HolyName by HolyName - by Samson Aken'Ova

July 15, 2024

Hi there, hello.

Welcome to this review newsletter where I use you as a sounding board for my feelings on music releases. Today we’re looking at HolyName by HolyName.

HolyName is an American Hardcore band that is signed with Facedown Records. Facedown is generally known for its stellar roster of Christian bands and HolyName has been dropping singles under them since 2021. This year, they have finally decided to drop the full weight of this VERY HEAVY record on us.

In my 14 years of listening to numerous Christian bands, I have come across the term “Heavy Worship” numerous times in interviews, articles, reviews etc. This whole album feels like a heavily distorted and down-tuned version of all the various worship songs I have heard in church. It manages to do so without feeling tacky or cringy. The guitars are chuggy, the bass lines are thick, and the drums hit hard.

One thing I did not expect, due to the album cover, was the prevailing presence of clean vocals on the album. The cleans create a haunting, ethereal atmosphere. Most bands I know would use electronic elements/synths and such to create the atmosphere this album creates mostly with vocal harmonies by the members of the band. Big props to them for that.

HolyName also manages to have songs that have enough variety about them even while being sung at roughly the same tempo. The song crafting deserves a lot of credit for the attention to detail that is quite evident in the recording process. Another thing that contributes to the feeling of sonic diversity is the large number of featured musicians on this record. You have Ryan Clark (of Demon Hunter), Brooke Reeves (of Impending Doom), Michael Felker (of Convictions), Joe Musten (of Advent), xDeathStarx and Nothing Left. That is a stacked lineup of guest appearances if I ever saw one.

As I alluded to earlier this album is essentially a worship album and nothing reflects this fact better than the lyrics. For the most part, every song is dedicated to giving God praise through a variety of vocal expressions — singing, screaming or growling.

The song that surprised me the most on this record is “Fall on Your Knees”. When I saw that this track was almost 9 minutes long, I was worried that it would be a bit of a chore to listen to due to the length. But I soon realized, once the song ended, how it didn’t feel like time had passed. The song is a microcosm of the general atmosphere and ambience of the album and it deserves all the credit for being able to pull this off. The ending growls by Brooke Reeves were also a welcome surprise.

“Meet Me Somewhere Quiet” is another song that stood out to me as it opens the album and showcases in its 5-minute playtime just what you can expect from the album. As soon as I heard the chorus 'Jesus I have come to be with you’, I thought to myself “Oh they are THAT kind of Christian band”. Many Christian metal bands tend to be reflective and subjective in their expression of faith. It was a pleasant surprise hearing them be so explicit and direct without compromising any of the artistic vibrancy that is expected from this style of music.

“Celestial” was another standout primarily because it featured Joe Musten and hearing his voice again after so many years was quite refreshing.

I could go on and on about all the different songs, but I think I will just leave you with this nugget; If you want an unapologetically Christian metal album that gives praise to God, creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere, while also being heavy enough to test your one-rep max on a bench press at the gym, HolyName has got you covered.

Genre(s): Hardcore, Post-Metal, Atmospheric

RATING: 5/5

Listen Here:

Apple Music • Deezer • YouTube Music • Other Links

Connect with HolyName:

Instagram • Facebook • Twitter

That’s it from me.

Bye for now.

Talk to us about your favourite songs on the album. Also, let me know of any other albums or EPs you’d like us to review.