Ash of Ashes – ‘Traces’ (2022)
Rating: 7.5/10
Release: 13 May 2022
Label: Kalthallen Tonträger
Four years after their fantastic debut “Down the White Waters” Ash of Ashes out of North Rine-Westphalia (Germany) was releasing on the 13th May 2022 their second full-lenght album “Traces” via the label Kalthallen Tonträger. For those who do not know the band until know it is to say that Ash of Ashes is the follow-up project of the German Pagan Black Metal Band HEL and consists of the musicians Skaldir and Morten B. Ash of Ashes is active since 2014 and describes themselves as Epic Skaldic Metal with some Folk influences. The album starts with the instrumental track “Beyond the White Waters”, which is basically setting with very nice soundscapes (waves on the north shores, epic chants, atmospheric guitar melodies) the right mood to enter this album. With “Under the Midnight Sun” the band is bringing an epic pagan black metal track in the manner of such bands as Bathory,Windir or Moonsorrow. Harsh growls alternate with clear vocals and lyrically the band takes us up to the Northern Coasts. On the next track “Into Eternity” Ash of Ashes gets some support of Myrkgrav and the arrangements are getting a bit more folky touch keeping away all black metal influences. With this track it is already clear that you can not put the band into any specific genre. Great heavy guitar riffs, folky keyboard underlays and tempo changes are showing the diversity of the musical compositions. Ash of Ashes shows also on the next track “The Eternal Traveller” that they do not fear to touch new grounds in bringing more an epic slower doomy atmospheric set-up. “Evermore” is again gaining some tempo and wins with a fantastic song writing and an in-depth chorus. The swedish titled and sung “Vem kan segla förutan vind” features Clifford and brings a small melancholic folk song which is fitting into the perfectly into the conception of this album. In “A lion guards our names” Ash of Ashes is fusioning all the musical styles they have to offer. Slower episodes with clean singing alternate with Epic Black Pagan parts including growls without losing the thread. The same approach is continuing on “Southbound” while the atmosphere is getting darker and more doomy. The last track of the album “To Those Long Forgotten” the band is getting the support from Runahild and Elvarhoi, which leads to a fantastic slow epic ballad. Even the album is having a kind of Epic touch, I would not really classify it as Folk Metal. I also believe that you can not put Ash of Ashes in any genre. However for fans of bands such as Bathory (Viking Metal Era), Windir, Moonsorrow or Borknagar I would highly recommend to give this one a listen!
Tracklist
- Beyond White Waters 02:55
- Under the Midnight Sun 05:34
- Into Eternity 05:20
- The Eternal Traveller 04:41
- Evermore 04:35
- Vem kan segla förutan vind 02:17
- A Lion Guards Our Names 04:11
- Southbound 05:19
- To Those Long Forgotten 05:13