The other kingpin of the modern thall movement, alongside Vildhjarta, has released a new monstrous album. With cornerstone and extraordinaire of thall, Buster Odelholm, on the guitar, Humanity's Last Breath has always represented the heavier and more brutal side of thall. Compared to Vildhjarta's more prominent use of melodies, however unorthodox, Humanity's Last Breath has always been a relentless onslaught of extremely low-tuned palettes and an unforgiving sonic experience.
Ashen is the latest instalment of their undeniably heavy sound, with a production value so insanely high I can't actually fathom that it exists. Despite the combination of the heaviest, lowest-tuned guitars in the modern metal scene, unbelievably robust gutturals and intense drumming, not to mention the extra production they add on top and the eerie samples they use, it's a complete work of god that this is even comprehensible, much less so fucking enjoyable. The true achievement of this album, above the unbridaled heaviness and sheer violence of the music, is the fact that it sounds so clear, so refined and pristine, despite every aspect of the music being intrinsically distorted and loud.
Just to be clear, I think of Humanity's Last Breath as some kind of hypermodern-deathcore with really strong thall influences. Their main element is not just thall, that really only makes up half of their identity. I think the main element of their music is really this focus on hypermodern production work that makes it physically possible for extremely low and distorted notes to sound good, and then to capitalise on that with a djent-esque instrumentation and extremely harsh vocal work. Of course, thall is really just a extension of djent, so it's all just in the same area. Regardless, they are making insane advancements in the realm of modern metal heavy production that far outweighs even the current heavyweights of this emerging hypermodern-deathcore sound, with the likes of Brand Of Sacrifice and Darko US.
Beyond the overall unparalleled heaviness of Ashen, it has many other aspects worth commending. The soundscapes are intense and well-built, making use of sharp and eerie leads and atmospheric synths to contrast the lows of the guitars and vocals. There's also the use of choir samples on Instill, which add to the eerieness of the experience. Beyond that, the few riffs we get here and there are absolutely tasteful, whether it's the pure thall riffs on some cuts, the extremely syncopated grooves on others, or just pure insanity on some of the breakdowns. I have to give the biggest shoutout to the breakdown of Catastrophize, that insane downwards chromatic riff had me fucking losing it.
Ashen is an insane experience, a masterpiece in modern metal production and in heaviness. It is the first album I've heard that I can say that it sounds like hell and actually mean it. This album might actually be lovecraftian to the average human, incomprehensible yet striking immense fear. I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am that this exists, that it's possible, but that also I am at a point in time where my tastes in music are geared correctly and I can enjoy this album for what it is. Buster is rapidly becoming a new figurehead of the entire modern metal scene, and I am all here for it. Ashen is definitely one of the biggest achievements in modern metal, period.
Rating: 10/10