Bristolian trio Row of Ashes absolutely flattened me in 2022 with third album Bleaching Heat and it feels somewhat staggering that three years later I am sitting listening to something that feels even better. To continue an upward trajectory on your fourth album is quite something and so are the collection of ten songs which whip through sludge, noise and even a bit of post-metal. Tide Into Ruin is a ride through numerous emotions that are expressed and expelled to some of the finest heavy music the UK has to offer. If you like your sludge dark and weighty then Row of Ashes really is the band for you.
As with Bleaching Heat, Row of Ashes again shows a mastery in balancing earth shattering heaviness and expansive light. However, the opening trio here is absolutely ferocious and running through ‘Leveller’, ‘Fracture’ and ‘Imber’ is a mix of the sludged noise of Will Haven and KEN mode with a bit of early Mastodon ferocity. There isn’t even much of a let up when ‘Tide’ kicks off but it opens up to give the listener, and band, a momentary breather. There is something Deftonesesq in the guitar tone in that slower moment but the bass is always threatening before finally pulling the ceiling down on the song. ‘Wretch’ and ‘Icon’ are similar in pushing those boundaries of the ideas of heavy as beatdowns turn to battering before waves of crescendo guitar lifts the gloom.
A personal favourite moment on the album is ‘Immoralist’ which has one of the catchiest guitar intros before bursting into a massive headbanging riff. Whilst many of the ideas on this album aren’t revisited after being executed, that riff does come back brilliantly. For me the 2 minutes 48 seconds here sums up every flavour of Row of Ashes and demonstrates how excellent this band are.
Tide Into Ruin is sensational. I could talk about every single song without fault and have already flooded the review with too many references. The sheer audacity in its weight is continually flowing through the tracks and its focus never slips thanks to the excellent use of space and tension. Row of Ashes mastered delivering heaviness over these last few releases and Tide Into Ruin should be the one that sees them gain true recognition for that.
The album will be on Bandcamp on release day – Friday 13 July.
