By: Richard Maw & Nathan Harrison
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 21/01/2022
Label: ROAR! Rock of Angels Records
“Emperors and Fools” CD//DD//LP track
listing:
1.
A City in Decay (Intro)
2. I Am the Night
3. Our Last Sunrise
4. Primed
5. Where God Fears to Go
6. Emperors and Fools
7. By My Blade
8. What Tomorrow Will Bring
9. The Iron Throne
10. Gone
11. Throne of Iniquity (CD Exclusive Track)
12. Monster’s Lament
The Review:
Ashes of Ares return - as
the duo of Matt Barlow and Freddie Vidales - but also, confusingly, with Van
Williams still handling the drums. Williams has left the group as a member but
has played on the album (as he did for the previous two records) so...things
essentially carry on the same. Vidales once again handles bass and guitar
duties while Barlow handles what can only be described as his majestic vocals.
Every
once in a while, an album comes along that is worth more than the run of the
mill review and this is just such an album. My close personal friend/comrade in
metal/musical associate Nathan Harrison has volunteered to share the burden
here...
Ashes of Ares are a
supergroup of sorts - both Barlow and Vidales have done time in Iced Earth, so yes this
is power metal, but it is even more than the sum of its parts. The first AOA album was a sombre
affair shot through with darkness. The second record, “Well of Souls”,
had more light and shade (reviewed by the pair of us at the time) but lacked a
little in killer tunes.
This
time around, of course, Iced
Earth is presumably over as a band - the less said about that the
better. Ashes of Ares
standalone then, not as an offshoot but very much as a unique entity. First impressions?
This is killer. Plain and simple. I think it's the best of the AOA albums so far and
the other two were pretty damn good.
This
time around? Let's dive in...
RM:
Grandiose intro, “A City in Decay”, sets the tone - it's dramatic,
bombastic and indicative of what is to follow.
NH:
It’s also cleverly shot through with a simple melody that recurs in an altogether
different form in the following track, making for a cohesive and epic opening
salvo.
RM:
“I Am The Night” is a perfect mix of US power metal and thrash. The
production is excellent - clinical, modern, state of the art, very well mixed.
Barlow's vocal layers are numerous and incredibly well executed. The
instruments are expertly played - I just can't fault it.
NH:
What an opener! It does what Ashes
of Ares do best – pummelling riffs form a cacophony that only a voice
as unique as Barlow’s could convincingly punch through and it makes for a truly
unique sound. Barlow flexes his nerd credentials here as well – following the
last album’s “The Alien”, which told the story of Superman, we’re now
presented with a track about the darker side of the DC Universe – Batman! A
perfect partnership of tone and theme.
RM “Our Last Sunrise” is frenetic and is the kind of track that AOA's alma mater should
have been making over the last two decades instead of some of the ropey
material that was actually put out. This material is notably more aggressive
than the previous two albums (for the most part). It's direct and it rocks
hard. The guitar work shines here.
NH:
Frenetic is definitely the word, especially when it comes to the verse, with
Vidales showing off some exciting, engaging riff work. The pace slows down a
touch for a barnstormer of a chorus, Barlow’s iconic layered vocals as
incredible as ever.
RM:
“Primed” is more downbeat - perhaps closer to the first album - and is
another winner. The band take the foot off the gas and Barlow's lower register
is put to great use...until the accelerator is pressed. Again, it's a fairly
weighty power metal composition with epic high notes reached by Barlow and a
lot of changes in the instrumentation and dynamics.
NH:
Some really interesting call-and-response style vocals throughout this one make
it a standout, allowing Barlow to make impressive use of almost every aspect of
his mighty vocal range. The dynamics are a highlight here too, the force and weight
of the segue back into the chorus after a suitably shreddy solo from Vidales is
truly impressive.
RM:
“Where God Fears To Go” - ANOTHER weighty slab of heaviness. This is now
shaping up to be the kind of album that metal fans really wanted from the band.
It's pretty relentless; pounding double bass drums, Barlow employing all
octaves at his disposal and double (or more) tracking the vocals. It's powerful
and neck snapping.
NH:
This one fits a lot into its 4 and a half minutes and, by this point in the
album, it becomes clear that “Emperors and Fools”, in terms of
production and general mood and feel, is very much cut from the same cloth as “Well
of Souls”, but is leaps and bounds ahead of that album as far as the
performances, song writing and sheer ambition are concerned. Also, that
note at the end…how does Barlow still do this?!
RM:
“Emperors and Fools”. As you might expect, this is a dynamic track
without light and shade. As a title track it's relatively restrained. Acoustic
and electric intro, Barlow crooning convincingly. Effectively, it is a power
ballad- it would fit onto any previous record but once again the delivery is so
convincing and committed that it works exactly as it is supposed to.
NH:
This one has shades of some of the quieter tracks on the two Iced Earth “Something
Wicked” concept albums – complex electro-acoustic guitar lines pepper
the verses before giving way to a wall-of-sound chorus that sticks in the head
after just one listen. Barlow’s lower-mid register gets a good workout here and
it’s just as rich as ever.
RM:
“By My Blade” - here we have it! For me, the best track on the album,
the best track the band has done and one of the best metal songs I have heard
in a long time. This has it all: riffs, hooks, energy, performances... it is
all present and correct. Superb. Faultless. Barlow's delivery with high and low
vocal tracking over the bridge and chorus is spectacular. It's kind of an
adrenaline and fantasy infused companion piece to the excellent Punishment from
the debut.
NH:
Stand back – this one goes off with a bang! Agreed that this is the best track
on the album – an absolute standout that shows off the sheer power and prowess
of all three musicians involved. Every transition between the different aspects
of this song absolutely rips, but the move from chorus back to that searing
main riff is grin-inducing. Ashes
of Ares are way overdue some live shows regardless, but this track
in particular is simply begging for a playthrough. Another iconic character forms
the subject of this song, this time Marvel’s Blade. This fellow comic book fan
approves, Matt!
RM:
“What Tomorrow Will Bring” is more restrained and the quiet intro allows
nerves to settle and the shear rush of the previous track to recede. It
progresses very nicely into a mid tempo stomper, though. Syncopated beats
through the verses add excellent variety and again the hooks are strong here.
In fact, the hooks are really strong - it's a positive track and delivered
masterfully.
NH:
One of the highlights of the album here and a real moment for Van Williams to
shine – so many little details and accents stand out making for a hugely fun
approach to what could have been a simple and straightforward catchy track.
RM:
“The Iron Throne”. Epically crushing intro. This is high drama at its
finest. The riffage here is just... magnificent. The notes that Barlow hits are
truly awe inspiring. This track is another absolute rager. The lead work is
sublime - supplied by a couple of guests (take a bow gents).
NH:
Another well known fantasy forms the basis of this track, but its themes are universal
– power, betrayal, war – and it makes for a compelling listen. Pinpoint precision
double kicks from Williams form a tight lockstep with Vidales’ fretwork, forming
a rock solid backing for Barlow’s relentlessly brilliant vocal acrobatics.
RM:
“Gone” - we are into ballad territory again here, but still with some
real weight to it and the delivery is absolutely committed and top notch. These
type of tracks are never going to be my favourite on a record like this, but
it's still a dark and effective song with wonderful lead work.
NH:
It says a lot about Ashes
of Ares’ approach when even their ‘ballads’ contain almost exclusively
distorted guitars chugging away powerfully, some up-tempo sections and Barlow
screeching his nuts off at every suitable juncture. This is powerful stuff,
with a memorable and emotional chorus, carried beautifully by Barlow’s unique
timbre.
RM:
“Throne of Iniquity” - previously released as part of an EP, this is a
CD only track and is ANOTHER winner. Strong rhythm section work forms the
bedrock, but then the song goes off into dark and tumultuous territory,
followed by serious grooves in the riffs. It's a winner and really set the tone
when it was released for the rest of the album. It was a great indicator of the
majesty to come.
NH:
A masterclass in how to build and build and BUILD over the course of a song – as
the song progresses, there’s just more and more going on until it reaches one
hell of a climax that pays off everything that has come before within the
track. Stunning.
RM:
“Monsters Lament”. The epic finale. Having kept most of the compositions
pretty tight throughout, Ashes
of Ares now deliver an eleven minute epic which features not only
Matt Barlow operating at the peak of his powers but also Tim Ripper Owens at
the peak of his. If Iced
Earth fans had wondered what each ersthile vocalist would sound like
if they joined forces then they can wonder no more. This is a sprawling,
massive, aggressive, headbanging track. I have a great deal of time for Owens
as a vocalist and he absolutely delivers in spades here. His high notes and
untouchable, his delivery impeccable. The same can be said of Barlow, who seems
just ageless in terms of voice and energy. It's an aural feast, a sonic treat
and an incredible way to end this monstrous album.
NH:
‘So good to finally see an old familiar face’ – if lyrics can be described as
meta, then this one certainly fits the bill, as two former Iced Earth singers join
forces for the first time. Hearing both of these incredible vocalists on one
track is certainly a thrill and each delivers a bravura performance, but each
singer’s lines are mostly kept separate from each other – it feels like a
little bit of a missed opportunity to not have had Barlow and Owens layered on
top of one another at more points, both screaming into a massive crescendo. The
song itself is also a bit meandering rather than making effective, convincing
use of its 11 and a half minute run time. Not quite a damp squib to finish the
album, but not the atomic level blast it should have been.
Conclusions:
RM:
For me, this is easily Ashes
of Ares best record and will undoubtedly be THE power metal album of
2022. In fact, whisper it now, it will be VERY difficult for any other metal
band to surpasss this. I think it's that good. It's epic in sound and scope but
razor sharp in its focus. It is relentless in its quality and manages to
sustain complete interest over the course of one hour of music. I can't quite
believe how good it is.
NH:
After two quite different albums preceding it, “Emperors and Fools”
seems to represent a band of accomplished and experienced musicians finding
their sound and adopting it with confidence and charm. The sonic approach of
the second album combined with the outstanding song writing of the first makes
for the best of both worlds and an incredible listen throughout.
“Emperor’s
and Fools”
is available HERE
