BLANKET HILL – The Ash That Shall Remain
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Blanket Hill are anything but newcomers to the scene and have shown, especially with their last album The Courage Of Hopelessness (2022), that they can be taken seriously. This positive trend is continued uncompromisingly with the new album refraining from adapting to any trends. Although the album release of The Ash That Shall Remain takes place in the Rockhal in the context of the Temple Of Metal, I see Blanket Hill more rooted in the hardcore genre. But don’t think in categories, Blanket Hill carry more weight than many a metal band. The often-angry vocals are clearly inspired by hardcore bands such as S.O.D. and Biohazard and the attitude is also right. They even poke fun at it to some extent, which is best realised when you watch the video clip for Eau Rouge. It was filmed on the former Belval industrial site, where the musicians passing through really let their hardcore image down with facial expressions and gestures. But Blanket Hill don't neglect the metal component either. The first single Let The Hammer Swing and the following Out For The Count are two powerful tracks that are reminiscent of thrash metal bands from the 80s. Anthrax would be the first comparison that comes to mind. As befits a great band, they also present some unexpected things. Charlatan starts off very metallic, but then completely changes direction with a guest appearance by rapper Marone, who sings in Luxembourgish. There's another duet with View From The Soyuz, who Blanket Hill must have met on their Japan tour. Finally, I would also like to mention Brass Verdict, which shows the band from an extremely dark side. If you could see sounds, you would imagine the musicians in a dark grotto. Perhaps the playing time of a bit under 40 minutes is a little short, but you get music of the very highest calibre for the entire duration of the album. If you can make it to the end of the album, which I assume is the case given its quality, you can still listen to the acoustic The Dogs Of Venice. Blanket Hill once again show another of their many facets. With all due respect, I prefer the angrier Version of Blanket Hill. Nevertheless, The Ash That Shall Remain is an excellent album, perhaps even one of the best from Luxembourg released in 2024. |
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11 songs |
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39:05 minutes |
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***** **** |
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Genre: hardcore / thrash metal (self-released) |
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