Ashes - Nihilist review
| Band: | Ashes |
| Album: | Nihilist |
| Style: | Depressive black metal |
| Release date: | December 2007 |
01. Torn
02. Empty
03. Abject Fear
04. Ruin
05. Regret
06. Forgive
07. Nihilist
One of the most interesting American bands of late is the Depressive Black Metal act Ashes. In this genre one traditionally operates alone, and Ashes is no different. With the "Nihilist" EP, sole member Astaroth has created a dark and sinister journey to the other side. As it is just his second demo, it is all the more impressive and promising.
What fills the room when you push the play-button, is unbelievable. Every bleak and sinister metaphor applies to the amazing sound of the guitar. A droning, slow, brooding and sickeningly calm buzz greets you with its deadly and hollow embrace. After a few uncertain moments, a wailing scream of terror tears the void apart. Inhumanely distorted and deformed beyond recognition, wallowing in utter misery, they are the epitome of wretched and haunted shrieks. Your eyes slowly turn away and you slip off into unconsciousness...
Unfortunately not every song is as good as the opener. From there on, various acoustics and more ambient-driving parts appear. The intentions are good and the execution is far from bad either, it just does not fit completely. It is too fragmented. If he would have kept the disturbing flow from the first song going, it would have worked better. Fortunately the sickening flow returns in a few songs and again drains every drop of blood from the listeners body.
Influences and references are the obvious mid-era Burzum, Bethlehem, Shining and pretty much every other important suicidal Black Metal band. A distinct Lifelover influence also rears its ugly head in the song "Forgive", strongly pressing its mark on the catchy buzz of the guitar and the simple, shrill appended piano tones.
Another strong point on this EP is the length of it. The seven song edition is only 24 minutes long, which causes the desire to hear it over and over again, without becoming overly repetitive and boring. Plenty of ideas are being spread, and they are for once not ruined because they are repeated a hundred times.
In the end this is a very interesting release, both for today and for tomorrow. A lot of potential seeps through and makes this a very good listen. But even more important, "Nihilist" is a promise for future releases. Keep a sharp eye for this band.
 | Written on 27.03.2008 by If you're interested in extreme, often emotional and underground music, check out my reviews. I retired from reviewing, but I really used to be into that stuff. |
Comments
Comments: 9
Visited by: 52 users
| Clintagräm Shrinebuilder Posts: 5772 From: USA  |
I just don't know anymore. I usually try to keep it to myself, but it seems like Black Metal is just becoming a trend these days. I mean, Suicidal Black Metal from Ohio? I don't know, it just sounds goofy. Don't get me wrong, the music is actually pretty good. Really great piano and acoustic work, warm guitars, tortured screams, melodic undertones. It's all very tasty, but I don't know, I'm thinking something is just lacking. I can see people forming Death or Thrash bands for personal pleasure, but this type of Black Metal to me doesn't seem like something that should be a celebrated genre. Hey, perhaps he really does have a tortured soul and Black Metal is the only way to express it, but I just have this feeling that the whole thing is just becoming a front, an "anti-aesthetic" if you will. Just makes me question the validity of it all. Good review and music regardless.
---- The force will be with you, always.
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Posts: 13427 From: The Netherlands  |
Written by Clintagräm on 27.03.2008 at 20:26 What is lacking then? I'm guessing you miss the convincing negative image of the musician behind this band? I can understand it, but I disagree. We don't all need to be as theatrical as Kvarforth (whether his emotions are real or not, the way he expresses them is definitely theater), to create good and convincing depressed music, right? Otherwise, the world would quickly become a boring place, if everyone would act like him. Quote: Indeed it shouldn't be such a celebrated and 'popular' genre. But I reckon the hype will collapse and kill itself soon enough. Until then, I'm doing my best to pick out the gems (such as, imo, this one) for you and me. If you ask me, an overkill of these bands is better than an 'underkill'. I'd rather work my way through tons of bands to find three amazing bands, than have nothing at all. And about his tortured soul.. well, who are we to judge that? I hardly care about the motivations to create music.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Clintagräm Shrinebuilder Posts: 5772 From: USA |
Written by Lucas on 27.03.2008 at 20:34 No, nothing like that. He could be a 75 year old woman who likes to wear pink for all I care. To me, this trend really kills it. He could be sincere, I don't know that. But it just seems to me it's being overplayed. This "message" specifically. Written by Lucas on 27.03.2008 at 20:34 I can't judge that, but I have this strong sense of doubt his life is constantly what his music conveys. Of course, no musician is. On motivation, I think we can throw out money on this one. I realize it's probably a little more legit than some genres, but seeing as it's "Suicidal" and/or "Depressive" Black Metal, it just seems like an oxymoron to be doing what others do for their "problems." Just my take on it.
---- The force will be with you, always.
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| Sunioj Posts: 3894 From: Finland  |
I found this to be one of the better depressive Black Metal releases out there, actually.
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Posts: 13427 From: The Netherlands |
Very well. If you choose to let your music be spoiled by a hype, that's your call.  Though it can be very annoying, to see every suddenly being depressed and all. But well, life is not always as you want it, trends will die and tides will turn and more of that cliché wisdom..
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Damnated Churchburner Posts: 4943 From: Romania  |
the hype around depressive black metal is already coming to an end tbh. that is why only a few good albums get released under this subgenre.
---- Blessed is he that murders Christ in himself and in his fellow men.  Written by TheBigRossowski on 10.02.2009 at 16:01
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Posts: 13427 From: The Netherlands |
Written by Sunioj on 27.03.2008 at 20:43 It is, it is. There were just some factors (sometimes the flow is really disturbed, and if anything is important in DBM, its the flow), that prevented me from rating it any higher. But then again, an 8 is still quite high.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Sunioj Posts: 3894 From: Finland |
Written by Lucas on 27.03.2008 at 20:48 8 is pretty good in my book, so I also think it's appropriate. I think the thing that caught my attention this time is the warm sound quality, its quite pleasant listening actually 
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| Clintagräm Shrinebuilder Posts: 5772 From: USA |
Written by Lucas on 27.03.2008 at 20:44 It's not about hype. It's not like this is like the new Soulja Boy track, hell nah. Or even the new Opeth or Wintersun (yank, yank) for that matter. I just have questions about Black Metal being trendy to people. Being popular has nothing about it. Just too many Bedroom BMers I guess. The same can be said of other genres as well. Oh well, I think if I can enjoy something like Burzum or Silencer, I can enjoy this too, from a purely musical standpoint, which oddly enough is usually what BM "isn't all about."
---- The force will be with you, always.
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