Search - Scatter the Ashes :: Devout: The Modern Hymn

Best of 2004 easily...

J. G. Burtch | Halifax, NS, Canada | 06/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album will simply be the best album of 2004 easily. It did for me, the same things, as the first time I heard the defining work of bands like Refused, AFI and Cave-In. Interestingly enough, the sounds of those 3 bands are conjured up in the sound of Scatter The Ashes. Devout: The Modern Hymn is explosive and emotive in all the right ways... it also does not shy away from more expansive passive passages. This record is about emotion... a feeling. This isn't some dumb gerenic melodic punk record... this is definitely not your run of the mill radio rock. This is what used to be psychadelic back in the day. This is our Pink Floyd... the new wave of musical creativity. It's mind altering. It's the best thing since Failure's "Fantastic Planet" in terms of soundscapes... or Mars Volta's "De-Loused in the Comatorium". People with open minds and ears will appreciate this immediately. I'm listening to it right now for the 4th time in a row!"

Artsy, Dark, Melodic Indie Rock with a Gothic Flavor

D. Miller | Chicago, IL USA | 06/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first discovered these guys on purevolume.com somehow. What I heard amazed me. 'Caesura' and 'City In the Sea' are posted on that site and are incredible tracks. Their sound was quite refreshing in comparison to the generic stuff that's coming out these days and definitely caught my attention. Now I am not a goth but I do definitely appreciate the old gothic rock sound. While I understand that there's a difference between the old 80's goth sound and Scatter the Ashes, I must say that I pick up a definite influence. Forgive me for this comparison, but I almost get a feeling of Bauhaus or something along those lines from these guys. I say this not because they sound the same but because STA incorporates the dark ghostly guitar and just have an overall original and unique sound, much like what made Bauhaus great. However, the difference really comes with the composition of the songs. STA combines catchy melodic choruses with drawn out (in a good way) atmospheric instrumental points and such. The beginning of the CD starts out with probably one of the best intro's to any CD with the song, 'Caesura' which packs a punch with a catchy sound that both gets you singing along and a chorus that almost gives your soul an out of body experience with its spiritual overtone. And then every other song just leads into the next one. It really is a CD to be listened to from start to finish and has a beautiful flow to it. Every song sounds completely different and has a different flair to it.



In response to those folks who think that the singing could be better. I just want to comment that it's exactly the way it needs to be. Beautiful sometimes and harsh other times. It matches the music perfectly. Daryl, the vocalist, almost has a way of leading you on a journey through the music that gives you a ride of excitement. As the music crescendos so do the vocals, and as the music gets softer so does the mood of the screaming and it turns into gorgeous singing. Now don't get me wrong, it may sound like some scremo which often times incorporates two styles of singing. Melodic voice with a screamer. That's not at all how this is. Like I said the vocals just flow with the songs. Everything is very on par and together. In no way does anything sound out of place.



Lastly, I just wanted to comment on what other reviewers have said about these guys live. Even though the singer is usually half naked and moves with the music in a homoerotic fashion, these guys are awesome. Some audiences may be bored with the CD or with their show, but you just have to realize what kind of band STA are. They're not a hardcore band! They're a unique band that puts the listener in a euphoric state full of ecstacy and agony within the progression of the songs. So the music doesn't allow these guys to be jumping all over the stage, that's why they don't. People would be mocking them even more if they did wild crap on stage, because it would be so far removed from the actual music. I've talked to these guys off stage and they are probably the nicest band that I've met. They are genuinely concerned about the music and doing everything with sincerity. If the vocalist is gonna get into the music in his own way let him. If the music is gonna be different, let it be. These are all signs of true artistry since it is from the human heart and with STA you can totally tell that they're putting everything that they have into their music. The recording quality is incredible and everything is as loud or quiet or whatever as it should be throughout the album. It is rare, at least in my opinion, to find a band these days who is successful in any attempt to differentiate themselves through their artistic creativity and innovation. However STA has achieved this, and they don't care if you like it, they're just doing what's real to them. But hey, even if you don't like it, they'll still be nice guys to you. Their priority is not winning over fans but doing music, but they still appreciate every fan that they have.



Long story short, if you have a taste for some of the old goth stuff, are into atmospheric stuff, go to art school, or you just want some indie that's different, check these guys out! You can't go wrong with getting a CD that's "Like New" for $0.95. Hell, you could probably make a profit selling it to some used CD store. So give STA a try. If it's not your thing right away, give it a few spins in your stereo and believe me, it will grow on you. You can't lose."

Brilliant

J. G. Burtch | 07/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the moment I listened to Caesura, I knew there was something special about scatterthashes. I bought the album, and not to my surprise, every song is a hit. I didn't feel there was one bad track on the album - everything was top notch material. Sure, STA themselves feel they could have pulled off a better release, HOWEVER, you can't deny the quality of Devout/The Modern Hymn. It's easily the best debut of 2004.I recommend this album to everyone, and I hope you appreciate the record as much as I have."