I don’t mean for this review to turn into a rant about Crash Music, but holy hell do they just seem to sign bands that ride the coattails of whatever trend is in vogue at the time.

Take Ashes of Your Enemy for example. It’s like Crash realized there is a thrash revival going on right now, but also realized that American metal, Nu metal and hard rock are the in genres right now, so they find a band that competently fits the bill, but also come across as no more than a genre filling contractual release to try and get in on the act.

I think musically, Ashes of Your Enemy are OK i suppose, they seem like a heavier version of Single Bullet Theory meets Pro-Pain, meets Shadows Fall meets Pantera meets Drowning Pool meets metalcore, which means as far as metal is concerned its not too offensive or nasty and is commercially viable, but at the same time seems really superficial and shallow-fitting Crash Music’s recent M.O.

The music itself is chunky and thrashy with a decent production, but the riffs and solos are strictly by the numbers, there’s gruff shouts mixed with clean choruses, some stern grooves an some semi high octane moments, but on the whole everything is pretty disposable and forgetful with one foot in commercial appeal and one eye very lightly placed in the current state of metal.

There’s not a single track or riff on The Undying that made me want to hit repeat or rewind, so quoting song titles seems reduendent merely for allowing you to see the clichés abound (“New World Apocalypse”, “Age of Suffering”, “Surrender”, “Revolution”). So there you go. This si strictly metal for beginners, and if you find this enjoyable you are either new to metal or easily satiated-may I suggest some Chimiara or Devildriver if you want this sort of thing?

Yet another Crash Music Failure. I seriously can’t remember the last good Crash Music release I heard.

[Visit the band's website]

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