Hollow Zoo – “Until You Bleed”

Music Reviews
Jer@SBS
June 19, 2025
0
8 minutes read

Hollow Zoo – “Until You Bleed” – Single Review

Hell yeah, I’d be happy about this single if I was Hollow Zoo.

No reasons not to be from what I can hear. “Until You Bleed” is another meaty slice cut from their upcoming record called T.V. Static & Hate, rumored to be dropping onto the internet sometime around August this year if all goes according to plan. I liked what I heard from Hollow Zoo earlier this year when I was checking out a couple of other advance singles they’d put out, “Never Do What You Say” & “Filth Box” – so I figured liking “Until You Bleed” probably wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for me. They’ve got themselves a good thing goin’ on, and they seem to have a solid grip on their sound in a variety of ways. As in, they do what they do with confidence, and each time they’ve put out a song, you can bank on the professionalism that comes along with it. They might tweak this or that, or display a slightly different side of what they do along the way each time they put something out, but Hollow Zoo probably has a more defined sound than they might even realize themselves. As I listened to “Until You Bleed,” one of my first thoughts was surrounding how consistent this band has been from the moment I was introduced to their music. They’re a highly focused band, and heck yeah, my ears appreciate that.

So…I mean…they’re not shrieking eagle sounds or whatever that was goin’ on in “Never Do What You Say.” They’ve dialed back the demonic growling that “Filth Box” possessed. I don’t want to accuse the band of being normal, because I get the sense that they’re anything but…but I do think there’s almost an argument to be made that the band has made a more concentrated effort to go in a more straightforward direction with “Until You Bleed,” and honestly, I think it’ll pay off for them. Look…it was never about any kind of gimmickry before…at least not that I could tell…they used unique elements to make each experience memorable in its own viable way – but things like wildlife noises or whatever could very well be mistaken by some as a gimmick of sorts, I suppose. I’m willing to concede that, but at the same time, I’d challenge you to have a listen to a track like “Never Do What You Say” and not come out feeling like what you heard was pretty damn unique too. While a track like “Until You Bleed” is more likely to draw more concrete comparisons than “Never Do What You Say” would have, I think that ultimately plays to Hollow Zoo’s advantage, and they didn’t really have to compromise their sound at all to get there. Instead, you get a solid progression…a natural evolution of the Hollow Zoo vibe…still wild at its core but arguably with a higher degree of universal accessibility that could broaden their audience.

From my personal perspective, there’s a lot to love about this band, and I feel like they’ve been going about things the right way. There is a standout aspect in every piece of their band – no weak points – and you hear confirmation of that on a cut like “Until You Bleed.” You get killer moments like what you’ll hear in the guitar tones around the 1:30 mark, or the solo to be found later on deeper into the song. You get an unbreakable heavy groove supplied by the rhythm section between the bass and the drums, the latter of which will go on to further impress you with some seriously insane fills along the way as well. The vocals of Hollow Zoo…continue to be a major reason to tune in. Whether it’s the deadly slither through the verses, or the dangerously hushed whispers to be found in this song, the vocals are an absolutely slick fit into “Until You Bleed.” And then like…good lord…whatever it is that the dude is doin’ around the 1:10 mark when you hear whatever the heck it is that Hollow Zoo has created as a chorus for “Until You Bleed” – that’s a fucking masterstroke. Leaning into their strengths in finding potent ways to stand out, they didn’t quite go full-wildlife this time around, so much as they let loose the Faith No More-inspired sound of the gimp you kept locked in your basement finally pulling back the zipper on his mask to let out a tortured howl. Or like, you know, however you’d personally describe it – but you’ll get what I mean when you hear it, and yes, you’ll understand how truly badass that moment really is. I have no real idea what’s being said or screamed at us in that spot, and I really don’t think that it matters…it’s the primal nature of the sound itself that becomes the hook…the savage release of a sonic fissure that allows all the tension that’s been building to escape in tremendously exciting ways. For real…it’s so much more addictive than you might realize at first, because the rest of “Until You Bleed” is so damn easy to enjoy…but that chorus…whatever they heck they’ve done there…that’s the real magic, and a major highlight in the innovative methods that Hollow Zoo brings to their music. So like I said…no compromises here…slight shifts. They’re cleverly morphing their sound to bend it just enough so that you, your friends, and even your momma has a chance to dig on what they create – and again, I think that’s a wise decision on their part & it feels unforced from my perspective. Hollow Zoo is playing the music they wanna play, and they seem to be quite content to let it go wherever it might take them. I’m definitely here for the ride….and I’m confident I won’t be alone in that. “Until You Bleed” is like listening to a band that’s thriving in their element, exploring their capabilities, and coming out with fantastic results…it’s been awesome to hear this band evolving and sharpening the edge of their craft, and if they keep at it the way they have been, that debut record of theirs is gonna be one killer album.

Find out more about Hollow Zoo from their official websites below!

Main site: https://hollow-zoo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hollowzoo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollowzoomusic

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hollowzoo

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEllCS3O6DI7uH-TsT0CJFw