adg211288
Vocalist Matt Barlow may have made quite a name for himself in the metal world as the frontman for US Power/Heavy/Thrash Metal act Iced Earth between 1993 - 2003, but since then the metal world has had to make do with a Barlow light diet. When he did return to the scene in 2008, as is perhaps the way with all things, especially buses, two albums came at once. One was a reunion with Iced Earth, The Crucible of Man. The other was with a Danish progressive power metal act called Pyramaze. The album was called Immortal and it was actually the better of the two Barlow fronted albums of 2008. Ultimately though Matt Barlow did not stick with either band. After leaving Iced Earth for a second time he was replaced by Into Eternity vocalist Stu Block while Pyramaze settled on the Swedish singer Urban Breed. Barlow was actually with Iced Earth as recently as 2011, however the self-titled debut album (2013) of new band Ashes of Ares, in which he teams up with former Iced Earth band mate Freddie Vidales and ex-Nevermore drummer Van Williams, is the first time in five years that Barlow has appeared on a metal album as the lead vocalist.
And boy has this man been missed. Straight away with the opening track The Messenger you can hear why Barlow is such a well regarded singer. This is quite easily his best performance since his original Iced Earth tenure, just to make Ashes of Ares that bit more special. The music itself perhaps expectedly bears some resemblance to Iced Earth's material, particularly the traditional heavy metal side of it although there are some elements of USPM and thrash metal to be heard at various times during the release, adding in an aggressive factor next to the melodic aspects. The direction of the music in short is not exactly shocking given who's involved. Simply put Ashes of Ares represent just how good and powerful classic heavy metal can be. The songs instantly captivate and kick arse. While not every one of them is a masterpiece in its own right, there are plenty of highlights here including Move the Chains, Dead Man's Plight, Chalice of Man and the thrashy What I Am. There's the obligatory ballad in the form of The Answer, but even that is really good stuff, no doubt down to Ashes of Ares realisation that a metal ballad still needs, you know, metal elements.
And really what else do you need a traditional metal album to do? Not half as much as what Ashes of Ares actually does from where I'm sitting. This is without a doubt in my mind, despite some close competition from acts like Huntress and A Sound of Thunder, the best traditional heavy metal release of 2013 so far. Absolutely essential, especially if you enjoy Iced Earth's more traditionally oriented material or just like metal in general, really. A top tier rating is deserved. Welcome back Matt, don't leave it another five years next time yeah?
96/100
(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/ashes-of-ares-ashes-of-ares-t3189.html)