In early 2022, looking to create a new band, guitarist Jack Gurney (Panic Switch, Harmony Disorder) approached longtime friend and drummer Tim Hills (SCSI, The Shining Lies, Lungbutta) to start rehearsing for a new as yet unnamed project. Keeping the riffs chunky and groovy were key to this project with nothing overly fancy with guitar solos out. Jack had recorded a few basic demos of ideas he had which Tim really liked, and they set about having a few practices.

Next step was to bring in a bass player and the youthful and energetic Ed Bendall came into the fold. A big bass sound with heavy distortion added the big low end they were looking for.

Jay Mottley an established metal singer from the Forest of Dean, UK made the grade and was recruited to sing for the band adding his style of shouty vocals and deep guttural screams into the mix. In the meantime, unbeknownst to the band, Ed had gone through the UK marines recruitment process and left the band to go to the armed forces.

This left the band on the hunt again for a new bassist. After a couple of auditions, around October 2022, Ross Labiak (The Rin Tins, Boy Cry Wolf) was selected for the position. Bringing a wealth of music knowledge to the band, his bass lines really started to bring the band together. Thus the current line up of the band was formed.

All that was needed now was a name, and after much deliberation, Hollow Ritual was chosen.

Rehearsals continued at Pirate Studios, Cheltenham, UK aiming to get into the recording studio as soon as possible, to have something meaningful to go out on the road with. In February 2023, the band employed Pete Newdeck to produce the first single. Pete is well known in the rock/metal scene, drumming for bands such as Vega. The band recorded a three track single over a few days.

Road To Nowhere was the first song to be released by Hollow Ritual, the video for which was filmed at Out Of Key studios in Gloucester, UK with Adam Chandler, a local up and coming filmmaker filming and producing the video. He had previously made videos for Skora and Grief Ritual, bands also local to the area.

Road To Nowhere was released on May 5th 2023.