Today we have the prodigious honor of premiering a work by one of our favorite projects: deathened black metal outfit Ashenheart.
“Stars Wept to the Sea” is a standalone track, with proceeds to be donated to the American Cancer Association. This song is deeply personal for founder Amanda Kauffman–written after the death of her wife–and the music matches the emotional weight of the subject matter. After opening with tender guitars and layers of synth, the track drives forward with meaty riff after meaty riff, tormented vocals above. There’s a bit of everything as things progress: haunting layered cleans contrast again vicious screams, a chunky bass feature and unison guitar/bass riffing, dissonant lines that twist over continuously churning textures, and spiraling leadwork that captivates. Eventually it closes with a piano outro and heartfelt spoken word.
This is also the first ever song to boast the new, fuller Ashenheart lineup, as bassist Tyler Blake (Fathomless) joins Kauffman, Steve Wiener (Am I in Trouble?, Negative Bliss, Eveale), and Alex Loach (Eveale). Also, contributing the aforementioned leads is the always impressive Alicia Cordisco (Transgressive, ex-Judicator, ex-Project: Roenwolfe), whose talents are as eminently on display as ever. It’s fantastic to hear these five operating as one unit, and “Stars Wept to the Sea” is a touching tribute to a late loved one. Check it out in the player below and make sure to visit the Ashenheart Bandcamp and Ampwall pages; “Stars Wept to the Sea” releases officially next Monday, January 26.