Row of Ashes - Tide into Ruin

Angry Metal Guy

Bristol post-hardcore group, Row of Ashes, likes to make noise—and they’re good at it. Known for their untamed live energy and drawing heavily from revered acts like Unsane, Will Haven, and Kowloon Walled City, Row of Ashes crafts an unyielding and suffocating wall of sound; one that fuses post-hardcore and sludge together with the experimental, dissonant fringes of noise rock. After releasing two EPs, their raw, physical force exploded onto the scene with 2022’s Bleaching Heat, a ruthless debut that earned them a tour with Will Haven. Now standing on the brink of broader recognition, Row of Ashes is ready to unleash Tide into Ruin, their second post-hardcore punch designed to be as overpowering and instinctual as their live performances.

Row of Ashes delivers raw, suffocating intensity through guitarist Will Duffin’s low, harsh distortion, Dan Arrowsmith’s bruising rhythms and bassist/vocalist Chris Wilson’s striking shouts. The threesome excels at crafting intense crowd-movers with stomping, crushing finales like “Immortalist” and “Icon,” while also evidencing their aptitude for tension and release with ominous, somber post-hardcore interludes such as “Coda” and “Wake.” Wilson’s and Duffin’s guitar and bass seamlessly meld into a thick, impervious wall of hard-hitting riffs, often creating an oppressive, gnarly buzz that rattles in unison, driving Tide into Ruin’s grim atmosphere. Wilson’s delivery is fierce and confrontational—his versatile range jumping effortlessly between British punk (“Fracture”), Mike Patton-like shrieks (“Leveller”) and blood-curdling hardcore screams (“Icon,” “Tide”), tearing through Row of Ashes’ heavy instrumental underbelly. Despite some mixed songwriting, Row of Ashes lets loose a surprisingly immense and pulverizing sound that defies their lean lineup.

Centered around Wilson and Duffin’s deep, sludgy distortion, Row of Ashes skillfully imbues Tide into Ruin with dynamic contrast, shifting between pummeling riffs and dissonant bursts, punctuated by softer, mournful interludes. The peaks and valleys of “Immortalist” and “Tide” demonstrate this with tender, forlorn passages squeezed between mammoth, plodding breakdowns. “Leveller’s” and “Icon’s” swarming guitar lines, sprayed with shoegaze-tinged high dissonance ebb and flow effortlessly, opposing crushing heaviness with momentary breaths that fuel the album’s brooding mood. Showcasing Row of Ashes’ more experimental side, “Imber’s” quirky beginning—featuring frantic guitar rises and feedback squeals—aptly conveys its anxiety through chaos before an eventual bone-crushingly heavy close. While the payoff takes a bit too long to arrive—even though Tide into Ruin’s stronger tracks feel too brief at times—this experimental flavor helps prevent the album from becoming a repetitive sludge-fest, pushing Row of Ashes’ sound beyond Bleaching Heat’s more straightforward style.

At the same time, this more experimental side also leads Row of Ashes astray. Interlude “Lille’s” ambient serenity and French spoken word is just short enough to work after the record’s strong first half, but “Wake” fares less successfully. Its length, repetition and close to forty-five seconds of nothing but feedback thwart its attempt to build pressure—alternating between quiet, eerie arpeggiated sections and heavier, distorted parts (including “Lille’s” spoken word). This same issue reappears later with “Coda.” The track’s somber, clean guitar notes and harmonics, coupled with Arrowsmith’s delicate cymbal work, create a foreboding and somber atmosphere that would have made for a much better closer if not for three minutes of cavernous ambient noises and static, rendering that portion of the song skippable. While interludes like these can be beneficial in a live setting, their inclusion here detracts from Tide into Ruin’s strength and cohesion, leading to more frustration than anything else.

Though the songwriting occasionally detracts from an otherwise solid effort, Tide into Ruin still contains some of Row of Ashes’ most potent material to date. And its relentless intensity—fueled by crushing riffs, fierce vocals, and raw energy—is amplified by a lively, organic mix that conveys the band’s vision. Row of Ashes’ affinity for crafting dynamic, atmospheric post-hardcore is sure to appeal to a wide range of fans, and the stage is set for them to realize their considerable potential. With continued refinement, Row of Ashes is poised to fully break through—building on their momentum and paving the way for a future brimming with possibility.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Road to Masochist
Websites: rowofashes.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/RowofAshesband | instagram.com/rowofashesband
Releases Worldwide: June 13th, 2025

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