It was in September 1994 that I saw this band live in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Then the band had two demos out. I enjoyed the concert very much because of the great atmosphere they created by their doomy deathmetal which they varied with English folk elements and medieval type of sounds. Then I didn't buy one of their demos because I hoped they would release a CD soon. I regretted that decision ever since because it took till 1996 for their debut-album (Sleepless Remorse) to come out. And that album wasn't in the stores. Your Caress, their second CD, is the first one I could lay my hands on and I'm glad. Ashen Mortality is the band of Ian Arkley of Seventh Angel fame. Your Caress fits his historical development. With Seventh Angel he started with thrash evolving into doom metal with some death-influences. Early Ashen Mortality was doomy deathmetal and now there are keyboard elements added and it's no longer as deathy. What stayed during the years is the folk-stuff. On Your Caress that's done more soberly than in the Seventh Angel days with only acoustic guitar and vocals by Melanie-Sarah Bolton. The opening track Broken Bonds displays that. Then follows the title track with some heavy riffs and occasional leads by Ian, sustained by an oiled rhythm-section. Beautiful song. Vocally Ian varies during the album from the clean (and sometimes emotionally dreadful-sounding) vocals to deathgrunts. Your Caress is a beautiful record with wonderful songs I enjoy. The biggest drawback is the duration of only 37 minutes. To get this CD, send ten British Pounds or 20 US dollars (at own risk) to: 36 Bransby Way, Locking Castle, Weston-Super-Mare, N. Somerset, BS24 7BW, England. Also available through Ashen Mortality
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #76Reviewed by Doug Van PeltThose who know this band know what to expect - big, down-tuned gloomy guitars with growly vocals. The uninitiated will delight to know that former Seventh Angel vocalist, Ian Arkley, has been fronting this outfit for a few years. Quite a departure from his thrash days, he hasn't left the heavy out of metal here. Bands like this certainly benefit from the increased interest in the goth-hybrid…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Josh SpencerThe sweetest love from you offered forced to run so cold where once true love flowed regretful tears of sorrow now flow freely down and fall to the ground (from "Broken Bonds") Ian Arkley (former frontman of Seventh Angel) is back with more doom and gloom metal. Some say this album sounds just like Paramaecium's A Time to Mourn, which Arkley also played guitars and wrote most of the songs for. I…Similar sounding releases
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