The Rock Blogger

Ashes Divide . Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright . 2008. 4 stars .

A Perfect Circle’s Billy Howerdel returns with his new solo project Ashes Divide, providing a logical extension to where his last efforts left off. With APC closed up, and Maynard James Keenan occupied by Tool and his own (disappointing) Puscifer project, the technically savvy Howerdel has been left to own devices, allowing him to step out of the shadow of his former band mate. While Howerdel is more than a proficient guitar player, providing the organic, jangly riffs that made many APC songs so compelling, his vocal abilities and songwriting had yet to reach the limelight. Until now.

Howerdel’s singing is strikingly superb on this album, with a clear and passionate delivery that reaches lofty emotional peaks with ease, closely resembling Keenan’s performance. While Howerdel rarely delves into guttural, darker growls or screams, his pipes provide a soaring lift to his compositions. The music itself is also very similar to APC, with spiraling, angular guitars and propulsive drumming, but moves at a generally faster pace, rarely breaking down into the slower, more depressive territory his previous band had been known for. Gorgeous piano and cello accompaniment often creeps into the mix to round out the songs, providing anchors for the epic guitar wails. The overall style of the album is avowedly alternative, avoiding progressive or psychedelic tendencies to produce tight, concise song structures that are accessible and hook driven.

While there are no weak leaks to the album, it does have its brighter spots, most notably “Enemies”, the single “The Stone” and “Forever Can Be”. These tracks are clear standouts, with distinct choruses and catchy, angst ridden lyrics that are among the album’s most convincing passages. They also have clear dynamics that are carefully built around strong guitar riffs and melodies. These songs are structurally superior to the others and their execution is incredibly solid, ranking among the most memorable APC tunes.

Ashes Divide may be more radio friendly than its proceeding projects, never staying too far from its refined production values and comfortable song structures, it is still a melodic and captivating affair. Fans of A Perfect Circle and Tool are sure to be pleased with this, as it touches on the same weathered nerves as those stellar acts. While Ashes Divide may not be a revolutionary effort, it certainly is a beautiful one, as Howerdel effectively lives up to heightened expectations.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 8:58 am and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.