Album Review: Ashen Road – Echoes (Self Released)

Ashen Road, the alternative progressive rock/metal band (or prog lite) who hail from Perth, Western Australia have now released their brand-new album, ‘Echoes’.

The sum of all Ashen Road’s influences is notable throughout Echoes, and you’ll hear shades of Tool, Porcupine Tree, Deftones, and more throughout. However, while comparisons are fair, they are not the ‘be all and end all’ of this talented band’s sound. Ashen Road are offering up a prog sound that has a fair bit more accessibility to it, and across the ten tracks, has the power to both challenge and entertain.

It’s what is on show with album opener, Cause of Me. With a dreary and melodramatic vibe, weighty but not suffocating, and errant moments of enigmatic heaviness, it’s an attention grabber. However, it’s with the next set of tracks that Ashen Road really come into their own. First, by showcasing infectious proggy groove with Silentroom, a track where smooth complexities mesh with a massive chorus. Then, by sounding delightfully gloomy with the title track. The vocals, which can sound a little low in the mix at times, have power and passion here.

Haze then comes along with a heavy focus on the guitars, crafting a sonic headspace that has a trippy feel, albeit from a more relaxed place. This particular track is a great example of how their proggy sound can be so challenging and entertaining in equal measure.

Upping the tempo for a more vigorous and urgent sounding effort, Ashen Road hit another high with the anthemic Ruin. A crowd pleaser, especially as there are flashes of thicker instrumental sounds alongside significant melodies. Before Waking Life arrives with some of the album’s most haunting harmonies of all, Ashen Road at their most daringly dark, especially as it hits with force in the chorus.

At this stage of the album, comparisons are mostly all gone and most will find themselves full invested in what this band have to offer. Especially as the record has already proven to be compelling and then they deliver their heaviest effort yet in Vindictive. If there’s one track that feels messier than any other, it’s this, and it’s quite fascinating.

However, there’s not too much time to dwell on that as Unrest refocuses the mind with its rhythmic robustness, Virus delivers a masterclass in heavy rock groove twisted by prog-infused creativity, and USSA leaves the listener with plenty to reflect on. Which makes sense as the whole album has the feel and draw of a multiple listen release. Not only because of its addictive qualities, but because of its layers.

Ashen Road – Echoes Track Listing:

1. Cause of Me
2. Silentroom
3. Echoes
4. Haze
5. Ruin
6. Waking Life
7. Vindictive
8. Unrest
9. Virus
10. USSA

Links

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