Showing posts with label Ashenspire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ashenspire. Show all posts

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Ashenspire/Hostile Architecture/Aural Music/2022 Full Length Review

 


  Ashenspire  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  avant  garde  and  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Hostile  Architecture"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Aural  Music.


  Avant  garde  style  pianos  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  and  saxophones  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.


  Shouting  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moment  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  black  and  post  metal  elements.


  Touches  of  jazz  music  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  operatic  choirs  and  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  on  later  tracks  the  music  goes  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  contradictions  inherit  in  the  capitalistic  world.  


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ashenspire  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  and  progressive  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Law  Of  Asbestos"  "How  The  Mighty  Have  Vision"  and  "Cable  Street  Again".  8  out  of  10.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBNY-l3NT9s 

https://ashenspire.bandcamp.com/album/hostile-architecture


Website: ashenspire.official@gmail.com 
Bandcamp: ashenspire.bandcamp.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ashenspire_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashenspire_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ashenspire


  

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Ashenspire Interview


1.       For those that have never heard of before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Four oddities who like jazz and social justice, making peculiar music. We also have a variety of wonderful outside musicians who bless us with their talent on occasion.

2.       You have a new album coming out in January, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

We do indeed – It’s called Speak Not of the Laudanum Quandary. Musically, it’s a mixture of bleak metal textures with a bit of jazz fusion, a bit of prog rock and a healthy dose of the eccentric and theatrical. The vocal delivery is unlike conventional black metal, or clean vocals; it is called Sprechgesang, and was highly inspired by the mad ravings of the legendary Mr Doctor of Devil Doll.

3.       What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

This is actually one of the key components of Speak Not…, because it explores territory rarely approached in metal. The album is made up of 7 “veils”, or observations; each is concerned with a particular issue to do with British imperialism, and how that issue propagates into modern life. For instance, the first track looks at the displacement of indigenous peoples – this has particular relevance in Scotland due to a prolonged ousting of crofting families called the Highland Clearances, but of course is widely recognizable in the actions of imperial Britain throughout the world. Furthermore, it doesn’t take a historian to recognize parallels with modern day attitudes to refugees. It’s very much important to remember the responsibility we bear for many of the less privileged peoples today, considering how our comfort can often be traced back to others suffering.

4.       What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ashenspire'?

The name refers primarily to smokestacks – vast arrays of chimneys that dominated the skyline here in Glasgow for decades, and similarly so in industrial cities all over the UK. Similarly, most of the older architecture in our city is stained near-black with soot. It also makes reference to the towering blocks of flats all over modern Britain in the fine brutalist architectural tradition.

5.       What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Well, as of yet we have only performed a couple of times; we don’t like to play throwaway shows, every performance has value. But each time has been utterly exhilarating. Doffs of the cap to our friends at Cog Promotions and the North of the Wall team. The performance itself relies on playing tightly, but with feeling, and a pervasive atmosphere tending towards lunacy. Needless to say, it’s remarkable fun for us.

6.       Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We’re going to be supporting the wonderful gents in Ash Borer this April in Glasgow, and details of a big album release shindig (with some extremely talented friends of ours) should be public soon enough. We’d absolutely love to go a-touring for the album, we’ll have to see what opportunities arise with regards to that.

7.       The new album is coming out on 'Code666', are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?

I think delighted would be the word. The folks at Code666 have been very good to us. We’re extremely blessed to be part of such a sterling label.



8.       On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and avant-garde metal?

So far so good, I think is the general consensus. Some very kind words have come in from all over the globe. Folks who are looking for more music along the lines of Dødheimsgard, Vulture Industries or our good friends in A Forest of Stars seem to find something to enjoy. It doesn’t seem to be music that people who like orthodox black metal particularly connect to, but we had that coming, really. Honestly, one of the more surprising things has been the feedback from people who don’t listen to any metal at all – very positive.



9.       Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Saxophones. Lots of saxophones.

10.   What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Devil Doll are a big one of course, as are our aforementioned contemporaries; aside from them, Snarky Puppy, Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Deep Purple and Ulver have all had a significant impact, among a huge number of others. I personally haven’t been able to stop listening to the new record by Edward Scissortongue and Lamplighter, Tell Them It’s Winter, ever since it came out. Brooding and melancholy in extremis, but insightful and addictive hip-hop for the discerning listener. Safe to say some of that sound will have leeched into our own writing come album two…

11.   What are some of your non-musical interests?

Outside of music we all tend to stay creative as best we can, in various different ways. We have an actor/comedian, an educational psychologist, a physicist and a chemist, so that fairly plays into it all. Consistently, though, we all like absurd humour, politics, posh beer, and dogs.

12.   Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

We hope that all of those who read this enjoy the new album, and we hope to hear discussion and viewpoints on its subject matter; that’s what it’s there for. So long as it makes people think, it has been successful. Many thanks for your time, be safe.

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Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Ashenspire/Speak Not Of The Laudanum Quandary/Code666/2017 CD Review


 Ashenspire  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Speak  Not  Of  The  Laudanum  Quandary"  which  will  be  released  on  January  20th  by  Code666.

  Radio  static  noises  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  a  few  seconds  later  violins  and  avant  garde  clean  singing  are  added  into  the  music  and  pianos  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  acoustic guitars  are  added  into  some  part  of  the  songs.

  When  guitar leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also be  heard  at  times  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  also  brings  in  some  of  the  90's  avant  garde  post  black  metal  style  while  also  mixing  in  theatrics  from  that  era  as  well  as  taking  it  into  more  of  a  modern  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  black  metal  screams  are  finally  added  into  the  music.

  Ashenspire  plays  a  style  of  avant  garde  metal  that  is  very  theatrical  while  also  bing  very  heavily  influenced  by  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  absurdities  and  tragedies  of  British  imperialism.

  In  my  opinion  Ashenspire  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Wretched  Mills"  "A  Beggar's  belief"  and  "Speak  Not  Of  the  Laundram  Quandary".  8  out  of  10.

 http://tometal.com/song-premiere-scottish-avant-garde-black-metal-band-ashenspire/