Hailing from the cold, unforgiving wastelands of Hollywood, California, ASHEN HORDE is a two-piece band that strives to embrace a multitude of extreme metal sub-genres, without being bound to any one of them. Drawing influence from metal’s crème de le extreme, from Enslaved and Devin Townsend to Ihsahn and Opeth, ASHEN HORDE (aka Trevor Portz and Stevie Boiser (Vale of Pnath, Inferi)), may have a sound rooted in death and black metal, but can’t truly be called either.
Completing their third full length, “Fallen Cathedrals”, the concept album is in the vein of J.G. Ballard’s dystopian novel “High Rise,” and explores class warfare and a society’s descent into primitive, warring tribes. Musically, the album expands further on the complexities of the band’s earlier releases, but with even more emphasis on progressive and melodic elements, even incorporating clean vocals for the first time. It will appeal to fans of the more progressive side of extreme metal, from Ihsahn and Borknagar to Opeth and Enslaved.
Set to be released on CD, vinyl and digitally in Europe and North America on March 22nd, 2019 via Extreme Metal Music/Rockshots Records, the duo is premiering the concept album’s second single and opening track “Parity Lost” via NoCleanSinging.
The band explains the track:
“‘Parity Lost’ sets the stage not only for the Fallen Cathedrals album, but also serves as a summary of what Ashen Horde is all about. It contains elements of black metal, death metal, and prog, all stitched together in a ball of controlled chaos. Lyrically, it lays the groundwork for the album’s story—a city divided by wealth, with the most affluent on one side, and those struggling to make ends meet on the other. The rich look at the poor as a lazy and low class, while the poor look at the rich as snobby and self-indulgent. Tensions have intensified with each passing year, and the precarious balance is about to be shattered…“
Listen to “Parity Lost” at the following link: https://www.nocleansinging.com/2019/03/08/an-ncs-premiere-ashen-horde-parity-lost/
The band adds:
“The forthcoming album, Fallen Cathedrals, is the perfect illustration of what Ashen Horde is all about. Musically, it draws influence from across the metal spectrum. There is hyper speed, blast-beat-fueled black metal that runs alongside pummeling death metal riffs; clean-sung melodic passages juxtaposed against face-melting screams, and headbanging beats intermixed with progressive odd-time signatures.”
Album pre-order is available on Rockshots.eu, Bandcamp, Amazon.
Lyric Video – “Profound Darkness” – https://youtu.be/Dvb03K0WPvM
