Hollow Crown (Architects)

Hollow Crown is the third album by British metalcore band Architects. The album was released on January 26, 2009 through Century Media Records. Stylistically, the band considered Hollow Crown as a natural progression from its predecessor. The album displays a significant increase in clean vocals from Sam Carter, as well as a change in his uncelan vocals, from the lower register on Ruin to more high-pitched screams. Also this album, there is a further departure from the band's mathcore roots, utilising more traditional song structures, simplified riffs and more melodic musicianship, as well as a fair usage of keyboards and drum programming.

Background[]

On July 18, 2010 it was announced from the "Architects" Facebook account that they would be re-releasing Hollow Crown (in the UK only) as a deluxe edition on the 16th of August 2010. The deluxe edition was to include a DVD documentary on their previous 18 months of touring/ recording and a remix of the title track "Hollow Crown" by the guitarist and drummer Tom and Dan Searle.

Style and Themes[]

This album marks a change in guitar tuning for the second time, now using C# standard on a majority of the tracks (drop B tuning being used on Ruin) and an alternate tuning similar to C# standard, but with the low C# tuned to G#. This tuning is featured on the tracks Early Grave and Borrowed Time. Also, they use a 7 string baritone (ESP LTD SC-607B Stephen Carpenter Signature) on the track Dead March, which is tuned to drop A.

Carter has stated that the lyrics on the album are of a personal nature. He has said that he wrote about everyday life and things that happen to him, these are as simple as sitting in a car with friends or hating girls.

Title and Package[]

The album title has had different value to each member of the band. Dan Searle in interview was asked why the band gave it the title and he stated to him it refers to "those people you meet in life that earn nothing, but are given everything." During an interview in October 2009 vocalist and lyricist Sam Carter stated that the inspiration for him when picking the name was because despite the band's hard working nature they never seemed to progress, saying "we’ve always felt like we were a band that worked really, really hard and we never got appreciation for it".

Reception[]

In 2012, British publication Rock Sound added Architects' album Hollow Crown into their 101 Modern Classics placed at number 76. They considered the album more of a classic than The Offspring's Americana and Bullet for My Valentine's The Poison. Stating that "back when they were young, hungry and out to impress, Architects wrote this face-melting collection of rippers and made the world sit up.

Track Listing[]

Standard Edition[]

"Early Grave"
"Dethroned"
"Numbers Count for Nothing"
"Follow the Water"
"In Elegance"
"We're All Done"
"Borrowed Time"
"Every Last Breath"
"One of These Days"
"Dead March"
"Left with a Last Minute"
"Hollow Crown"

Bonus Track[]

"To the Death"

Personnel[]

Architect[]

Sam Carter - lead vocals
Tim Millier-Brook - lead guitar
Alex Dean - bass guitar
Tom Searle - rhythm guitar and keyboard
Dan Searle - drums

Production[]

Produced and Engineered by Ben Humphreys and John Mitchell
Mixed by John Mitchell