Pennsylvania’s From Ashes To New is currently on an extensive tour alongside veteran metal acts In This Moment, Motionless In White, and Fit For A King. This is a testament to how far the Lancaster quartet has come, as their signature blend of nu metal riffs and electronic textures continues to resonate with audiences nationally. Today, amidst their sustained momentum from pre-release singles, the band releases their latest album, Blackout.
Conceptually, Blackout serves as the prequel to the band’s 2016 debut album, Day One, set in a pre-apocalyptic world. Given the consistent heaviness of the band’s subject matter with previous albums, it’s not to imply that this album is contrastingly idyllic by any means. Right off the bat, its first three tracks allude to suicidal ideation (“Heartache”), paranoia (“Nightmare”), and a defeatist admittance of guilt {“Hate Me Too”). But when these sentiments are complemented by the sharp, melodic choruses that the band is known for, it comes across like the subject of the song has some control over his circumstance and can transcend his hardships to an extent. The resulting bigness of this approach, alongside the band’s talents, is due to production by Grant McFarland and Hudson Slovak. In that sense, I appreciate how these tracks were all chosen as singles, given their conciseness in providing the album a solid entry point.
From Ashes To New – Heartache (Official Music Video) – YouTube
From Ashes To New – Nightmare (Official Music Video) – YouTube
From Ashes To New – Hate Me Too (Official Video) – YouTube
From there, “Hope You’re Happy” and the track to follow, “Barely Breathing,” examine vignettes through a newly bleak, cynical lens, as a result of dwelling on the immediacy of post-breakup pain. As the album accentuates its midpoint with “Dead To Me,” it would seem as though the subject of the song was putting the pain of his past behind him and ultimately aimed to improve his well-being.
By the album’s latter half, beginning with the track “Monster In Me,” the pain overtakes him to the point where any shred of his humanity seems all but abandoned. Alongside this thematic shift comes a noticeably darker, denser sound, where both the metallic riffs and hip-hop elements are utilized more extensively. With the succeeding track, “Echoes,” it’s implied that he is now overcome with fatigue from his actions, and the reality of the damage he’d caused up to this point sets in. His cries are met resounding indifference that he perceived before his meltdown, all the while he realizes the extent of his loneliness. The intensity of the album comes to a head with its ninth track “Armageddon.” As the band’s current single, it sets just the right tone for its interpretation of impulse destruction. The riffs in the song sound especially full and memorable, even in the more cooled off verse sections, while both the pre-chorus and chorus shine. In a similar way “Legacy” also reverberates notes of primal anger, while backtracking through the subject’s life to gradually reveal the source of his trauma, as well as what he’s currently battling. Although this isn’t one of the singles, it has the potential to be one, especially when paired with a song that is one – the penultimate track, “Until We Break”. I was pleased to hear Memphis Mayfire vocalist Matty Mullins on this track, as his voice sits in a distinctive and comfortable blend within the instrumentation. It’s also refreshing and continually exciting to hear him excel in different genre scopes beyond his post-hardcore roots, nu metal included.
From Ashes To New ft. Matty Mullins – Until We Break – YouTube
This combined momentum comes to an apex on the album’s closer, “Broken By Design”, when the subject of the song accepts that the world around him is crumbling. Although I’m a fan of slower-paced closers, this song still fits well in accordance with the concept, with yet another catchy chorus to boot.
Overall, Blackout is a solid album complemented by strong hooks, as well as a familiar lyrical focus that fans have appreciated to this day. Its concept can be interpreted in two ways, as either the catalyst for a dark foreboding, or in aptly representing a time when interpersonal relationships had a profound effect on our outlook. Whatever the case, the release of the album, as well as the prior buzz generated from its singles, is evidence that the flame of modern rock continues to burn bright.
___
From Ashes To New Blackout Album Review
