Michael Hodgson - Hollow World - Systematic Refinement - Exclusive Drum Play-through + Interview and Tour Dates

In March 2017 drummer Michael Hodgson and Hollow World released their debut LP ‘Exanimate’ which was recorded in Melbourne, Australia with Ermin Hamidovic at Systematic Productions (The Devin Townsend Project, Periphery, Betraying The Martyr) to rave reviews. After a strong Australian tour following the release, which included playing Blacken Open Air Festival.

Hollow World also landed supporting sets for the Thrash Blast Grind Festival, Fallujah and Fleshgod Apocalypse and really grew their profile both in their home town and around the country. Now, the band is looking towards the future with plans to begin writing for their next release and of course, to continue touring extensively, both at home and making their way overseas.

This video is Michael Hodgson playing Hollow World’s ‘Systematic Refinement’ from their Independent 2017 ‘Exanimate’ full-length release.

Michael Hodgson Interview:

SDM: How long has Hollow World been around and how did you guys get from the starting blocks to where you are at now, as a young band from Australia who is already out touring and endorsed by several notable gear companies?

M.H: Hollow World started out in early 2013, We started off pretty strong, our second show was the final Bleeding Through Melbourne show, and have done a lot of international supports since, such as Cattle Decapitation, The Black Dahlia Murder, Fleshgod Apocalypse, At The Gates, Revocation and toured Australia extensively along the way as well.

From the formation of this band we haven’t slowed down, and keep pushing ourselves as much as possible, with the help of a lot of knowledgeable people helping us out along the way. I reached out to the distributors in Australia about what we have done, and what we plan on doing in the future, and Meinl took me on board, which I’m extremely happy about, as I’ve been using Meinl since I started playing drums, loving Chris Adler’s cymbal sounds, I knew I wanted to use that brand, and have always been my favourite sounding cymbals since. I have been using Pearl drums for years, but currently not endorsed by them.

SDM: You guys just completed your first European tour alongside Psycroptic, Aversions Crown, Within Destruction and Hadal Maw, how did you find the experience and how did it compare to what you expected?

M.H: It was incredible! One of the best experiences of my life so far. All the people involved are fantastic people to work with, and made it an incredibly fun first European tour. Was the first time for us doing back to back shows, playing 22 shows I expected it to be a lot harder than it was, still wasn’t easy, by the end of the tour was definitely feeling it. Being able to talk to all the bands, tour managers and venue staff every day we have learned a lot and will bring what we have learned to keep pushing as hard as we can.

SDM: All of those bands have exceptionally talented drummers in their ranks, how was it to share the stage with those guys for a whole month across Europe?

M.H: It was definitely daunting having to play under all of those dudes at the start, but got to know everyone better throughout the tour, and relaxed a bit and just played the best possible show I could. Watching them play every night, you can see the touring experience pays off, they smashed it without fault and consistently every night. Seeing the different techniques and styles being used all around, made me even change a bit of the way I place things and do things, which I have had the same setup style for last 3 years.

SDM: The Hollow World drum play-through of Systematic Refinement… where and when was it shot, any interesting stories behind it?

M.H: It was shot on the floor in front of the stage at Poppodium Iduna – Drachten, in the Netherlands. Paul McGuire and I shot the video while everything on the stage was being set up, half way through we had to pause so that Aversions Crown could sound check, then back at it again haha. If you look closely you can see cases lying around. So that it was less messy looking Paul got the lighting guys to shoot white lights at me so it looked like it wasn’t just shot on a floor with a lot of stuff around us, loved the end result he did.

SDM: Who have been your biggest drumming influences, and are there any Australian drummers that have made an impression on your playing?

M.H: I’m not really one to draw influence by just one drummer, but draw from many. If something stands out to me on a record or live, I would go and watch everything about how they played, and try to learn how they do it. My two biggest influences would have to be Mario Duplantier from Gojira, and Francesco Paoli from Fleshgod Apocalypse.

Mario’s style drives me to push myself to hit harder, and play cleaner, every YouTube video I have seen of them playing live, he absolutely destroys the kit, he is the most consistent drummer ever IMO.

Francesco was the first drummer I ever heard push past the 260bpm mark and absolutely destroy the kit at the same time, I watched a lot of videos on how he plays and tried to develop my technique around watching his, he is the reason I do the “Double Stroke” technique now, so I can now push the faster tempos and be more consistent while doing it, Getting to share the stage with him in 2016 was unbelievable for me, and is still one of the best moments in my musical carrier being able to do that.