Short, expansive and loud. These are just three adjectives which sum up the latest release from Midlands upstarts The Hiding Place. Having been a band since 2010, they’ve developed a decent following of fans on social media and in their base city of Stoke-on-Trent. Combining furious guitar playing from guitarist Jonny Wood with ‘Dominic Webber’s’ croons and screams brings together an EP of such promise, ‘So This Is Home’.
Opening salvo ‘Maybe You’ll Drown’ is quite calm, echoing the intro of many Of Mice & Men songs – a dark brooding riff with Webber very quietly singing – before an avalanche of riffs, drums and bass hit with a great scream. The opening song may only be just over two and a half minutes long, but it is impactful and shows intent. Whilst the EP is just shy of fifteen minutes long, it hits all of the right notes and shows off some expert playing. Lead single ‘Guts’ could be the song which garners them the most attention, with its heartfelt lyrics and an expansive palette of sound, it’s a solid choice for a lead single.
Moving onto ‘Barfly’ a song named after the legendary London venue was always going to incorporate themes of alcohol wasn’t it? With a harmonized chorus and a crunchy riff, the song is one of the strongest the band has. ‘The Whole World Is Ending In My Head’ shows off the vocals again with a quiet-loud dynamic which just works, whilst closer ‘Long Winters’ sounds like Anberlin but a whole lot heavier. This isn’t a bad thing, and it closes the EP with a barrel full of sound.
Overall, The Hiding Place could be on the cusp of joining the ranks of the national alternative rock scene, and could prove to be one of the leaders if this EP is anything to go by. They’ve got the tunes, now they need the overwhelming support that they deserve. Fans of Mallory Knox, Finch and Anberlin will love these guys.
ADAM ROSARIO