Out Of Ashes - Chapters

Out Of Ashes

Chapters
RPM Music; 2015

3.4 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Out Of Ashes comprised of Hakan (Vocals/Guitar) Florian (Guitar/Backings) Bero (Bass/Backings) and Max (Drums) are a fairly straightforward hard rock/alternative/metal hybrid from Germany. In the US you have heard a very similar type of style hitting the airwaves for about the last fifteen years or so. The emergence started in the post-Creed world where grunge was out and metal was in. In 2015 this format is still popular and bands like Out of Ashes are a testament to that fact.

The admirable thing (yet with varying results) about Out of Ashes that their recent release Chapters approaches a lot of the songs in a different way. The band rarely depends on template and don’t seem to rest on their laurels.

The first song ”Symbiosis” is dynamic song that go from clean guitar picking to heavy distorted power chords without much warning. The song does into death metal territory for brief moments and someone in the band attempts the overused demon like growl we have heard countless times before.

“Et Tu, Brute” best moments are about three minutes when they introduce a sound that might be a flaying archangel. The song does have similarities to the first song in that one guitar slashes away on a distorted guitar and the other picks  a melody. “I Robot” is an intense song that has some similarities to early NIN while “In My Arms” in a highlight that contains some of the most unique transitions and impressive vocal performances..

“Android 01” has some stellar drumming and also feels like straight up intense metal which sounded good on the band. They hit a couple of grooves that were exceptional.

“Android 01” is a microcosm for how I see the band. They are at their best when they indulge their pure metal tendencies instead of the  pop/metal/hard rock hybrid that we have heard way too often. I have admit The closer “Run Away” left me wondering why they would depart with a song that sounded so different from their other material. Out of Ashes are sending out a confusing message at times but one that can be easily fixed if they start tweaking and refining their sound. Hopefully, the band can really come into there own with their next release.

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