First reactions as much as they shouldn't matter, really in fact do. For the most part, the first reaction with a band is hearing/reading their name, and from this name their sound can even sometimes be derived. Whereas post rock instrumental bands have names that contain at least four words, hardcore bands are usually only one. With a name like Beneath The Ashes, I cringed as I braced myself to hear a generic shitty metalcore band. And a few years ago Beneath The Ashes definitely fit into that genre nicely, there wasn't anything about them that really elevated them above the competition in this horny fuck filled breeding ground of a sound. But because first impressions and first albums can be unfair and misread, when Nailed To Your Ruins was released, I was excited to see in which direction Beneath The Ashes would head, as there is a lot of buzz about them in the bay area hardcore/metal scene. To my satisfaction, I was given the pleasure of an above average metalcore album.
As oil and water separate, shitty whiny pop punk vocals recently have been infused with metal sounding "hardcore", and thank god, this record has none of that prepubescent bullshit. The closest to any singing that you'll hear is in "Bled" which contains some nice lowly volumed singing that harmonizes well with the rising landscapes of guitars that are soon illuminated with screams. If screaming is something that you try to veer away from, the exit sign at this point is flashing green. Pat, the singer, also fronts Embrace The End, so if you've heard them, you know what to expect in the vocal department. If not, I will describe them for you in the following sentence: higher screams that will pierce your eardrums, but not high enough where they are shrieky like Saetia or Love Lost But Not Forgotten, very consistent and powerful. At times backups of lower screams creep in to create a fuller sound. The other thing that aids this fuller sound are the harmonies of the guitars, which cover a lot of different sounds and speeds in approximately 45 minutes of music and sound. One second you'll be feeling yourself up to a quick tempo heavier sounding part tinged with darkness, the next you'll be floating via balloon to cloud nine on a melodic breakdown that will tug on your heart strings. For the record, I don't know what exactly a heart string is, but it just seemed so right. Now that I think of it, this is practically the perfect bedroom mosh album, breakdowns and faster spazz rock out parts galore! The recording fits the overall mood ever so well, allowing each individual note to be heard crisply, as the technical sounding parts definitely benefit from this.
Half the time I have no idea what I'm talking about, the other half I'm driving north. And in all honesty, this isn't necessarily the greatest album to listen to while driving, but it's great for naked tribal dancing in one's bedroom, or for seeing live in the comfort of one's local venue. As a veteran of this band's live performance, it is definitely one worth checking out. But what this is is a review of Nailed To Your Ruins, so that is besides the point! Unless you listen to a lot of this kind of music, you might not notice the subtle things that separate this from the garbage in its genre, but you could just appreciate it for its beauty. Such beauty is evident in "No Fortress, No Fire, No Flame" which ends with a three minute piano lullaby. If only they could swing a piano around as wildly as they do with their guitars!
