Search - Ashes You Leave :: Passage Back of Life

My Dying Bride?

volse | Gainesville, Fl | 05/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The reviews I've read simply pass this Croatian septet off as a MDB clone. The growled male vocals and guitar style are certainly influenced by early My Dying Bride, but AYL's prodigious use of piano, flute, violin, synth, and female vocals manages to create a more atmospheric sound from the MDB doom/death recipe. Half the album is composed of ambient pieces without the intrusion of any guitar at all. "Drowning in my Dreams" is a favorite of mine, a melancholy piano/violin piece with muted, distant sounding growls knifing their way to the surface. The female vocals could do with being less bland and monotone, and the record could definitely be longer--my only complaints. And unfortunately, this was the last record before Ashes You Leave departed from the death/doom sound--something that, unfortunately, most bands in the genre end up doing. Certainly, if you like slow, atmospheric gothic doom/death, this is one of the better albums out there. By the way, why on earth did this release get stuck with an explicit lyrics label?"

Magnificent and Dreary Doom!!!

Matthew | Pittsburgh | 04/24/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ashes You Leave hail from Croatia, and are a seven piece ensemble fronted by deep, passionate female vocals (as oppopsed to the usual breathy soprano.) AYL present some of the darkest and dreariest forms of Doom out there. A skilled violinist and flute player give the album a more classical touch, pairing refinement with bleak, raw harmonies and a sharp guitar crunch. This album is an epic Doom metal classic but is still accessible due to the female vocal performances, so vocal purists will not be turned off entirely. Though the entire release is immacualte, some highlights include the title track, which definitely illustrates a strong influence by early My Dying Bride. However, the deep female vocals and guitar tones add a decidedly different flavour. "Lay Down Alone" is the album's triumphant, epic masterpiece. Thoroughly dark and very heavy, this song is probably one of the greatest Doom Metal songs ever written! The atmosphere is so dense, the instrumentation varying from thick walls of guitar, to soft flute passages and on to slithering climactic violins. The vocals as well express a great deal of variety in this one track - volleying from the painful and sullen female vocals to monstrous male death growls (though brief and VERY effective) "Lay Down Alone" is a startlingly dark testament to the kind of atmospheric power this music is capable of. The album closes with an ambient, symphonic synth piece that is reminscent of 3rd & The Mortal as well as Dead Can Dance. If you are looking for an album that is extremely dark, depressive, crunchy, and musical - this fantastic release is highly recommended."

Atmospheric Gothic Doom Metal

volse | 09/23/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Very emotional and atmospheric Gothic doom metal with good use of between-song instrumentals and soaring female vocals. The only weak spots are the thin-sounding production and the male deathy vocals which are just sort of dropped into the middle of songs and don't mix well with the clean vocals. Still worth it for fans of sorrowful doom, or ambient Gothic music. Best song is the title track. I haven't heard their other record, but this holds a lot of promise."