Glass & Ashes Reviews

GLASS & ASHES Reviews:

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Like former labelmates Hot Water Music, this California quartet plays a burly brand of roughneck punk rock that’s as heavy
on the rock as the punk: Even when singer Dave Hall’s screaming his head off, Glass & Ashes kick up some rowdy
guitar-brand dust.
–Mikael Wood –Revolver Magazine May 2005

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Loud and hard. Shouty, hoarse vocals over fast speedy hardcore, Choatic and noisey. Just what I like. Emo ish but mostly
raging hardcore in the Dagnasty (Heavier) vein, sometimes vocally it reminds me of Poison Idea and rocks just as hard. I
know this is going to get better everytime I listen to it. The lyrics range from pretty dark subjects to personal stuff, reflecting
the music. One for the men! A great No Idea release. For fans of Planes Mistaken For Stars.
-Versun Magazine UK

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
With the massive cover image of a great white shark, Aesthetic Arrest gives off the feeling that the record may swallow you whole. As the sound of an ambulance siren blares in “Black Beneath the Eyes,” the band kicks right in with a driving tom-heavy drum assault accompanied by chugging guitars before a breakdown into full-on sonic insanity and the introduction of deep, full bass. The song that eventually forms around the noise is one whose energy is comparable to Repeater- era Fugazi, with wailing vocals that retain a similarity to the gruff approach of spiritual cousins Planes Mistaken For Stars. As the album progresses, it becomes clear that both bands share a sound that includes the roughness of early punk rock, but Glass & Ashes meld more rock’n’roll influences into the mix. “Dividing Line” features some intense riffs that could quite possibly sound at home on a more mainstream rock recording, but the unique off-kilter drum beat that blacks them, and the brutality of the vocals, make it clear that they are not gunning for radio play. At the same time, by not limiting themselves, the band has the ability to grasp other genres for inspiration, only to bring them back home to their wonderfully dirty punk rock lair.
–Sam Sutherland Exclaim Magazine

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
What an incredible record!! G&A carry the torch (pardon the pun) of two of my all-time fave Ebullition bands - Yaphet Kotto and Torches to Rome and come off sounding equally powerful, edgy,intense and beautiful. The mix is very energetic and the band demonstrate a level of screamo knowledge that one wouldn't expect, being as this is their debut full length. Not much more to say here like good rocking hardcore, like Glass and Ashes.
Pee Magazine (Australia)

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Lord, how I love No Idea records, not only are they a thoroughly friendly and approachable bunch of people but they also continually put out decent records by such an eclectic bunch of amazingly talented bands: the pounding brutality of Coalesce and CombatWoundedVeteran; the quirky madness of Atom and his Package; the honest-to-goodness punk of Radon and Panthro U.K. United 13, the list is never-ending. Plus to cap it all off, as a label they are utterly devoid of attitude which is rare thing to be sure. Without machismo holding them back they are free to concentrate on the task in hand of putting out such a range of remarkable noise unhampered by genre restrictions. So it will come as no great shock that it gives me great pleasure in announcing the addition to another splendid band to the No Idea roster… boys and girls meet Glass and Ashes, a high-octane, blistering band who play it like they mean it. If comparisons are to be drawn they would have to be with label-mates Planes Mistaken For Stars, with whom Glass and Ashes share a throaty, whiskey-soaked vocal style and penchant for a good build up from song to song. But that alone doesn’t do these guys justice, ‘Aesthetic Arrest’ is a more rock and roll affair, slightly more melodic than the heavier direction of today’s Planes, think a healthy dash of early Hot Water Music and you’d be somewhere in the right ballpark. Special mention should also be made to Michael Gleeson’s awesome drumming which, when combined with the snapping vocals really echo the dynamic violence of the whole ensemble. The shark motif it seems is one well deserved. And just when you’ve reached the happy conclusion that this is a great first release, Glass and Ashes go and surprise you with an intriguing shift of pace; allowing the last few tracks to carry you somewhere slightly more introspective, yet without losing the punk rock feeling. Basically I haven’t heard something this unpretentious and energetic for ages, it’s heartfelt and unashamedly rocks out, sure it doesn’t break any boundaries but nor does it try to, instead Glass and Ashes invite you close enough to witness the feeding frenzy before fucking off. Hopefully to make another album as good as this.

Damn you No Idea, you’ve gone and done it again.
Chris- vendetta zine UK

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Noisy emo hardcore that reminds me in ways of Planes Mistaken For Stars with early DC influences. The vocals are strained and ruff. The lyrics are personal and deal with everything from the marketing of patriotism, to rape survivors, to lots of other random things. As a whole it’s rocking, melodic and coarse all at the same time. It fits into the genera of other noisy emo bands on No Idea –
Europian – Slug & Lettuce #82

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
There aren’t many bands, good ones at least, that can be cool enough to have their label refer to them as influenced by Torches To Rome, Planes Mistaken For Stars, & Yahet Kotto with “ a touch of D.C. of years past”. Not that Glass & Ashes are trying to be cool, but by default this band is cool as shit and the comparisons are dead on. They probably left out Hot Water Music because it might be too obvious ( No Idea Records, two singers, etc.) but HWM is in the mix also. The band comes from Ventura, CA and were formerly called Kenji. Glass & Ashes has a lot more kick then Kenji did, no offense to the real Ken G. Aesthetic Arrest features eleven original songs that range from under two minutes to nearly five per song. Basically you get your money’s worth, this record doesn’t fall short by any means . Without bands like Glass & Ashes we might think all bands really do want to be on packaged tours and featured at Hot Topic. This proves there are those few bands who want you to put the effort into finding out about new bands and getting excited over them. Aesthetic Arrest makes Glass & Ashes (in my humble opinion) on of the most exciting new bands out, And the live show…shit man, you have no clue til you see it. Amazing. Get this record somehow. Now
- Seth Brown – Status Magazine #26

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Who? Hardcore punk quartet from Ventura, California.
Sounds Like? Fast, raucous punk screamed with larynx-ripping, diaphragm-strained angst.
Standout Track? ‘Dead On Arrival’
Verdict? Awesome stuff. It’s raw, but written with fluidity and class. There’s no variation from the full throttle approach- you get a headache learning the lyrics, an da sore throat singing along.
-Tim Newbound- Rocksound UK 170

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Glass and Ashes fall somewhere between punk and hardcore, much like many other No Idea Records releases. The fact that I've heard a ton of other bands just like this, mainly from No Idea, is a huge turn off, which is why I didn't give it a perfect score. The music and everything is really well-executed, but the fact that it sounds just like quite a few other No Idea releases just makes me not enjoy "Aesthetic Arrest" very much. I'm not saying I don't like this album, because I do, but it's just the same kind of thrash/punk/hardcore stuff that I've heard a lot of lately from No Idea as I mentioned already. The music itself is really fast and the guitars are chunky, backed up by some very heavy bass. The songs aren't very different from one another, meaning that there are no stand out tracks, but it ain't that bad. It's just not something new.
-Dustin- Laminated,org

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
-Transcending Ventura-
Ventura, California, isn’t exactly where you’d imagine finding the dizzying, vaguely metalic space rock of Glass & Ashes. Luckily, good music tends to transcend shitty geography. On Aesthetic Arrest, vocalist/guitarist Dave Hall sounds like Murder City Devils’ Spencer Moody on three packs a day; musically, the band traverse the same tightrope occupied by Cave In and Botch. And much like the aforementioned bands, the members of Glass & Ashes can play their instruments much better than their ascribed idiom requires. They’re Black Flag fans, probably, but they wanna get their Big Black on. The result is impressive, if not instantly accessible-but we’re guessing that’s sort of the idea.
–J. Bennett – Alternative Pres-#200 March 2005

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Glass & Ashes hail out of Ventura, California and they are loud. Loud bands are making a comeback because, for far too long now, you’ve been sitting at home hitting the bong and not shaking that god-given ass of yours. You’ve turned into a lame duck. Glass & Ashes wanna get you shaking. Or else they wouldn’t be so loud. Loud and thick. Michael Carter lays a grooving bass and Michael Gleeson provides well thought out patterns on the drums. The two Mikes are complimented by the guitars of Dave Hall and Jesse Jenny. The results are surprisingly ambient-pleasing, abrasive, and chunky. They know when to break out with a scream-o fest and when to turn it down a notch with head-shaking instrumental arrangements. Their loudness and attention to detail places them in that Fugazi arena with the likes of The Warmers and Sweetbelly Freakdown. I found the closing half of the disc worthy of numerous replays, with personal faves being “Eighty-six” and “Glass Plans.” There’s a bonus track too and it’s good. You, the fan, comes out winning in this album: affordable price tag and 37 minutes worth of calisthenics-oriented hardcore.
By Abel Folgar- Tansform online

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
I judge a lot of stuff by the cover. books, records. if the cover sucks why should you give it anymore attention? I mean if something can't initially impress you and drag you in visually it's just not worth your time or effort. So, GLASS AND ASHES. I'm pretty sure this will be the best cover of 2005.brilliant presentation, fantastic depiction of an open-mouthed shark. 10 out of 10. So that reeled me in instantly but what about the music? Well.the music fuckin kills too. It's fast, graceful, aggressive. You know like a shark, switching from calm and melodic to outright belligerence, this is an audio shark: elegant, refined, distinguished but also a vicious, uncontrollable beast. So there you go, judge everything by the cover and please take note of this bands: if your cover sucks it's a good indication of what you might sound like.
- Marco- No Front Teeth Zine

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Okay, the 1st track of this album made me think of only one thing, At the Drive-in. This band has hugely been influenced by the likes of Refused and At the Drive-in. Very much like their label mates Planes Mistaken For Stars, Glass & Ashes try to revive the dying genre of passionate melodic hardcore. With the recent downfall of Snapcase, this band seems to be one of the few bands keeping their spirit alive. Aesthetic Arrest is a very dynamic release for a debut album. This album is filled with enough energy and creativity to win over the average hardcore listener. But also have the potential to reach out to a much larger crowd. The songs like “The Art of Selling” and “Dead on Arrival,” Glass & Ashes screams and rants on consumerism and patriotism among other things. They keep the balance of hardcore and modern punk very well even without straying off track. This full-length CD does a very good job demonstrating their live performance. You can almost ‘feel’ the energy leak from your stereo. This is a very difficult thing to do for bands these days, especially with major labels over-polishing their bands to the point where it’s no longer enjoyable to listen to. No Idea Records keeps the rawness that is Glass & Ashes intact. Fans of Haste and Bear vs. Shark will very much enjoy this album.
Reviewed by: Shawn Robbins –mammothpress online

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
I’ve been a pretty big fan of No Idea records for the past few years. Stellar releases from Against Me!, Planes Mistaken For Stars, and Twelve Hour Turn still often find themselves in my CD player. So when a copy of Glass And Ashes's debut album found its way to my desk, along with the description “Glass And Ashes are already garnering comparisons to Planes Mistaken For Stars, Torches To Rome, and Yaphet Kotto, with a touch of D.C.’s past,” I’d be lying if I say it didn’t have me immediately interested. So did the album live up to its billing, and its comparisons?

Yes, and then some. This album really is a breath of fresh air. After the momentary sound of a siren, you get some solid guitar and drum rhythms thrown at you right away on the album's first track, "Black Beneath The Eyes." That more than anything else is noticeable about this album. These guys are great musicians. The guitar work is absolutely incredible throughout the duration, never wavering in intensity, even during the albums more melodic moments. The members of the band all seem so in tune to what the others are doing, that they all draw from each other, and just make everything meld together that much better. They can play to various styles as well, sometimes lashing into all out chaos, other times more subdued, but it’s always interesting, and each member of the band gets their own chances to shine. The distortion on the guitars is just right, and I really love the drums on this album. Listen to "Controlled Burn" for evidence in just how good these drums are, and what good rhythms are kept by the bassist and guitarists.

To accompany music this good, outstanding vocals are necessary, and luckily, this album presents some of the best I’ve heard in a while. Frenzied, passionate, but always with just the right level of intensity. They’re nothing over the top, and the singer has a relatively unique voice, a raspy voice, almost a scowl, like he’s screaming without even trying. That’s one of the things that makes this such a genuinely good album, is that these guys sound extremely talented without trying to be so. Confusing? Probably, but when you listen, you’ll know what I mean.

I’m not going to compare the singer to anybody else; I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions, because I don’t feel that any connection I draw will do him justice. The vocals really reach their pinnacle on "Eighty Six," and the instrumentation shines there as well. This song perfectly shows what a complete package that this album can be. When the song finally ends amidst waves of reverb, you just wish it would keep on going.

With all the great things this album has laid down, I’d say they wouldn’t affect me as much if the lyrics were really lacking, but that couldn’t be more opposite the truth. The lyrics these guys have put down are deeply rooted in political and social conscience. From the politically-driven "The Art Of Selling," to the album's most poignant moment "Dividing Line," these guys are quite intelligent about the way they use their words. "Dividing Line" is a song about rape, which is not a subject many bands choose to tackle in their songs, but Glass And Ashes do a great job of painting the entire picture of the subject;
She locked herself in her room again, not from one night but from the years that follow it / Running from screaming eyes that ostracize the dividing line between victim and surviving / What would you do if you walked into your sister's room with her crying alone? / Tired of the guilt and shame put on her by spectator and predator / A strong woman might arise despite the victimization from friends now passersby.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but to me, that’s some really strong songwriting, and as with the rest of the album, the passion in the vocals only serve to better put across the message behind them.

No Idea has done a great thing to sign this band and put out their debut album. Every aspect of this, from start to finish, feels like a band that’s been around for years and years. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this extremely talented foursome, because if Aesthetic Arrest is any indication, then we’re in for a real treat.
Review by Anchors punknews.org
Feb. 18 2005

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Abrasive and chunky.
Glass & Ashes hail out of Ventura, California and they are loud. Loud bands are making a comeback because, for far too long now, you’ve been sitting at home hitting the bong and not shaking that god-given ass of yours. You’ve turned into a lame duck. Glass & Ashes wanna get you shaking. Or else they wouldn’t be so loud.

Loud and thick. Michael Carter lays a grooving bass and Michael Gleeson provides well thought out patterns on the drums. The two Mikes are complimented by the guitars of Dave Hall and Jesse Jenny. The results are surprisingly ambient-pleasing, abrasive, and chunky.

They know when to break out with a scream-o fest and when to turn it down a notch with head-shaking instrumental arrangements. Their loudness and attention to detail places them in that Fugazi arena with the likes of The Warmers and Sweetbelly Freakdown.

I found the closing half of the disc worthy of numerous replays, with personal faves being “Eighty-six” and “Glass Plans.” There’s a bonus track too and it’s good. You, the fan, comes out winning in this album: affordable price tag and 37 minutes worth of calisthenics-oriented hardcore.
By Abel Folgar- Tansform online
Thursday. Jan 13, 12:35 AM

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Hailing from Ventura California. Glass and Ashes is a band that took me by force. Basing your opinions on the lay out, you just can't make out what kind of music they're bringing. The shark totally contrasts towards the pinky/purple layered lay out. And I got confused and expected some politically charged singer songwriter.
No way. Entering this disc in my shitty cd player, some intro started out and you can hear samples of people protesting which got me correct on the political thing. "back beneath the eyes" just grabs you in a single moment by the throat with uptempo chaotic emocore mixed up doomy guitar parts. Geez I love that song. Glass and Ashes is actually one of those bands who's pushing their limits further and seem to be open for experimenting and creating a very varieted style of chaotic unpolished but still partly structured emocore. Some songs are blasts of political frustration when suddenly it all booms out in this beautiful guitar instrumentals as landscapes making you dream away. Believe me they have some pretty doomish parts going along with heavy groovy rhytms. Post hardcore alike with enough violence and screamo roundups to bang your head on. But check it out, these days hardcore seems to be all about banging your head right? Well you're wrong with Glass and Ashes. I've been reading their well written lyrics and they've been putting alot of hard work in it, convincing their own beliefs and political motivations. This is good and makes most of those emo orientated bands blank out in seconds. This is not about fashion it's about anger, choices and life and simple things including struggles of it. Glass and Ashes is more than a worthy addition to the No Idea Records roster, this is definitely a damn promise for the future. They surely know it. And I definitely want to see and hear more in the nearby future from them.

To close down this review Glass and Ashes brings you a damn piece of politically charged screaming emocore. Think about old mid nineties post hardcore and a touch of the older Dischord DC bands. Unpolished and cooked up with enough hardcore and doomyness to make your head bang sporadically hard. A good mix of screamo and noisy post hardcore backed up by dual vocals and political anthems. Are you digging Planes Mistaken For Stars? Dig this.
[Ray Kluze]- www.semtexinc.com

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Glass & Ashes I never heard a hardcore band playing so fast, noisy, and yet melodic. Maybe Ink & Dagger or Planes Mistaken For Stars. But I must admit, Glass & Ashes are quite original for being so small. So I hope they will go big. Anyhow, the new LP on No Idea, "Aesthetic Arrest", is a fist in your clean face. The disc is opnened by "Black Beneath The Eyes", that will introduce you if the wonderful noisy world of GLASS & ASHES: fast riffs, melodic vocals filled with screams and a lot of angry verses. "Dead On Arrival", "The Art Of Selling" and "Bloody Knuckles" are the best hardcore anthems of the disc, but the whole album is to be hear, especially for the high level of social aware content.
-Truepunk.com

GLASS & ASHES
Aesthetic Arrest
Ventura, CA, screamo outfit Glass & Ashes unveil an impressive debut with Aesthetic Arrest. Launched with the inventive "Black Beneath the Eyes," guitarist Jesse Jenny, drummer Michael Gleeson, and bassist Michael Carter punch out a tense, rumbling musical canvas on which the hoarse-voiced Dave Hall paints his pain and opinion. Balancing the hardcore approach of, say, vintage Dag Nasty with the dynamics of sorely underrated labelmates Planes Mistaken for Stars, G&A are steeped in melody and energy, as evidenced by the upbeat "The Art of Selling"
and the edgy scorch of "Controlled Burn." Behind their capable roar, G&A have a noticeable depth on "Dividing Line," which places the band in the company of other fine American outfits like Thrice and Scatter the Ashes.
~ John D. Luerssen, All Music Guide