Wretched Slugs! Don’t any of you have the guts to play for blood?!
Ashes Of Old is a one man Melodic Extreme Metal band from the central desert area of Oregon. All instruments and recordings are completed by the mastermind NW Baker. Ashes Of Old, while the sound is more Black Metal leaning, doesnt stick to the rules of Trve Kvlt. There are elements of Death and Progressive Metal, along with touches of Melodic Hardcore and experimental/eletronic. The newest creation from this North Western project, Depression – Searching In Despair, which was slated for release August 13, has been pushed forward and is available for digital download now. NW Baker loved the mastering so much, the album couldn’t be sat on any longer.
Depression starts things off right with an excellent choice of soundbite of the infamous quote from Tombstone, “I’m you’re Huckleberry.” From there, “Void Tomb” brings in the punching assault. The deeper screeching vocals wail with anger and sorrow and the riffs just keep coming. “Awaken” features Road Rat Records labelmate Tom Gekas for a crushing and atmospheric masterpiece. The joining of these two Extreme Metal talents is one to behold and should not be missed.
“The Shadows Forever Follow” shows those elements of experimental and electronic creation. The synth intro, that finds its way into the chorus, is an almost surprising aspect. It has the cold and damp feel of dungeon synth, but the epicness of of prog, yet the dismal sound of Black Metal. The operatic synth of “Nomad” gives a strong impression of Atmospheric Black Metal, among other darker metal sounds. But, the bluesy guitar solo takes it to a whole other plane. That mix of tone and style is impressive. The changes in tempo that build and crescendo are other-worldly and make for a welcome journey.
For some, programmed drums/percussion can be detrimental to their listening experience. However, for “Unbound To Reality”, when paired with the slightly overdriven guitar, it just works. That quickly is taken away though, when the real heaviness hits like a punch in the face. The grit doesn’t diminish the darkness, and like most good music, causes reflection. “Timberline to the West” is a slow burn that turns crushing. To start, there is an almost cowboy or western sound with the clean rhythm and creamy lead guitars not often associated with metal (distinct sub-genres aside). That continues to build to heavy hitting brutality. Clean vocals give way to harsh gutterals and blistering riffs (complete with pinch squeals). The lead guitar and bass fight for the most attention, but both are more than deserving.
“Cowards” blends the rhythm and delivery of Electronica with the tone and darkness of Black Metal. This is one to get lost in, but subconsciously tap along to. “Misery In Tow” has just that, misery. The clean vocals over the bass heavy verse are delivered in the perfect way to convey a miserable dread. As it builds into something heavier and darker, that anguish remains. The synth and swelling guitars towards the end are fit for the downtrodden. That misery continues into “Slow Motion Self Destructive”. Pulling cues from DSBM, the close to the album is just as dark and heavy as everything else before it, but pushes just a bit further into abysmal depths.
As a bonus, two covers are included. As an ode to Black Metal legends Darkthrone, Ashes Of Old has covered “Too Old Too Cold”. The cover is done almost perfectly and isn’t modified much from the original. It is a fitting tribute to a band involved with Black Metal’s inception. The second cover is “Creep”, originally from Stone Temple Pilots. While the STP version was a commercial success and 90s staple, Ashes Of Old has turned it into something fitting the rest of Depression. NW Baker completely nails the vocals and creates an original sound, while staying true to the STP classic.
Ashes Of Old has blended styles and tones from all over the Extreme Metal genre. They have taken on their own sound and have combated the pigeon-holing of genre rules. There is clear inspiration, without being a carbon copy of anything. Depression – Searching In Despair is available now on Bandcamp. CDs will be available from Road Rat Records and cassettes will be available from Frost Root Records, so be on the lookout for those release dates!
