The Stunning Post Hardcore Reveries of Holding Absence

The Stunning Post Hardcore Reveries of Holding Absence

Holding Absence is the latest signing to  SharpTone Records (Miss May I, We Came As Romans, Imminence, etc), unveiling their own absolutely stunning band of emotional post hardcore reveries.  The singles Permanent and Dream of Me mark a wondrously memorable debut for the label, with both tracks demonstrating just how absolutely exhilarating and cathartic the Holding Absence auditory experience is.  They’ve opened for the likes of Being As An Ocean and Greywind, and they will be out on the road in the UK throughout the months of March and April.  Highwire Daze Online recently caught up with vocalist Lucas Woodland to find out more about this exciting new band on the rise.  Read on…

Introduce yourself and tell me what you do in Holding Absence.
My name is Lucas, and I sing in Holding Absence.

Where is your band based out of and what is your music scene like there?
We’re from Cardiff in South Wales, UK. This scene has produced some wonderful bands over the years, and is still producing some real talent at the moment too but is a little quiet at the moment… And sadly we’ve had a few important venues shut down this past year – But we’d like to think with bands like us, Casey, Junior and many others working hard, Cardiff’s scene will be back to its old ways soon enough!

How did you wind up signing with Sharptone Records?
Our relationship with Sharptone is very fortuitous – they mailed us a week after we released our first track Permanent and said they loved it. Then once we released Dream Of Me they approached us again and said they wanted to work with us! We are super lucky to have them, as they treat us really well and really believe in what we do as a band.

What is the inspiration for the lyrics behind the two songs Dream of Me and Permanent?
Dream Of Me is a track about mourning, be it the loss of love, or the loss of life. Permanent is a track that sings about a friends well being, and discusses all the negative effects of Suicide – I feel like it’s a hopeful track. All of our songs, I want to be relatable, so I’m sure I’ll cover a lot more topics as we release more music.

What could one expect from a live Holding Absence show?
Our live shows are VERY intense. Our songs are emotional, so why wouldn’t we try portray that onstage? On a personal level, it’s a huge cathartic release for us all – We love playing live, and implore you, the reader, to try and catch us if at all possible, to share an evening with us.

What was it like opening for Being As An Ocean and were you able to meet or hang out with them at all?
Funnily enough, I wasn’t in the band at the time but was at the show, and it was super enjoyable from a spectators perspective. Mike (BAAO Guitarist) managed my prior band, and I actually sung onstage with them at Slam Dunk once believe it or not! So I know they’re super lovely dudes. We’d be so keen to play a few shows with them someday in the future.

Any strange or scary happenings on the road or at a show?
Nothing too crazy on our end – We did have a bloke called Yanto throw padlocks at our van one time when we were in traffic Mind. That’s pretty strange AND scary!

Any chance we’ll see Holding Absence here in the States sometime soon?
We would absolutely love to, someday. Hopefully sometime soon… We’ll see where 2017 takes us and hopefully start booking our flights!

If Holding Absence could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
That IS a tough one. Probably My Chemical Romance, just because they are the kings of alt-rock, but anyone in between Deftones and Smashing Pumpkins would be a dream come true.

The Queen Of England invites Holding Absence to play one song at a Royal Command Performance! What song would you do for the Queen and her guests and why??
Probably something nice and heavy, just to rock old Queenys socks off. Maybe Permanent. Depends if she has any requests I guess

What’s up next for Holding Absence?
2017 will see Holding Absence touring and writing extensively. The goal is to not have a single month off, and start working towards a debut full length… But until then we’ll take this year as it comes!

Any final words of wisdom?
holdingabsence.com

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions! Hope to see your band out here in the Los Angeles area someday soon.
My pleasure. Hopefully see you on the other side of the pond sooner rather than later!

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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