GOLLUM to Release Rotten Records Debut

Wilmington, North Carolina metal troupe GOLLUM, who recently signed with Rotten Records, will release their long anticipated The Core full-length on April 14th. The record is dedicated to late drummer Hunter Holland, who died suddenly of heart failure just a short time after he completed the drum tracks for the new record. “You helped lay the foundation and blueprint, then you left us with a gift,” writes the band on their official MySpace page. “We will never forget. Thank you dear friend for the inspiration you have given each of us. Your beat goes on and forever with us you shall be.”

Check out preview tracks here: http://www.myspace.com/gollum

Check our TOUR DATES section for Upcoming GOLLUM Tour Dates

GOLLUM Bio:

Wilmington, North Carolina metal troupe Gollum — a name derived from the Yiddish “goylem” which literally translates to “shapeless mass”— formed in the summer of 1998 by late drummer Hunter Holland and brothers Frank and Serge Stroehmer (guitar and bass respectively). “Hunter and I met through a mutual college friend and always talked about jamming after realizing that we were each into heavy music,” recalls Frank. “I had played with Hunter and was very impressed. He will forever be recognized as one of the most intense drummers the world has ever known. Serge soon entered the picture after moving to Wilmington from Goldsboro to live with me. The three of us jammed regularly. The chemistry was undeniable.”

Frank would later incorporate samples and keyboards to further expand Gollum’s already eclectic palette. Once confident enough in their delivery, they took to the road opening for the likes of Mastodon, Soilent Green, Vital Remains, Incantation, God Forbid, Death Angel, Rwake, Alabama Thunderpussy, Minsk, Skeletonwitch, Crisis, and home-state sludge kings, Weedeater. They went on to self-produce and release their first full-length album in 2004 in the form of Lesser Traveled Waters. The disc received a host of positive reviews and featured a guest appearance by Grammy-nominated singer D. Randall Blythe of Lamb of God as well as Weedeater’s Dave “Dixie” Collins.

All the while, Gollum employed a revolving door of vocalists but finally found a keeper in Shawn Corbett. A multi-instrumentalist and longtime band friend, Corbett’s talent and natural intensity meshed perfectly with the band’s music. By 2008, Gollum had garnered a considerable buzz and caught the attention of Los Angeles-based label Rotten Records. After a three-month courting process and a successful showcase in Wilmington, the band signed to the label in June and quickly entered the studio to craft and perfect what would become The Core. Just before the band could finish recording the record however, tragedy struck when founding member Hunter Holland died of heart failure just a few weeks after completing his drum tracks. The surviving members, devastated by Holland’s untimely passing and unsure of the band’s future, ultimately put all Gollum-related dealings on hold. After some deep soul-searching, the band soldiered on, confident that it’s what Holland would have wanted.

Gollum eventually recruited gifted drummer Seth Long who had played with Frank in a side project. Long played his first show with the band on New Year’s Eve 2008.

Recorded in Wilmington, NC at Umbilical Studios by Frank Stroehmer, The Core is dedicated to the memory of Hunter Holland. Guest appearances include the return of D. Randall Blythe and Dave “Dixie” Collins as well as Scott Angelacos of Hope & Suicide, the angelic vocal work of Cassie Sipe and Dr. George Zervos, professor of Religion/Philosophy at UNCW. The Core is scheduled to hit streets, April 14, 2009