INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK 2023
Post-hardcore heroes Holding Absence perform a special show at RMH as part of IVW 2023!
With support from Void of Vision…
“A flawless, beautiful, triumph of a record…incredible” – Hard Beat (10/10 review)
We all make mistakes. We all have regrets. We all look back on the loves and losses life brings and lament on how things might have been different. In these deeply personal moments of reflection our emotions can run wild as we contemplate our choices and come to terms with what’s next. Hindsight is a powerful and complex thing, and a phenomenon whose intricacies are explored in captivating fashion on The Greatest Mistake Of My Life, the second album from Cardiff’s Holding Absence.
Building on the excellent foundations laid down by the band’s eponymous debut record, released in 2019, and following standalone singles ‘Gravity’ and ‘Birdcage’, the four-piece have returned with a group of songs that, in the view of vocalist Lucas Woodland, are the truest representation of Holding Absence to date.
“This album is about telling stories that are presented through the lens of hindsight, regret and looking back,” he says. “There are songs that celebrate life when faced with death, and others that speak to the choices we make about how we live our lives. The fear of love, newfound respect for life and the covering up of depression are all subjects that rear their head. The Greatest Mistake Of My Life exercises emotion in many ways, and that was an important thing for us to do, because emotion isn’t rigid – it’s not just love or joy or sadness – it’s a lot of things.”
Holding Absence – the band completed by bassist James Joseph and drummer Ashley Green – carry
the The Greatest Mistake Of My Life’s contemplative and thoughtful spirit throughout their second album. Whereas their debut was a concept record about the subject of love, The Greatest Mistake Of My Life’s inspirations are more complex, as Holding Absence stare down love in the face of death, all the while musing on the vast array of emotions we as humans experience throughout our lives.
Armed with a stellar new album and an unflinching belief in their craft, this new incarnation of Holding Absence promises to excite and impress like never before. An enthralling collection of song and stories that tell of love, life, death and everything in between, The Greatest Mistake Of My Life is a thrilling record, and one its creators were born to make. As Holding Absence have proved, the greatest mistakes can sometimes open the door to even greater triumphs.
“Holding Absence should be considered a standout artist in modern rock and shockingly, their best still may be yet to come” – Sputnik
“With its multiple, highly impressive performances – on both the vocal and instrumental frontiers – and its emotionally charged introspective lyrics, I found this to be a very captivating listen” – Kill Your Stereo
