical content, sharp enough to slice through ‘sick of all the sleepless nights, feeling paralysed’. Harmonies inside ‘paralysed’ lifts the track to a new height, again swapping thundering screams to emit a more gentle vibe.

This track is crafted to transform the original song into a completely new venture, but somewhat keeping familiar components. The band have created a track that was once a thunderous battle cry but now more of a cry for help and incorporates heartache in a melancholic regard. It works in their favour as the lyrics are the main driving force in this track, so ‘I don’t wish you well, I wish you fucking hell’ feels heavier than before.

Where Oceans Burn have completely modified ‘Hollow Heart’ into something new but it still manages to sound authentically ‘WOB’.