Artist: Ashengrace
CD: Sandstorm
Reviewed by: Mike Ventarola (Hidden Sanctuary)
http://www.morbidoutlook.com/admin/radio/admin_radio.html

Much kudos should be heaped upon Albion’s Goth DJ, Patrick Cusack. It was Cusack
who heard a couple of tracks from Ashengrace, which he began rotating in his room
at Albion. From that point on, Ashengrace has been building a cult-like following
of listeners not only from NYC but from around the globe as well.

David Holton and Ian Christensen worked tirelessly tweaking their latest release,
Sandstorm. The end result is a breathtaking body of work that blurs the lines
between synthpop, ethereal, darkwave, shoegazer, and goth. As with all Ashengrace
releases, the music is the “star” with the vocals taking a sotto-voce backseat.
Instead of pushing the lyrics into the center of the brain, Ashengrace makes due
with delivering the lyrical content gently, almost subliminally, for the listener.

The opening track, The Gate, delivers the prerequisite maudlin tones during the
intro, however, they skillfully kick it up a bit with a synthpop backbeat that
ensures club floor rotation.

Amber brings us to a more introspective parameter with poetic lyrics and
bittersweet guitar chord licks married to a mid tempo beat.

Faithless is yet another club floor track. It percolates with an updated retro
vibe without being cliché. In spite of the morose lyrical content, the song
itself washes over the psyche almost commanding repeat play.

Starsong is one of those tracks that not only work on a club floor but in the
bedroom as well! This is a sweet poetic homage to love in the dark.

The Prisoner dances in the realm of unrequited love, that element of disappointment
that we all come to know of sooner or later.

Afermath is much darker lyrically as well as musically than the other tracks on
this release, yet it still retains the percussive elements and synth stylizations
to make it approachable across the genre lines. Midway through, the song takes on
a punchy kick, crossing industrial with dark metal along with delightful harmony
that is a nice new development for the band.

Bloodwires utilizes guitar drones and wind effects as cymbals keep time during
the introduction. Smoothly, the guitars strum and give way to a lush goth shoegaze
emotive tune that makes one simply swoon in place.

Painted On The Sky gives a lyric that I simply must quote:
sleep tonight free again safe and warm in the homes you raise from the bones of
lesser men and the wolves will feed on another man's need
the road behind and the reasons why remain forever painted on the sky

This particular track utilizes so many hybrids for sound, classification is a bit
tough. It is part jazzy, part synthpop, part western roadhouse and part darkwave/goth.
All in all, it is a “sexy” track if you will as it has just the right percussive effects
to make one want to do a slow, sensuous hip grind. The added guitar crunch just thrusts
the energy to another level.

Mystery Harbor is a short introspective instrumental piece that creates a bit of a
mystery at the end as it segues into Crystal. Deftly, we are treated to a song that
sounds as though it were carved from the ranks of The Mission UK in their heyday.

The Sun Dance begins as though it should be a soundtrack for a film requiring an
introspective moment. Love and loss are poetically and metaphorically depicted in
the lyrical content utilizing sun, sand, waves and sky as a backdrop.

Murrain 2003 is a newer version of a previously released track. The update gives a
bit more of a goth synthpop element to it. It is a decidedly sad track as it speaks
to that portion of ourselves when we are most disappointed with the cards life has
dealt us. In spite of the morose tone, it is not full of self pity, but questions
and wonders about the hope and trust we mistakenly confided in another.

The Twilight Fades is another short track with odd sounds effects between percussion.
It is like tuning into a radio station in the Twilight Zone. Sonically, it creates a
sense of man being truly and utterly alone in the vast abyss.

Sandstorm segues from the previous track. As depicted above, the lyrics here are
indeed that of losing all that we adored only to be left in utter isolation.

If Ashengrace never played another musical note again, they would most certainly be
noted for the poetic vision crafted in their lyrics. It is apparent that a lot of
heartfelt sentiment went into these words and in some, just enough ambiguity to allow
the listener to bring it towards their own reality as they see fit.

The first 5 tracks are sung rather understatedly, however from the 6th track onward,
Holton allows a bit more room for harmony and delivery while still encapsulating the
sensuous and subliminal delivery that he seems to have trademarked.

Having heard all of the band’s previous releases, this indeed is a standout performance
where they have worked out every conceivable element imaginable. The guitars are crunchy
in the right spots, seductive in yet others. The synths are never over the top or run of
the mill, but rather a part of the whole as opposed to being the entire band backdrop.

All in all, Sandstorm promises to be an album worthy of many rotations in clubs and on
many underground radio stations.

Do go to their web page to sample some of the music already posted.


Tracks:

The Gate
Amber
Faithless
Starsong
The Prisoner
Aftermath
Bloodwires
Painted On The Sky
Mystery Harbor
Crystal
The Sun Dance
Murrain
The Twilight Fades
Sandstorm

Web page: www.ashengrace.com