Scars Of The Broken
Artoffact, 2022
8/10
The Los Angeles rockers Dawn Of Ashes return with their most powerful and cathartic work yet, where frontman Kristof Bathory sorts through some very difficult turmoil in his life via the diverse forms of hard hitting sounds across these 12 tracks.
“(Descending) Torn Inside” opens the listen with thick drumming and ominous droning as an intense sound bite is repeated, and “Love Is Asphyxiation” follows with a dark, industrial like pounding as gruff, demonic vocals meet the cinematic back drop.
Deeper into the listen, “Bane Of Your Existence” flows with cryptic storytelling and sinister singing amid the firm chugging that’s somehow quite soothing, too, while “(Limbo) Numb” seems tailor made for a horror flick with its hypnotic presence and calm versus charged moments.
Inching closer to the end, the title track brings musicianship that’s actually quite pretty and pairs it with chilling, haunting vocals, and “(Ascending) Catharsis” exits the listen much like how it started, with emphasis on ambience that even soars with a spiritual slant.
It's quite clear that a lot of work went into this album, lyrically, musically and emotionally, and for those who appreciate various forms of industrial-metal, you’d be hard pressed to find anything as potent as Scars Of The Broken.
Travels well with: Mary Byker & Noko- Am I Dead Yet?; The Spider Hole- To The Monsters