The Welsh rockers Holding Absence has been the rising star in the post-rock and hardcore scenes ever since their emergence back in 2015, and has built a loyal fanbase which is incredible, when you think that they have only released one studio album all the way back in 2019, so to say this album was highly anticipated would be an understatement, to say the least.

Alongside well-known producer Dan Weller, who has produced album likes ‘The Mindsweep’ by 'Enter Shikari' to Bones by Young Guns, so you knew you would be getting an album that sounded fantastic and have walls of reverb sound in every song.

With ‘The Greatest Mistake of My Life’ you absolutely get that, with all 12 tracks exploring the emotions of loss and sadness. This is stated with an interview the band did with the ‘Giggoer’ website, which said; ‘It feels like every song is looking at sadness, but trying to encourage positivity'.

They don't mess around with the opening track Awake, which is a beautifully played piano melody playing over an amazing atmospheric wall of sound, that leads into a loud and passionate 'I'm Alive' vocal by Lucas at the start of Celebration Song.

With a memorable chorus and beautiful harmonies backing it up, this song really set up what kind of album this is going to be. Songs like Afterlife, Beyond Belief, In Circle and, Die Alone (In Your Lover’s Arms), really enhance this feeling of loss and sadness.

With a mix of the wall of sound of reverb overwhelming the main instruments, and loud and powerful vocals from Lucas Woodland, comes together to produces something really beautiful and heartfelt in each track. This build to emotional pay off in the 7 minutes track Mourning Song, which feels like RAW emotion being released, with Lucas Woodland vocals being marvellous and the best in the album as a whole.

In addition, songs like Curse Me with Your Kiss, Afterlife and Nomoreroses really glue the album together. The album ends with a beautiful cover of Gracie Fields song ‘The Greatest Mistake of My Life’, which gives everyone listening to the album a solace and hopeful end.

Overall, this is a well crafted and beautiful sounding album, with themes that we all can relate to at the moment, with the amazing instrumentation being the icing on the cake, and really ties the whole concept together. If you’re a fan of bands like ‘Enter Shikari’ style of music, then this band and album is for you, and worth checking out.

My Verdict: 9 /10

Written By 

Stuart Irvine