Hollow Souls EP review: Kris Barras returns to his roots with explosive new project, Hollow Souls

He’s traded punches in the cage, traded licks with Joe Bonamassa and Billy Gibbons, and fronted one of Britain’s hardest-hitting modern rock bands — but now Kris Barras is heading back to the blues.

The Devon-born guitar hero and former MMA fighter has launched his next project - Hollow Souls: an electrifying new collective that takes him back to his roots. The EP has blues-rock at its heart, but with the power and energy you’d expect from a man who’s spent the last few years leading a full-throttle hard rock outfit.

Hollow Souls is far from a solo venture, though. Barras has teamed up with long-time collaborator and producer Josiah J Manning, drummer Joe Harris (Toby Lee / Lack of Afro), bassist Leighton Allen (Callum Scott / The Hoosiers), and the vocal talent of Phoebe Jane.

Their debut single “Borderline” - an impressive one-take studio performance, dripping with live energy and featuring US blues-rock dynamo Jared James Nichols on lead guitar. Since then, Hollow Souls have kept the momentum rolling, teaming up with Jon ‘Marv’ Harvey from Monster Truck and Chris Tapp of The Cold Stares along the way.

'Burn It to the Ground', featuring Elles Bailey, crackles with chemistry. It's a swampy, soulful groove with Elles’ powerhouse vocals front and centre, matched by Barras' signature grit.

'Chasing Ghosts' rounds off the six track EP - it's a stunning torch song, replete with haunting decant backing vocals, soaring guitar work and some of Barras's best and most emotive vocals to date. The track leaves you craving more.

Hollow Souls' debut is a reminder that you can take the blues out of the man for a while, but you can’t take the man out of the blues.