Source: Album Artwork
How To Bleed is the new album from Bristol based goth punk quartet Ashestoangels. The album was recorded on location at Hell’s Half Acre in Seattle with Aiden frontman William Control, and they decided to stick to their DIY roots and self-release the album. This is probably their most mature release to date, with real progression from their previous three albums. The band are currently playing their first headline tour of the year. But, what did we think of the release?
‘Horror Cult’ is the opening track and it’s got a seriously catchy chorus chanting “we are the horror cult, the lost and lonely souls”. Like most others, the song is fast paced and reminiscent of the like of Fearless Vampire Killers who the band have previously toured alongside.
The first single ‘Find Hell’ is really catchy, but we were a bit let down by the fact that some parts of the vocals throughout weren’t sounding too strong, which let the song down. ‘I Could Never Miss You’ starts with a strong guitar riff that repeats throughout and it makes you feel like you’re about to jump into a punk song. The track then speeds up and the vocals sound much stronger than on ‘Find Hell’. The title track ‘How To Bleed’ fades in and out before plunging you into a confident guitar riff and an upbeat drum track. Again, it’s a catchy track with a crowd-pleasing chorus.
Lead single ‘Not In My Name’ starts with passionate vocals and a fast paced distorted riff. The track is backed with a political message, and it’s by far the strongest one on the album. ‘Ghost In The Machine’ contrasts with the other songs because it’s in the style of a lyrical ballad. The slow pace, Adam Crilly’s clean vocals and piano parts make it calming to listen to. Aspects of the vocals and certain guitar riffs in ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ really sound like something you’d hear from My Chemical Romance in the Three Cheers or Bullets era, which is interesting to listen to when paired with the harsher Ashestoangels vocals.
How To Bleed definitely surpasses previous albums from Ashestoangels, but if we’re being critical, the vocals aren’t sounding too strong on some of the tracks which is pretty disappointing. Don’t get us wrong though, there are some addictive songs on this album and if you were a fan of their previous stuff, then you’ll love the progression throughout this release!
