Ashes to Ashes is the third studio release from the popular deathcore band Chelsea Grin, and it is their first official album since the addition of the guitar virtuoso, Jason Richardson. Old fans of CG will realize that Ashes to Ashes is a continuation of the Evolve sound signature, as the band sounds dramatically different than they sounded on their first two albums. Ever since Jason Richardson joined this band, he has revamped the band’s sound signature, especially in the guitar department. This has led to the dismay and the abandonment of many prior CG fans, but has also seen an increase in popularity and a larger fanbase. Has Chelsea Grin made the right move in bringing in Richardson and changing up their sound? Read on to find out!
One major difference between Ashes to Ashes and My Damnation/Desolation of Eden is the tonal and tempo change in the guitars. The rhythm guitar is now tuned into a djent-sounding and less distorted level, similar to that of The Discovery by Born of Osiris. As a result, breakdowns no longer sound extremely strident and overwhelming, and flow more coherently with the overall instrumentals. As expected, Jason adds tremendous depth to the music, playing technical riffs and melodies throughout the entire album. Divergent lead solos and riffs are striking presences throughout the entire record, adding both flavor and intensity to each of the tracks. As I’ve stated, this album maintains the Evolve sound signature, but unfortunately lacks the standout tracks like “Lilith” and “The Second Coming”. The band attempts to add special effects and orchestra work to a few songs (“Nightmare”, “Illuminate”) to mimic the atmosphere of “Lilith”, but fail to attain the same dramatic effect. Another significant aspect of the album is that the second half, starting from the instrumental (“Ashes to Ashes”) exceedingly surpasses the first half. Many tracks in the first half are extremely cluttered with monotonous and irrelevant breakdowns, and sound rather repetitive. On the second half, the guitars improve notably with more riff variations on the rhythm guitar and more technical solos on the lead guitar. You also feel more of an atmosphere being generated through the use of synthesizers. Vocally, Alex Koehler still utilizes his high, piercing screams that have made CG stand out among other deathcore bands over the years. Unfortunately, his voice has slightly deteriorated since My Damnation, as he no longer has the intensity and projection he once had to hit those inhuman notes on his screams. Additionally, he almost never utilizes his deep growl throughout the record; considering the frequency of his growls on My Damnation, the absence of them was an odd surprise. Overall, my favorite tracks from Ashes to Ashes are “Ashes to Ashes”, “Letters”, “Cheers to Us”, “Undying”, and “Dust to Dust”.
The lyrics on Ashes to Ashes are, well, pretty awful to say the least. I’ve seen my fair share of terrible lyrics, but these are downright atrocious. I thought that the lyrics from Evolve are actually fairly well-written, but this feels like it’s written by an angry teenager…that’s how bad it is. If you want a sample, just look up the lyrics to either “Sellout” or “Angels Shall Sin, Demons Shall Pray”, and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. This album has the makings of a concept album, but lacks an overall theme to be one. Struggles, death, and anger are the prevalent themes in the album, but they don’t really progress to anything substantial. Overall, don’t waste time checking out these lyrics.
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Ashes to Ashes is the best Chelsea Grin album to date musically. The addition of Richardson enhances the technicality and melody of the tracks, making them much more replayable as a result. Despite a downfall in Alex’s vocal performance and subpar lyrics, the musicianship demonstrated is still very impressive. I would highly suggest fans of Evolve or technical deathcore to check this album out. However, if you’re a fan of the sound signature on My Damnation or Desolation of Eden, I recommend that you audition Ashes to Ashes first before making a purchase. Thank you for reading LegionCore, and please check back soon for more metal news and reviews!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgm_wbv5RTQ