Hollow Souls' 'Hollow Souls' - EP Review

It always feels strange to review an EP on this blog - as the format just does not seem to be that popular anymore. I likely only cover four or five EPs each year - but in this era of streaming and drip-feeding the public new singles on a more regular basis, perhaps the shortform album format serves little purpose in 2025. It is a shame, really, as I have always enjoyed a good EP. A well-structured EP can be just as important to a band's catalogue as a full-length album - and some bands, such as Queensrÿche and Helloween, got their careers underway with genre-defining EPs. The EP that I am covering today is unlikely to make as much of a mark as either of those self-titled efforts did back in the 1980s - but the debut self-titled six-track EP from new blues rock act Hollow Souls is certainly an extremely enjoyable release. Hollow Souls is the latest project from Torquay-based singer, guitarist, and songwriter Kris Barras - who has been making a name for himself as part of his self-titled band since dropping his debut album Lucky 13 back in 2016. Starting out as a blues rock artist, Barras' sound has become heavier and more modern in tone in recent years. His first three albums largely stuck to a bluesy hard rock feel - but both 2022's Death Valley Paradise (which I reviewed here) and 2024's Halo Effect (which I also reviewed here) saw Barras and his slimmed-down band move in a more post-grunge and even an alternative metal direction. There are still hints of the blues here and there, but Barras' recent albums fit more within the current British rock scene - which has become very influenced by the American radio rocks acts of the 2000s and 2010s. Barras has certainly become more popular as a result of this sound shift, and he is now pretty well-known across the UK alongside making some inroads in the rest of Europe, whilst leaving his more bluesy roots behind. Clearly still wanting to dabble in the blues, though, earlier this year he announced that he was forming a new band, Hollow Souls, which would allow him to do so. He wants his solo band to continue down their current road - but he said that Hollow Souls would allow him to return to his first love, as well as showcase some songs he had written which did not suit his current sound. Joining him on this venture are fellow solo band member, songwriter, and producer Josiah Manning, handling guitars and keyboards, alongside frontwoman Phoebe Jane - who contributed to a some of Barras' older albums as a backing singer. This trio are the core of the band - with Barras and Manning writing the songs and Jane singing them. Barras sings occasionally, too, and there are three guest singers featured on the EP - but Jane is, officially at least, the main voice. Backing this core trio is bassist Leighton Allen and drummer Joe Harris throughout - whilst four of the six songs feature guests, with one guitarist and the aforementioned singers lending their talents. I think that Barras also wanted to work with some different people and some other friends from the industry here, too, and it seems to be a project built around having a good time and exploring old sounds. I am writing this review off the back of seeing the band live at the weekend - and the show exemplified this vibe, with a setlist the covered the entire EP, older songs from Barras' canon, and some great blues/R&B covers that allowed the band to have plenty of fun.

This EP certainly is a lot of fun, but if I was to have a criticism of it it would be the overuse of guest singers. Half of the songs have guest singers - and Jane only duets with one of them. Throw in the one song that Barras sings and she only prominently sings two and a half of the songs here - which somewhat undermines her presence. I would have rather Jane dominated the EP vocally, with Barras supporting her - and I hope that if Hollow Souls ever release anything else that she is pushed to the fore a lot more. The opening song Borderline shows why, as the bluesy, southern rock-esque piece demonstrates her soulful power perfectly. American blues guitarist Jared James Nichols adds some additional lead guitar and soloing to the piece, but vocally the song is all Jane. The opening percussive chorus soon gives way to a strutting main guitar riff - over which bluesy guitar leads are laid. Given that both Barras and Nichols cut loose here, guitar leads fill the whole song. There is a lot going on here from a guitar perspective, with each of Jane's vocal lines seemingly punctuated by some flashy guitar playing. The song is packed full of character, then, but the vocals are still able to be hooky - whilst the strut and groove from the rhythm gives the song its attitude. Later renditions of the chorus are much fuller than the foot-stomping opening rendition - but each iteration feels memorable. It is easy to sing along with, and the soulful groove that it conjures up is representative of the core Hollow Souls sound as a whole. Bad Things, which follows, feels a bit tougher - but the same southern-esque strut remains throughout. Chris Tapp (The Cold Stares) handles the vocals during the verses, whilst Jane sings during the intro and the chorus. The duet approach works well in this case, but I still wish that Jane was more prominent throughout the EP. Still, Tapp's deeper vocal approach does work nicely during snappy verses which feel a bit more reined in compared to the previous song. There is a lot less guitar firepower this time, with a slinking guitar line and the groove of the rhythm section largely all that backs Tapp's voice - before the chorus explodes with a wall of Hammond organ and Janes' expressive vocals. The chorus is a good mix of smooth, soulful melodies and anthemic, punchy moments - whilst Barras' later guitar solo is pretty high-octane and full of shredded leads. I Need the Fire is a hard rocking track, but its retro vibe and prominent organ parts mean that it would not easily sit on one of Barras' more recent solo albums. It also the final song here to feature Jane singing lead vocals. She unleashes her power over the top of a barrelling verse which is built around a busy guitar and keyboard unison melody. Grooves are conjured up yet again during these fast-paced verses - whilst the chorus feels a little more cinematic overall despite a faster pace still being maintained. Manning utilises his Hammond a lot throughout this song to add a retro edge and plenty of growl - whilst the guitar riffing from Barras is old-school and groovy, which extends to another busy guitar solo. I am not sure that there is such a thing as too much Hammond organ, so hearing it so prominently here was always going to please me - and the song is an overall highlight thanks to its pace and power.

Burn It to the Ground features the British blues/roots rock singer Elles Bailey throughout - who also co-wrote the tune. She has a less overtly powerful voice than Jane, but she has a great blues grit to her delivery - which comes out during the chorus in particular. The song feels a bit more down and dirty as a result of her throatier and rawer delivery - with Barras utilising a lot of slide guitar throughout. The guitar and bass tones throughout are pretty fuzzy, too, whilst the keyboards this time feel a bit more gritty and all-enveloping. There is a retro roots rock feel to the piece, then, but Bailey delivers a strong and heartfelt vocal - with the chorus really popping. The verses are a bit more low key and percussive - but once she cuts loose during the chorus and the slide melodies really kick in the song reaches a new level. The heaviest song here is Shotgun, which is not too far removed from the sound that Barras deals in regularly these days. Jon Harvey (Monster Truck) sings throughout, and his tough, gritty vocal suits the riffy and slightly metallic, at times, piece. Despite this heaviness, the production and the groove of the rhythm section does help to set the song apart from Barras' core sound. There is definitely a southern drawl and groove throughout - whilst some growling Hammond during the chorus also ensures that the song moves away from the modern hard rock sound of Barras' recent albums. Jane adds plenty of vocals to the chorus, too, harmonising well with Harvey and adding some counter-melodies at times. The song is a powerful hard rocker, but I really feel that Jane would have done it justice. The EP then comes to a close with the soaring ballad Chasing Ghosts - the only song here that Barras sings. Despite wanting to hear more from Jane throughout this EP, I would not change this song's vocal arrangement. It was made for Barras to sing - and he has since said that it is one of his favourite songs that he has written to date. The poignant ballad is made for his emotive voice - and Barras has always written excellent ballads throughout his career. This one harks back to some of his older ballads - with a sombre piano backing alongside some atmospheric organ constantly adding depth. A mixture of electric and acoustic guitars shake things up, too, but it is Barras' excellent vocal display which really helps the song to be an overall highlight. Jane adds powerful harmonies during the chorus, which are welcome, but this is Barras' showcase - and it is fitting that he also delivers a fantastic guitar solo later on in the piece, following a bridge section that builds around Manning's piano melodies. It is easily the best guitar solo here - and the epic ballad is one of Barras' best to date, so it brings the EP to an emotive and atmospheric close. At this stage it is unclear what the future holds for Hollow Souls. Their debut tour is now done and, one last minute festival slot aside, there are no more public plans for the band. Barras is about to record his next solo album so he will likely be promoting that next year - but a recent social media post suggests that Hollow Souls will be back at some point. I hope that they are able to co-exist with Barras' growing solo career - as the two outlets provide different things. I hope, then, that this strong EP is a taste of what is to come rather than a one-off.

The self-released EP was released on 10th October 2025. Below is the band's promotional video for Borderline.