Released by: Better Noise Music
Release Date: July 28th, 2023
Genre: Nu Metal/Hard Rock/Rap Rock
Links: https://www.fromashestonew.com/
Line Up:
Danny Case
Matt Brandyberry
Lance Dowdle
Mat Madiro
Tracklist:
1.Heartache
2. Nightmare
3. Hate Me Too
4. Hope You’re Happy
5. Barely Breathing
6. Dead To Me
7. Monster In Me
8. Echoes
9. Armageddon
10. Legacy
From Ashes to News delivers their brand new album “Blackout” on July 28th, and from the early spins and reactions, they have quite the banger on their hands. The Lancaster, PA outfit has been touring relentlessly since the shutdown days of the future past. We caught the guys live during the Exit 111 Festival a few years ago, on the last day if memory serves me right, they put on a great show early afternoon set. We covered them again just a few months this year on the road opening for Shinedown.
The guys have always penned lyrics that are very personal and deal with daily human emotions and struggles we all deal with. I said in the past how relatable their music is to regular folks like you and me. Having already released a few singles the likes of “Armageddon” and “Nightmare”, the hype was real. I do understand in retrospect the band has been compared many times over to Linkin Park, with the blend of Metal and Rap and Electronic, etc, and to a certain extent I do get the comparisons, but my feelings are that their lyrical delivery is a bit more in your face and upfront than the great LP. Listening to this record from top to bottom on multiple spins, I find no weak moments or the need to skip any tracks.
From the moment the spitfire lyrics in “Heartache” open, to the closer “Broken by Design”, the album steamrolls with a ferocious groove. The dual vocals of Danny Case and Matt Brandyberry (rap vocals) do complement the band’s sound quite well. No, it’s not a new formula, but on “Blackout” the songs keep churning from top to bottom and it flows very well. Whether is more melodic/punk infused “Hate Me Too”, or one of the best numbers on the record in “Barely Breathing”, really dig this tune, the slower vocals at the beginning bring it up to the super inviting choruses. This one gives From Ashes to New their own identity. All the angst comes out with “Dead To Me”, one of the hardest on the record. The duet with Memphis May Fire vocalist Matty Mullins is another deep cut, whilst the havoc electronic synths in “Armageddon” rock pretty furiously.
There’s enough melodic here mixed with the other elements the guys incorporate, to keep fans happy and not the typical redundancy spill that you get from this genre sometimes. It’s a consistent solid offering with no weak moments. You have a bit of everything thrown in here, while most songs run 3 minutes, the pace on all of these is pretty frantic and their lyrical content is all really honest and authentic. This I think is one of their strongest efforts to date. Their debut “Day One” hit the charts well then, with “Blackout” they look to continue the momentum they had built with their debut. Go crank it real loud!!!
Written by: Shadow Editor
Ratings: 8/10
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