Review: Ashes Fallen – Walk Through Fire
National Music Reviews
Ashes Fallen
Walk Through Fire
Self-Released
Street: 09.01
Ashes Fallen = Deathline International + Dokken + Bauhaus
Utah has a knack for catching some of the best dark, underground music at its yearly Dark Arts Festival. California-based gothic rock band Ashes Fallen recently played the three-day October event that takes place at Area 51, where they captured the attention of many locals. Walk Through Fire, the band’s third release, shows extraordinary talent and breaks boundaries with their innovative sound.
This album is packed with powerful messages such as “New Normal,” which speaks to a protest about the societal changes in a world after COVID-19. On the track “Remember Who You Are,” the message is that of acceptance—it is okay to be different, it is okay to think outside of the box. Each song has a different message that provokes emotion and contemplation.
The music itself is composed of a fantastic layering of sounds. The ethereal synthesizer sounds create a darker, gothic vibe throughout, but it is also composed with an energetic backing track like that in “Reborn in The Cleansing Fire” which stimulates power and drive. The guitars on the release are reminiscent of Dokken, creating clean sounds that use minimal distortion and show a talent for the instrument itself. The precise timing and placement of the distortion also shows experience, as it is used in a manner that complements the tracks and helps bring the musical piece to its climax. The percussion on this album is also done in various styles; it ranges from the sounds of a classic drum set to electronic beats. There is also a nice integration of tambourine and finger cymbals that polishes off the songs.
Overall, I feel that this release has something for every music fan. It not only satisfies those that like the darker post-punk and gothic styles of music, but it transcends genres and dips into both the EBM and rock categories. –Mistress Nancy
Read more recent coverage of Ashes Fallen and gothic music:
The First Female Horror Host: A History of Vampira by Ashes Fallen
From Doom Metal to Gothic Folk: An Interview with The Keening