Reformations are popular these days aren’t they? It seems to be the ‘thing’ to do now, split up, reform 5 years later, become huge and have lots of kids argue over who was into them in the old days. But thankfully, that hasn’t happened with From Ashes Rise who instead have put out a two track 7” on Southern Lord Records. Southern Lord are all over the whole hardcore punk thing, having already put out great records from the likes of Burning Love and Wolfbrigade. They continue this trend with the Rejoice The End/Rage Of Sanity 7”.
What I’ve always loved about From Ashes Rise is that regardless of how you’re listening to them, they have always sounded like a bunch of guys booting off in a small room. It might seem obvious to say they sound like ‘a band’ but with so many over-produced, pro-tooled records being released every year, it’s a breath of fresh air to hear a band play like they bloody well mean it on each and every track. That punk edge has not been lost in the time they spent away, from the guitar feedback that starts the first of two tracks to the rasping, throaty vocals. With only two tracks available, From Ashes Rise get the job done at such a quick and frighteningly furious pace it makes for a great eight minutes of some of the best punk in 2012. Side A consists of ‘Rejoice The End’, bringing you into the 7” with a calmly picked riff before knocking out all sense of subtlety with a series of drums delivered with the same intensity as several sharp kicks to the back of the head. Definitely the slower of the two tracks available; it broods and builds with a lot of crusty riffing and harsh, barking vocals alongside a dark atmosphere worthy of its apocalyptic title. Side B boasts the punkier ‘Rage Of Sanity’, and whilst it is certainly the more immediate of the two tracks it feels more like a standard From Ashes Rise track. Not that that is a bad thing and it certainly shows that the Nashville mob can still write great, punk rock inspired tracks, but Side A stands out as a more diverse and developed track.
With only two songs to work with, it’s not necessarily going to surprise anyone but it’s a solid 7” and it’s a great indication of what a new album will sound like. It’s a great return for the band and it’s 8 minutes of ace crust punk from one of the masters. Welcome back, guys!
From Ashes Rise Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fromashesrise
Southern Lord Records: http://www.southernlord.com
Bottom Line
An enjoyable 7” worth your money if you have the means to play it. If not, get it anyway. Another winner from Southern Lord.