RISING (To Solemn Ash) LP/CD
Rising were unknown to me until I received their promo-CD. But the Danish band must have done something interesting and right to get on the radar of Exile On Mainstream Records who present their first "Metal"-release with Rising's debut 'To Solemn Ash'. I must admit after having read the info sheet from the label I expected something a little different at first but a closer read and there is sure some truth in it. Rising combine mostly everything that Metal has to offer and put it into a sludgy sounding production package that puts them near Mastodon or High on Fire. Both these bands have never been high on my agenda so I was having a little trouble with Rising at first. But with time and repeated listen I got into it.
The opening track 'Mausoleum' delivers Speed Metal riffing, simple drumming and an in-your-face mentality that shows on the whole album. The vocals are rough but melodic enough to develop something like hooklines to stick in your head. This is maybe their biggest asset. 'Sea Of Basalt' does not hold back either with the fast riffing, though the beginning makes you think that the promised Black Sabbath influences would come through now. 'The Vault' even has a bit of old school Death Metal in it. 'Cohorts Rise' starts with acoustic guitars before switching into a dark and gloomy track. Here are tiny Black Sabbath influences and a little bit of Doom underneath the wall of sound.
I would not need to say more about the rest of the songs as not one really leaves the path the band has chosen with the first few. A little twin guitar melody here and there as a little bow to great metallic forefathers like Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden, some melodies that remind of the old masters like in the end of 'Through The Eyes Of Catalysis' and off we go with the old school riffs in a new sound. Doom, groovy Rock and a fine but short guitar solo find their way into 'Under Callous Wings', easily my favourite of the album. If this is modern Metal these days I am okay with that. Will Rising be rising (pun intended) to the top of todays Metal Olympus? As I have too little insight on that scene these days, I do not know. But if you ask me if I think that this album is cool and worth listening to, I would say, that it is.
(Thorsten Frahling)