Highly rated South Shields based NWoBHM act. Original copies of the 1980 'Warlord' HOLLOW GROUND 7" EP now change hands for as much as £200. HOLLOW GROUND, comprising singer Glenn Coates, guitarist Martin Metcalf, bassist Brian Rickman and drummer Jon Lockney, recorded the tracks 'Fight With The Devil', 'Rock On', 'The Holy One' and 'Flying High' in December 1980 on the 'Roksnax' compilation album released by Guardian Records, after the band's own four track EP had emerged earlier the same year. Ingeniusly, HOLLOW GROUND had raised the finance for these sessions by performing the North Eastern working mens club circuit under the cover of a pseudonym - HORIZON.

Vocalist Glenn Coates later joined FIST, featuring on the 1982 album 'Back With A Vengeance'. This defection signalled the end of HOLLOW GROUND. Martin Metcalf worked briefly with ex-AXISS guitarist Steve Dawson in BLUEPRINT before joining GEORDIE during the period this veteran North East band operated as POWERHOUSE. After the 'Powerhouse' album POWERHOUSE singer Rob Turnball and Martin Metcalf worked together in club outfit VISITOR. The guitarist also worked with bassist Tom Hill, of GEORDIE, in DANGEROUS. Another band, entitled SNATCH, reunited Glenn Coates with Metcalf and FIST guitarist Dave Irwin.

After an audition for THE WILDHEARTS Metcalf forged WRENCH. This band included at various stages THE WILDHEARTS drummer Stid (Andrew Stiddolph) and guitarist Nick Parsons of THE ALMIGHTY, THE YO-YOS and WHATEVER. During 2000 Metcalf would form part of the FIST reunion line-up. Brian Rickman also enrolled into the FIST ranks.