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ASHES OF ARES
Ashes Of Ares

Nuclear Blast (2013)
Rating: 9/10

Ashes Of Ares is the new band featuring former Iced Earth bassist Freddie Vidales and Nevermore drummer Van Williams alongside former Iced Earth and Pyramaze vocalist Matt Barlow. For fans new to the metal world or those that have been living under a rock for the last 20 years, Barlow is considered by many to be the defining vocalist of Iced Earth’s long career, recording such classics as Burnt Offerings (1995) and Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998) during his original tenure with the band.

Ashes Of Ares was formed after Barlow’s second departure from Iced Earth and returns his voice to the traditional metal sound that made him an instant leader in the metal scene.

The most notable thing about Ashes Of Ares is that Barlow sounds incredibly fresh. I’ll be honest and say that I hated his work when he last appeared in Iced Earth and I’m not a Pyramaze fan by any stretch of the imagination. Here though, he sounds completely reinvigorated, and the band as a whole bring to life the epic feel of Something This Way Comes brilliantly.

‘The Answer’ is perhaps the best example of what this album has to offer. Barlow sings his ass off here with big guitar melodies providing an emotional back drop that has the spirit of ‘Watching Over Me’ (from Something Wicked This Way Comes) without rehashing it. In contrast, songs like ‘The Messenger’ and ‘Chalice Of Man’ (which has a crazy, demonic vocal part to it that will make you rethink what Barlow might be capable of as a singer) have a battle march thing going on that makes you want to raise your fist in the air and follow these guys into the mouth of Hell itself.

And speaking of Hell, ‘This Is My Hell’ is easily the highlight of this album for me. It’s got a more commercial and melodic edge to it, yes, but it’s still a rocker and is ample evidence of just how musically dynamic Ashes of Ares are.

Musically, the band lay heavy grooves while maintaining an aggressive edge, occasionally allowing acoustic bits and melodic vocals to take over, resulting in a strong-willed and dynamic album. Basically, this is the classic sound of Iced Earth and I didn’t realize how much I missed it! If you are a fan of either Iced Earth or Nevermore you will certainly dig this, but if you enjoy any kind of great metal then you should at least check this one out. It’s definitely the sleeper hit of 2013.

Mark Fisher

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