From Ashes to New is one of those bands who spent years building their way towards becoming an overnight success.
Although they really have exploded into the public consciousness in the past few years, they’ve been grinding it out for much longer: steadily putting out albums, touring, and relentlessly devoting themselves to the craft of keeping nu-metal alive.
Personally, I’ve been seeing From Ashes to New just about yearly for five years now. Each time I see them, their audience is a little bit bigger, a little louder, a little more engaged. This was the case at their Denver headline show this month. Supported by Magnolia Park, Until I Wake, and Not Enough Space, From Ashes to New brought nu-metal to The Summit with their signature sonic cohesion and commitment to their audience.
Each element of From Ashes to New’s music and live performance fit together like a puzzle: the dual vocalist rap and melodic quality, the riffs and the drum fills, the band and the crowds back-and-forth dynamic. There is a comfort that is clear with the identity that they have sculpted for themselves. This comfort is something that the crowd responds to, songs shaken loose from their own throats as they relate to lyrics about belonging, mental health, and finding their place in the world.
The choice of openers was eclectic and excellent, providing a great build-up to From Ashes to New’s set. Not Enough Space was the heaviest of the bands, providing a dual-vocalist metal core experience that truly lit up the pit from moment one.
Until I Wake followed it up with more metalcore-tinged energy, showcasing all the hunger of a band who is just beginning to carve out a place for themselves in the scene. It’s easy to see them claiming their spot beside bands like Catch Your Breath and Thousand Below.
Magnolia Park rounded out the support acts with a ferocious and precise performance. They’ve delivered a series of gut-punch singles this year, and their live performance lived up to the studio hype. Every song was a poignant pummeling.
From Ashes to New truly assembled a sampling of all that is diverse and delightful in heavy music right now. And I have to hand it to them: when they begin as a band, nu-metal was no longer en vogue. But they stayed true to their musical identity, steadily rising through the ranks until today’s years where music in that genre has seen something of a renaissance. I would argue that they are even spearhead that renaissance, to a large extent. If you get a chance to see From Ashes to New, it’s an opportunity that you shouldn’t miss. See their tour calendar here: https://www.fromashestonew.com/tour
Rock On Purpose 