Olehole

Olehole

Holemole

[4/5]

Journeyman Brian Moss (the Wunder Years, Hanalei), along with members of various acts (Burial Year, Takaru), resurrects the jagged post-hardcore of his short-lived Chicago-via-Oakland act the Ghost, in Olehole. The sure debt owed to Fugazi’s more aggressive shades matters little when the absolutely fierce, dynamic holler of Holemole’s opening salvo “Gatekeeper” and “Ostinato” ring out (the former finding Moss cleverly telling off anti-immigration heads). The manic, intense, off-kilter shake of “Chimps Night Out” lets off momentarily for Moss’ mammoth-sounding, anthemic declarations and it’s friggin’ wonderful. Initial listens prop up Holemole as a frustratingly uneven collection, but further dedication reveals a staggeringly consistent debut that will provide an absolute thrill to fans of Moss’ early work, as well as anyone who enjoys the Midwestern school of thought-provoking, riff-ready post-hardcore. (UNDERGROUND COMMUNIQUE) Brian Shultz

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