Review Summary: WARNING: may induce involuntary headbanging
Leave Me The Ashes Of The Earth is the third full-length of English metallers Mastiff. Taking a pinch from a number of heavy genres (such as hardcore, powerviolence, grindcore, and black metal), the combined results are an enjoyably hateful slab of tunes most easily labelled as sludge. As can probably be easily deduced, this isn’t a sunshine and daisies type of record. Indeed, with grimly-entitled songs such as “Fail”, “Futile”, and “Lung Rust”, Mastiff adhere closely to sludge metal’s typically misanthropic and depressive vibes. The band understands that their mission isn’t to provide much emotional variation, but instead to repeatedly bludgeon the listener over the head (strictly sonically, of course). As such, while the nine tracks presented here are fairly varied in some respects (especially tempo), Mastiff never waver from keeping things dark and heavy.
“The Hiss” is an excellent opener for the record, more or less functioning as an intro track. Its ominous and sinister presence, featuring hellish blackened vocals back in the mix, lay the framework for the rest of the album’s atmosphere. The second track, “Fail”, sees Mastiff finally rip out of the gate with a brief blast of aggression demonstrating their hardcore leanings. Even though “Fail” is the album’s shortest song, it is fairly representative in that most of the album’s tracks are fast-paced. Later on, “Beige Sabbath” may be this reviewer’s personal favorite number, while the title might be lighthearted, there’s nothing easy-going about the music, and the repeated angry shouts of “same old shit, nothing’s changed” are sure to be cathartic to many. Finally, “Lung Rust” brings things to a close with the album’s longest and slowest tune, leaning heavily towards doom and even post-metal. It’s a highlight from a set of consistently enjoyable songs.
With their third album, Mastiff aren’t providing a ton of innovation to the metal scene, even as they do manage to successfully blend a number of strands of heavy music together. What they are doing, though, is crafting a bleak and aggressive release which will satisfy listeners when only this type of sound and fury will do. This isn’t the type of record you’ll likely want to revisit in most moods, and that’s perfectly ok. When the time comes to return to this grimy and savage kingdom, you’ll know, and
Leave Me The Ashes Of The Earth will be ready to envelop you once again.
