HADEA / EX GOLLUM

Hadea / ex Gollum biography
GOLLUM (later renamed to HADEA) are a progressive thrash/death metal band from North Carolina, formed in 1998. The band takes their name from the Yiddish word goylem, which translates to formless, a very fitting descriptor for the music of this inventive group of hard-hitting rockers.

GOLLUM was formed by drummer Hunter HOLLAND and brothers Frank and Serge STROEHMER on guitar and bass, respectively, who began playing together when they were in college. Their first full-length album, ''Lesser Travelled Waters'', was released in 2004 and featured LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy BLYTHE on guest vocals, but it wouldn't be until early 2008 that GOLLUM settled on permanent lead singer Shawn CORBETT. After solidifying the lineup the band negotiated to be signed to LA record label Rotten Records and entered the studio shortly thereafter to record their second full-length album, Core. Unfortunately, just weeks after finishing all of the drum recording, Hunter HOLLAND died of a sudden heart attack in early September of 2008. The band, after much time spent pondering the continuation of GOLLUM after losing a critical member, decided they would continue to play and write, and were subsequently able to pick up drummer Seth LONG, a friend of the band, to continue in Hunter's stead. ''Core'' was released in April of 2009 to high critical acclaim. After the tragic loss of HOLLAND, the band decided to change their name to HADEA and released their third album, ''Fabric of Intention'' under this name in January 2014.

GOLLUM have toured on all coasts of the United States with an impressive list of headlining acts, opening for many big name metal bands like SLAYER, MASTODON, TRIVIUM, CANNIBAL CORPSE, GWAR, DYSRHYTHMIA, and WEEDEATER. Indeed, this is a testament to the flexibility GOLLUM shows in their music. Formless is a rather good way to describe their music, as the band delves heavily into rapidly-changing time signatures and stylistic shifts, in addition to heavy experimentation with traditional heavy metal riffing and textural passages, all while retaining their innate ability to play very solid, rocking death metal. At times they can channel the proggy ferocity of Remission-era MASTODON or MEKONG DELTA, while at other times can twist genre-defining sounds with the confidence of Souls at Zero-era NEUROSIS. GOLLUM continue to play their innovative brand of extreme metal up and down the East coast today.

Biography by NecronCommander, updated by aapatsos