As a matter of fact, this second Ash Borer-album was released on CD in 2012 through Profound Lore, and now Pesanta Urfolk are to re-release the material on vinyl. The double-long player will be available in two versions: 323 copies on 200 mg slipcase-edition, and as ‘normal’ 160 mg black vinyl (unlimited). The material has not been re-recorded, but the mix has been redone for this vinyl-edition. Cold Of Ages consists of four titles, having a total running time of more than an hour, which makes it an intensive journey to ‘undergo’ the whole. Besides, this album is much more complex than the self-titled debut (2011), and much more varying.
The album starts with Descended Lamentations, which opens in a spooky, mind-transcending way, being semi-acoustic and ambiental. Yet as from three minutes and a half, the approach turns into fast and rhythmic Black Metal with an eerie underground-spirit and a certain USBM-touch of morbidity. It’s both melodic and harsh, pretty epic and Nordic, yet performed with an own execution, courtesy of Ash Borer. The tempo, mainly fast, differs more than once, and includes some hauntingly slow parts as well. Nice equilibrium for sure to do so! Phantoms, the second track, opens with some great slow-paced riffing, veiling the whole in a very chilly, uncomfortable mist. It breathes a specific droning atmosphere, and again it’s rather unique to notice the psychedelic idea behind it. Here too the differentiation in melody and speed is remarkably well composed (and performed), and the track includes a spherical Industrial / Ambient-passage at the end as well. The third song, Convict All Flesh, is the most obscure on Cold Of Ages. This one too opens in a mostly haunting and funereal way, with a sludgy undertone, but like all tracks, it includes those sudden distorted and semi-blasting parts as well. The final song, Removed Forms, opens in a Post-Rock oriented way, with the haunting vocals of Worm Ouroboros’ Jessica Way (this band includes members from e.g. Amber Asylum and Agalloch) (she also acts as guest vocalist on the former title, Convict All Flesh), and also includes faster and slower excerpts, an abyssal atmosphere and a variety of elements from Funeral Doom, grim and undergrounded Black Metal, hypnotic Ambient and so on.
For fans of: Weakling, Wolves In The Throne Room, Nachtmystium and the likes.
PS: very recently, the band also released a two-tracker through Gilead Media, called Bloodlands - FYI.