With their self-titled debut EP, Arkansas supergroup Ash of Cedars seemingly come out of nowhere and lay claim to the distinguished title of “band that will be playing when you arrive at the gates of hell.” The members’ day jobs—Rwake, Snakedriver, Epoch of Unlight and Vore—run the stylistic gamut: sludge, doom, death metal, black metal, you name it. And when brought together, it ends up being a truly nasty black metal concoction that melds each individual’s styles to varying degrees. 

The band’s called themselves “southern gothic black metal,” and the opening minute or so of “All Dies” really plays to that gothic mystique. An electrified ambience weaves in and out as vocalist CT’s disembodied screams and howls level the soundscape throughout. Later, the more aggressive black metal style takes front and center, and the vocals transform into full-on hateful yells. “Anti Life Venom” battles back and forth between death and black metal for the first minute and a half, before slithering into an unnerving stoner-inspired riff and easing off the gas rhythmically.

“I’m Not Done” and “Sun Invert” both begin with doomy-paced intros, before slamming your eardrums with relentless black metal. Each song weaves effortlessly between the two styles effortlessly, but the simple, yet effective riff that carries through the entirety of “Done” tips the scale in its favor. It lends an eerie feel and leaves you with a feeling of hopelessness—almost as if you’re being sucked into the last circle of hell forever.

The dramatic, instrumental closer “Mother Satan Bright” puts the final touches on your descent, incorporating tribal drums, ghostly chants, and a downright nightmarish keyboard section, with a long metallic sound reminiscent of a UFO landing in a classic sci-fi movie. It’s an interesting closer, particularly in light of the ear battering you’ll have just received from the previous four tracks.

Ash of Cedars makes for an absolutely mind-bending 27 minutes Yes, each member brings their own influences to the table, but what’s really striking is how much more this EP ends up being than just the sum of its parts. As a fan of each of these bands—and someone that’s spent a lot of time with Rwake in particular—this is a completely satisfying listen, as the sludge is present throughout. Dirty, earthy and hellishly evil, this EP is well worth jumping into.

-Josh

Ash of Cedars will be available June 30 on Handshake, Inc. For more information on Ash of Cedars, visit the band’s Facebook page.