Tristania - Ashes (2005) FLAC

Tristania - Ashes

Tristania has been a different animal since their humble Doomdeath beginnings their current bid for Gothic Metal supremacy. On this release we see them reinvent themselves shaking off the shell of predictability and creating something truly unique and different.

The production is alright but could've been better. The guitars are moodier than they've ever been in this band before. Going from distorted to clean to acoustic seamlessly while mixing open chord to palm muting techniques effortlessly. As per usual there are no solos and a handful of leads. The vibe they create is very sad and lonely. The guitars aren't that heavy either, but they do have their moments. They are the atmosphere of this album.

The bass doesn't do anything revolutionary here aside from adding to the heaviness when it’s present. The drums are in the same boat; however they do add some interesting beats here and there. The keyboards don't add much in the way of atmosphere but they work when used.

The vocals are what we've come to expect with perhaps a few more clean male parts. The other male vocals are in a Blackish rasp. The female vocals are, as always, flawless as Vibeke effortlessly sooths and seduces the listener with her outstanding commanding vocal presence. The lyrics are of love and loss, and apparently the culmination of a breakup between two band members.

There is a very laid back approach to the song writing here. You can hear the heart break and turmoil of the two former lovers falling apart at the seams. The title is in homage to what’s left after a heated romance that has burned out. This was probably a difficult album to make given the probable intensity of the relationship both private and professional.

The songs have a strange yet beautiful atmosphere. The song structures are very original and only enhanced by Vibeke's hauntingly beautiful voice. There is a constant sorrow that drifts from song to song only to be replaced by a cautious rage or a bleak calm, as if lulling the listener into a false sense of security. This album isn't layered considering all that’s going on that’s a feat in and of itself. This is Tristania at their most stripped down and vulnerable, there is a lot of honesty on display here.

This is possibly the bands best album as well as it resurrects some of their some slower Doomed past while combining it with their newer sound. Most of the songs are fairly slow with a few more moderately paced entries. This is an album that is nothing short of epic, as with very little exception, all the songs can stand on their own. You can't help but listen to the whole thing from start to finish. It’s as though you get sucked into a swirling torrent of abysmal feelings and memories mixed with anxiety and the fear and dread of certain loss. This is by far one of the best albums of the decade.

copas from http://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Tristania/Ashes/62791/

Tracklist:
01. Libre (4:30)
02. Equilibrium (5:50)
03. The Wretched (7:01)
04. Cure (6:00)
05. Circus (5:09)
06. Shadowman (6:32)
07. Endogenisis (7:38)
08. Bird (5:10)

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