Hell Hotel: Tracks That Shaped Our Sound

A dynamic Emo/Alternative Rock Duo hailing from Brighton, UK. Drawing inspiration from early 00s Emo & Alternative Rock icons like The Used, Taking Back Sunday, and Paramore, as well as contemporary artists such as Holding Absence and Casey, they offer a fresh twist on a nostalgic genre.

Formed in September 2023 from a mutual passion for alternative music, 'Ill Hotel' serves as a new creative outlet for the duo, unexplored in their previous projects. Their debut single 'Smile', set for release in February 2024, catapults them onto the scene with its fast-paced emo intensity, showcasing the band's energetic style. With contrasting harsh and emotive vocals, the track sets the stage for soaring melodic instrumentation, embracing the band's nostalgic influences.

Thematically, 'Smile' delves into the destructive dynamics of trauma-bonded relationships, highlighting the ease of self-sabotage over making beneficial changes for mental health. We spoke to them about the tracks that shaped their sound:

Taking Back Sunday - Spin 

Taking Back Sunday has always been on the top of the pile in terms of heavy rotation since I first heard them on Kerrang! In the mid 2000s. The infectious energy delivered from both vocalists and the instrumental is something I’ve always gravitated towards. ‘Spin’ to me encapsulates all of this in a scrappy little package with just the right amount of sass which I try to carry over into Hell Hotel's music.

Pvris - Ghosts 

Lynn Gunn’s writing style is something that always amazes me from debut to present day. Her choices of melody and lyricism connect on such an emotional level regardless of the instrumentation behind it. Pvris’s chameleon like genre bending is also, an element that I try and carry into different projects in the sense that whatever feels right, do it regardless of the confines of genre. 

Casey - Ceremony 

Casey was the first band that I heard that combined all the elements of heavy music that I enjoyed with the atmospheric tendencies of post-rock/shoegaze and completely altered my brain chemistry with their debut LP ‘Love Is Not Enough’. The earnest lyricism and hardcore adjacent breakdowns set the canvas for music that in equal parts makes you want to mosh and cry your eyes out. 

My Chemical Romance - Thank You For The Venom 

A list of musical inspirations would not be complete without the addition of My Chemical Romance when it comes to this band. It’s not denying they are one of the biggest names in the genre and for good reason like, I have them tattooed on my body aha. What I took most from them though was the element of storytelling and escapism their music provides and how even when engulfed in metaphor you can find your own meaning in their music. 

Holding Absence -  Gravity 

I thought I’d bookend with two favorites, with that being said, Holding Absence encompasses everything I hope to achieve in this band's career. Carving their own path using soaring and emotive melody as their sword whilst expanding on the genre, creating higher ceilings for a band like ours to potentially rise to. The way they hold their supporters at the center of everything they do is something to praised as well as their ability to put out a flawless discography so far.