Ashtar “The Return of The Frozen Souls”
The Return of The Frozen Souls will be released October 4th on Northern Fog Records
Ashtar is a Swiss band that is truly conjuring their own vision of black metal. Creating a unique and dimensional hybrid of black metal and doom metal. That truly shows how talented this band is. With Witch N.’s banshee shrieks, distorted and atmospheric guitars adding a undead pulse to a saddened, suicidal-esque tone to the band’s sound. With the band’s upcoming fourth album, The Return of The Frozen Souls, and their debut on Northern Fog Records, the band pushed that sound even further to capture an occult-like, entrancing journey into the unhinged, melancholic, evil and dreadful tone that blew me away with how good they delivered with this album. As I wasn’t prepared for the journey my ears, heart and mind were about to go into. I dived into the unknown and begun a record that by the time it ends, will be one of my favorite albums of 2024.
The title track opens the album with a low, deep, humming resonance as the volume of it begins to rise. Witch N’s soft-spoken, whispering voice transcends into wailing screeches as light drumming begins. Guitars come in, following along with the drums, in a funeral-doom like pacing. Vocal shrieks begin to rise, as the kick drums persistently pick up. Guitars create a wall of ambience as the vocals come front and center in the production mix. A constant, driving but simple drum pace keeps the dirge going as the song continues the death-march pacing amongst the distorted guitars and vocals from Witch N. A switch-up adds a more doomier, up-tempo pacing. Guitars are faster tempo, almost tremolo as the drumming transforms into blast beats throughout the wailing guitar strums. With the guitars and vocals delivering a depressing, suicidal black metal approach. Matching the already unhappy, melancholic opening. The cavernous guitars ring amongst the blast beats as a heavenly, almost horror-induced string section, adds an uneasy feeling to the strumming of the guitars. The perfect balance of occult-like second wave of black metal, with the depressing, downtrodden tone of doom metal works really well. Creating a sorrowful, blasphemic, and nihilistic opening track. “Rauhnächte! Feuernächte!” opens with a more upbeat (if you can call it that when it relates to black metal) guitar and drum pattern. Vocals are more unhinged and chaotic. With every vocal line, sounding like she is shredding her throat with each scream, as it heads into the blast beats and straightforward guitar. The nostalgic strumming of guitars gives off a slowed down second wave of black metal chord progression. The wailing cries over the blast beats and atmosphere really do encapsulate that unknowing sadness and aggression that this style of black/doom metal delivers. Making every vocal line and guitar strike hit with an unmatched, emotional weight of sadness and anguish. Heavy bass opens “Glowing Guardians”, segueing into a driving, heavily distorted guitar. Instantly mimicking the classic sound of Darkthrone in the guitar tone. Banshee-esque shrieking vocals, over commanding drums, build into ringing guitars as they try to match the heavy screaming of the vocals. The slow down, speed up pacing of the guitars really help elevate and descend the song with utmost precision. Adding depth and dark undertones at the right times, while also adding ambience and dread in the soundscape of the song.
”Winter Solstice” opens with distorted, drone-esque guitars. Almost sounding like a darker opening Black Sabbath riff. Bass comes in with the drums, adding a heft to the production and the power of the band’s performance. The guitars really add that sadness and depressing tone to the vocals. With drums returning to a dirge, it acts as the dying heartbeat at some parts of the song. Matching the melancholic aesthetic of the song. The pace, picking up near the halfway mark, had me instantly bobbing my head along. I can picture Witch N. leading the crowd with her hands in that “chalice-holding” hands position, wailing and screaming her heart out as the double bass kick in. Especially with the double bass having so much power behind it with its strikes. The violin addition after the halfway mark, into the tremolo guitars, really adds a unique touch. Creating another level of emotional depression and longing. With the addition of the double bass, returning right after that piece, bringing full circle that dark, evil, aggressive side through this sonic journey of a track. Heavily distorted, almost disjointed guitars opens “L’âme Perdue”. The grittiness and manic vocal deliveries, over a simple but slowed-down double bass, really creates that uneasy, anxious feeling as the drums begin to pick up. Driving double bass, soaring tremolo guitars, and “cry to the sky”, almost animalistic vocals. Truly encapsulating the core elements of black metal throughout the whole song. A brutal, unrelenting track soaked in waves of distortion and bleakness. A rising, humming, industrial-like noise helps bring to life “Der Zorn der Göttin”. Creating a heavy, manufactured, droning effect you’d hear off of a Sunn O))) or Earth album. Really accenting that feeling of the unknown and what lies ahead for the listener. As the strikes, feedback and looping begin to become more chaotic, unpredictable and unhinged for the entire three minute runtime. Like someone trying to calm an unholy beast back to a darkened slumber. The album closes with a cover of Samhain’s “Let The Day Begin”. With punk-like drumming with the addition of double bass flurries, the vocals have that gritty, almost sleaze to the delivery as the band captures the energy and homage to the original. While also adding the band’s dark nature and touch to the song, making the song their own as the album draws to a close.
I’ll be perfectly honest, I truly adored this record. I loved Ashtar’s take on black metal. Creating a beautiful and unholy marriage of black metal and doom metal. A perfect balance throughout the entire record, without leaning too heavily on one genre or the other. As soon as I finished the record, I immediately restarted the album again. The song’s heaviness, atmosphere, vocal cadence and delivery, delivered a true barrage of sonic unholyness, depression, nihilism and tragedy throughout the entire album’s runtime. I HIGHLY recommend checking this album out, as Ashtar is making some amazing music and this band needs to get some attention for the work they are doing with their music.
SCORE: 5 / 5
You can pre-save the band’s new album on the band’s Spotify page HERE . You can also purchase the physical album or merch from the band at the Northern Fog Records store page HERE.
