From Ashes Rise proves that a band’s geographical origin and record label don’t define its sound. The Nashville-founded quintet signed to Jade Tree, but there’s neither twang nor twee in its thrash. On its earlier releases, From Ashes Rise saved space for epic plodders that made its crusty hardcore seem even speedier. Nightmares, its 2003 major-distribution debut, dispenses with the dirges in favor of a relentlessly aggressive assault. The band has evolved lyrically as well: Guitarist-vocalist John Wilkerson described the progression in an interview as “personal to political to mad as hell at everything.” The group expresses its outrage eloquently, which has led some punks who prefer all choruses in a profanity-plus-authoritative-entity format to label it emo. There are no crooning segments or lost-love laments on Nightmares, but there is a passion-for-playing exuberance that makes its songs feel oddly optimistic despite the gloomy tones and incendiary sentiments.
This article appears in Apr 21-27, 2005.