1. Under Dödens Vingar (pt.1)
2. Abandon All Light
3. A Hunderd Years of Darkness
4. Devoured Alive
5. Drowning in Your Own Blood
6. Watch Your Children Burn
7. The Second Wind is Coming
8. Under Dödens Vingar (pt.2)
Comentario:
Album debut de esta banda sueca que cuenta con Jonny Pettersson, vocalista en los legendarios WOMBBATH. 8 temas de pesado crusty Death Metal influenciado por CARNAGE, BOLT THROWER, VOMITORY, ENTOMBED, CONVULSE...
Che io straveda per il death metal old school di matrice scandinava è un dato di fatto, è anche vero che negli ultimi due anni dalle terre del nord stanno emergendo realtà che, se non si avvicinano alle band degli anni storici del genere, poco ci manca.
Molti di questi lavori girano intorno ad un gruppo di musicisti instancabili che, a livello underground, stanno immettendo album di una qualità pazzesca: Just Before Dawn, tanto per fare un esempio, ma non solo, la lista è lunga e fortunatamente i lavori sono tutti di ottimo livello.
Non ho nominato questa band a caso, infatti il polistrumentista svedese Jonny Pettersson ha fatto parte del super gruppo, così come lo vede alle prese con altre band della scena (Human Harvest, Skineater, Syn:drom, Vholdghast, Wombbath).
Gli Ashcloud sono l’inumana creatura che Pettersson divide con Gareth Nash, chitarrista inglese (Body Harvest), formando un commando anglo/svedese all’assalto dei padiglioni auricolari degli appassionati, a cui va il consiglio di non perdersi assolutamente questo ennesimo gioiellino macabro, violento e assolutamente old school.
Abandon All Light non si discosta di una nota dal genere estremo per antonomasia, perciò pochi discorsi e tanto death metal, dal massacro assicurato, suonato alla grande, con ottime parte rallentate, come il passo strascicato degli zombie in copertina e veloci ripartenze, in cui il duo inserisce grandiose parti chitarristiche, tra melodia e potenza.
L’odore di morte è forte, putridume e decomposizione, che entrano nelle narici già dalla primo stupendo brano, Under dödens vingar (pt.1), con il risveglio dei morti, lento e inesorabile, che dalla furiosa title track cominciano a banchettare.
Inutile dire che la mezz’ora di death metal è da applausi, niente che non ricordi Dismember, Grave, Entombed e compagnia, ma complice un songwriting ispirato, una produzione potente e pulita ed il talento della coppia, Abandon All Light risulta un’altra perla di musica estrema, consigliato agli amanti del death metal scandinavo.
L’album si chiude con Under dödens vingar (pt.2), i non morti ritornano nelle tombe, lasciando al suolo solo ossa scarnificate e la band ci dà appuntamento al prossimo banchetto.
In a scene that is over-saturated with bands that seem to want to place emphasis on being as heavy as possible, it is quite refreshing when you get a chance to listen to something that manages to achieve that without having to sacrifice the quality of the music. It's even greater when the people that make such great music come together to create despite there being a vast gulf of land and sea between them. ASHCLOUD fall within the cross section of this particular Heavy Metal Venn Diagram, as the Swedish/British duo have managed to create a solid and dynamic record, their first full length "Abandon All Light", despite the fact that they live close to 1500 miles apart. This has helped benefit the record in one specific way, however; that this band's brand of Death Metal, peppered with Crust Punk influences, is a veritable melting pot of both Swedish and British influences. The resulting tunes that this demonic duo have created has lead to a great record.
The albums opening track, laden in an atmospheric intro, is a very low fi, thick song based around powerful rhythm sections and some eerie leads that work incredibly well. The Death Metal is firmly planted within the "Old School" sound, and it sounds pretty good. This is a short track, but sets the bar high for the ones that are to follow. The albums title track really picks up the speed and aggression, with vicious drumming that wouldn't sound out of place in a decent Punk track, coupled with those gnarly, sepulchral guitar and vocal lines. It's a solid track with plenty of hooks and great aspects to it's sound. The song that follows it, "A Hundred Years of Darkness", opens on a cleaner guitar tone, before falling back into the pattern of dark, crunching guitars and tar-like vocals. "Devoured Alive" is yet another great track with a crushing Old School Death Metal vibe to it and a raw production. This is followed by an equally ferocious track, "Drowning in Your Own Blood", which is a speed-driven, energetic track that is easier one of the heaviest on this record.
The sixth song, "Watch Your Children Burn", starts to see the band utilising some more technical lead guitar lines and more complex drumming patterns, creating a great song that stands out as one of the most impressive on this record. The penultimate track, "The Second Wind is Coming", which is the longest song on this album, clocking in at just under six minutes, is a song that is clearly drawing influence from Swedish Death Metal, with guitar lines that are almost melodic, and are indeed pretty catchy as well. This is one of those songs that will likely get stuck in your head and remain in your memory. It's for this reason that this is perhaps the best song on the record, and a great climax to this album, before we head in to the final offering; "Under Dodens Vingar (Part 2)", a companion piece for the albums first song. It's a slower, sludgier affair than most of the tracks on this album, which opt for speed and aggression for the most part. Compared to the rest of this album, it moves forward at a relative crawl, and it's all the more compelling and interesting to listen to as a result. There's some melodic guitar lines that really help to make this an awesome track as well. The music slowly starts to fade away, and the album draws to a close.
This album is a nice blend of different forms of music, and different musical scenes, and manages to pay homage to the sort of Old School Death Metal and Crust Punk many people have grown to love, whilst carving out their own distinct sound and style. This album stands head and shoulders above many underground Death Metal bands at the moment, and it's quite refreshing to hear a Death Metal record that doesn't put tonnes of emphasis on being the most brutal or having the most shock value. This, in my opinion, is how Death Metal should be done.
The history of Ashcloud goes back to 2005. The band was formed as Skinbag back then. A year later an EP was recorded that was never released though. After that Skinbag was put to ice. In 2013 the band returned but this time as Ashcloud. The band is a duo by the way and consists of Swede Jonny Pettersson (of Wombbath amongst others) and Englishman Gareth Nash (of the band Body Harvest).
‘Abandon All Light’ is the first album and I have to say it sounds pretty decent. Basically this is filthy sounding Swedish death metal with some crust punk influences. The latter mainly can be heard through the screamed vocals that pop up here and there next to the grunts as well as a d-beat drum pattern every now and again. Other than that this truly is death metal in the vein of Dismember (listen to the track ‘The Second Wind Is Coming’), Entombed (‘Drowning In Your Own Blood’ for instance) and likeminded acts. Still I need to address that Ashcloud also has an original side. Where the genre has been chewed on for a couple of decades now, you have to use some other elements to get that necessary bit of originality. Ashcloud does that in the song ‘A Hundred Years Of Darkness’ for instance where the guitar parts clearly are inspired by black metal. This really is a positive aspect. Still it is an album that basically is the umpteenth Swedish death metal release. If you like that shit you can easily by ‘Abandon All Light’ as well.
Un acierto haber dado cancha a esta banda que, desde hace diez años, sólo habÃa editado un par de demos. Un disco que todo disfrutador de buen Death Metal sabrá paladear.
ASHCLOUD is a deathmetal band that consists of only two members: Jonny Petterson from Sweden and Gareth Nash from the UK. And it's these two nationalities that can clearly be found in the music. The old school deathmetal these two veterans of the underground bring us can easily be described as Swedish deathmetal meets BOLT THROWER. Yet, it's more than that. The music is raw; truly brutal. The music, the production, the vocals, everything about this debut album of ASHCLOUD just breaths death and despair as well as violence and aggression.
It's actually because of the fact that there are also some influences from outside of Sweden in ASHCLOUD's music that makes the music interesting. While I am a fan of old school deathmetal and Swedish deathmetal, there are so many releases in this genre, it's hard to find albums that truly bring something new or just incredibly well to the scene. In my opinion ASHCLOUD succeeded to write and record an album that's not only good, it's also memorable.
At first I was a bit in doubt due to the name of the band. Sounds more like a Pagan Metal band. Oh, well. Yet, the album title is in the domains I am used to. ASHCOULD is a band or maybe a project from a couple of guys from Sweden and England doing what they call Punk / Crust Death Metal the old way. Ok, I cannot but agree with them. Yes, they do have a big MASTER and DISCHARGE influence in their music, but also a very big ENTOMBED and DISMEMBER guitar sound. The final effect reminds of bands like BASTARD PRIEST or BOMBS OF HADES in their way of doing d-beat Death Metal, with some very heavy Punk music which is quite popular in Europe and not so much in America. But fear no more, the Punk / Crust sound is reduced to a minimal influence as it all comes out with a brutal and heavy Death Metal sound and also the lyrics are pretty much what real Death Metal is all about. For obvious reasons there is a strong MOTÖRHEAD vibe all over around, and that actually gives them that dirty Rock'n'Roll vibe, but again, they are not a Death'n'Roll band, just their influences shine in their Death Metal sound. Some might argue that there are way too many bands doing a similar thing, and probably that is true. It is just that ASHCLOUD does it in such a very good way and with such convition that it is hard not to notice.
Die vor sich hinmodernden Typen auf dem Artwork unterstreichen eigentlich schon die Spielart dieser Truppe, welche sich unter Xtreem Music eingefunden hat. Rotten Death Metal steht auf dem Plan, der seine Flankierung durch eine vorbildlich räudige Artikulierung erfährt. Dabei zeigt sich aber ebenso schnell auf, dass die Jungs gut in der Lage sind, melodische Gitarrenmelodien in das Geschehen einzuweben. Von Jonny Pettersson und Gareth Nash ist da die Rede, die sich hier schwer beeindruckt von alten Truppen der Marke Entombed und Convulse zeigen, was sich natürlich auch irgendwie in dem wilden Treiben widerspiegelt. Aber Ashcloud agieren noch einen Zacken wuchtiger, ohne jedoch anderweitig Einschnitte zu verzeichnen. Das Material wandert ordentlich in die Schädeldecke und birgt zudem eine feine Portion Groove, was positiv zur Eingängigkeit beiträgt. Klar ist man fraglos in der skandinavisch geprägten Schiene verwurzelt, schafft es aber dennoch irgendwie etwas abgewandelt zu klingen. Gerade solch intensive Nackenbrecher wie “Devoured Alive†haben fraglos so etwas wie eine gewisse Note in sich, wobei dieses Stück in Sachen Eingängigkeit kaum zu übertrumpfen ist und deshalb auch den Paradetitel auf “Abandon All Light†verkörpert. Aber auch das folgende “Drowning In Your Own Blood†ist eine mächtige Waffe, die sich mit jedem Refrain etwas schärfer offenbart und obwohl der Ersteindruck der Scheibe schon mal nicht schlecht ist, so funzt das Teil nach zwei Besuchen dann wie von alleine. Den Abschluss gebietet dann “Under Dödens Vingar (Pt.2)â€, wo Ashcloud nochmals ihre gesamte Stärke einwerfen und damit auch bleibenden Eindruck hinterlassen können.
Verkoster des Death Metal mit schwedischem Ursprung kommen auf vorliegendem Tonträger ohne Frage auf ihre Kosten und sollten mal die genannten Stücke anvisieren, die eine Band aufzeigen, von der man sicherlich in Zukunft noch einiges erwarten kann.
Up there on the hill, the cemetery is the right place for zombie orgy. I know, nowadays it is nothing shocking, but the music here comes from the 90th. The sound is dirty, the drums are presenting traditional beating and bass adds just the right rattle breath. The new "Abandon All Light" is a very good choice. CD is cracked to the brim with north, cold, pressure and sacks full of bones. For fans of the style duty and for others sign, that link of the old bands is still alive. ASHCLOUD invites you to an endless dance. Great gravedigger work!
A quanto pare, Jonny Pettersson è una sorta di novello Rogga Johansson: questi Ashcloud sono infatti solo uno dei progetti che lo vedono coinvolto attualmente e, anche se si tratta pur sempre di realtà underground, la lista di death metal band che vantano il contributo del chitarrista/cantante svedese è notevole, con Just Before Dawn, Skineater, Syn:drom e Wombbath a rappresentare i nomi un filo più noti. Assoldato il chitarrista britannico Gareth Nash e siglato un contratto con Xtreem Music, Pettersson rilascia ora il debut album degli Ashcloud, progetto fondato per proporre un classico death metal di matrice svedese. Il genere a cui i Nostri hanno deciso di dedicarsi non può chiaramente offrire più alcun tipo di sorpresa, quindi coloro in cerca di novità dovranno necessariamente passare oltre; tutti gli altri, ovvero i cultori e i completisti con il logo dei Dismember tatuato sul cuore, avranno invece modo di saggiare un prodotto discreto, che a tratti riesce ad aggirare lo scoglio prevedibilità /noia con un songwriting abbastanza frizzante. Il duo possiede in particolare un certo buon gusto a livello di melodie ed è in grado di mettere quest’ultimo adeguatamente in risalto grazie a delle strutture ben studiate, che a volte sacrificano un po’ di furia cieca per dare spazio a uno sviluppo mediamente arioso e orecchiabile. Gli intrecci luciferini di “Under Dödens Vingar†aprono e chiudono il disco con una inaspettata e apprezzabile dose di lirismo, mentre brani più classici come “Devoured Alive†o “The Second Wind is Coming†riescono a imprimersi nella mente grazie a dei chorus piuttosto ficcanti. Con un po’ di mestiere e tanto trasporto gli Ashcloud portano insomma a casa il risultato: non li vedremo uscire dall’underground tanto presto, ma una carriera dignitosa pare comunque essere alla loro portata.
Ashcloud comenzaron como grupo bajo el nombre de Skinbag en 2005. En el 2006 grabaron un EP que nunca distribuyeron y decidieron terminar con el grupo. En el 2013 Jonny y Gareth comenzaron a recordar a aquellas bandas de old school death metal, las viejas bandas de death metal suecas y todo lo que los habÃa inspirado, y decidieron seguir adelante bajo el nuevo nombre.
Abandon All Light suena mejor que aquellos discos de Burzum, no te asustes, pero si hay esa crudeza primitiva de la vieja escuela y de un sonido que podÃa partir de la ausencia de recursos, pero que ahora es cool. Y no en el sentido suave de la palabra. Cuando nos enfrentamos a canciones como “Devoured Alive†nos sentimos como si la banda estuviera en directo, sonando en un club insonorizado o en una cueva bien profunda.
Remember when the Swedish death metal scene was quite well known with the likes of Dismember, Carnage, Vomitory, Grave, Unleashed, Unanimated, and the famous Studio Sunlight productions found nearly on every death metal record coming from Sweden?
If you do, you’re in for a one hell of a treat that’s sure to kick your ass with pounding rhythms, hard hitting percussive moments and old school death metal vocals that’ll drive you mad. The vocals are the icing on Ashcloud’s bloody cake, and their throat slitting music is as barbaric as it gets on “Abandon All Lightâ€.
“A Hundred Years Of Darkness†comes at you like a burning spear destined for your heart. Yes, this bitch is more brutal than the assault itself.
“Devoured Alive†has that sinister guitar sound, whereby you feel as if you’re caught in some bloody massacre, and there is no hope for making it out alive.
Ashcloud definitely knows how to mindfuck the listener to the point of driving them insane. This is literally a killer quality to have within your songs, because if you can instill fear in the hearts of your listeners, you’re certainly ahead of the game of death.
Check it out and watch your life pass you by in an instance.
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