Review of - Album Review Dawn of Destruction

Music: Ares: Dawn to Destruction

Our Take

2008 has really been the year of the thrash band.  With new releases from long running acts such as Metallica,
 Destruction and Testament and plenty of newer bands popping up the genre has been so popular lately that it is in
danger of being saturated again.  And though a lot of the newer groups as of late have been nothing more than second
rate knock offs, one newcomer that stands out is Florida based Ares.  Formed in 2005, Ares’ debut release Dawn to
Destruction mixes elements of death metal and thrash in with some surprisingly melodic instrumental work which will
surely attract plenty of listeners to their music.

The band lists Metallica, Slayer, and Morbid Angel among their influences, so some listeners may be expecting a second
rate knock off right off the bat.  However, though elements of these acts are evident in Ares’ instrumentals, the band
has a lot of their own ideas.  Sure, there are plenty of tracks that combine chugging death metal and hard hitting thrash
 guitar, bass and drum work but there are also a lot of sections throughout Dawn to Destruction that have quite a bit of
 melody.  One such example is the lengthy “Remaining Ashes Fall”, which sees the instrumentals lighten up significantly
and explore some very interesting melodies and grooves.  From tracks such as this one, it is clear that the instrumentalists
 are not only talented, but have ideas that can make their music stand out from other genre newcomers.
 This is sure to surprise many listeners, and though Ares may not be the heaviest or the most brutal act out there,
 their melodic interludes and variation in styles makes them much more interesting.



Although many thrash bands typically feature vocalists who have gruff clean vocals,
Ares’ vocalist heads in a more death metal oriented direction throughout the course of Dawn to Destruction.
 The vocals consist almost entirely of loud growls, not unlike many of the death metal acts currently on the market
(though his pitch is a bit higher than the extremely low growls of bands such as Cannibal Corpse and Six Feet Under).
 There isn’t that much variation in the vocals, which is a minor issue, but overall this group’s singer has enough
 energy to overcome his issues with range.



I’ll be honest, when I first read this band’s bio that was filled almost entirely
 with their influences I was expecting another second or third rate thrash/death metal band
but Ares has definitely surprised me.  Though there are a few moments where the instrumentals feel as though
 they are in danger of falling apart, there is enough solid playing and unique melodies to make
 Dawn to Destruction a surprise hit of 2008.  Ares may not be up there with their heroes just yet, but
 if they are already this solid on the first full length of their career, it seems possible that they
 could certainly achieve great things in the years to come.


Posted at www.cosmosgaming.com

Review of - Kill/Gore/Sledge

Ares - Kill/Gore/Sledge- Dark Harvest Records

 

Ares are back with the follow up to the brutalizing "Dawn of Destruction" . The latest offering from these hungry young men is leaps and bounds better than the last album, and that's saying something.  Practice makes perfect I suppose.  If you like the old school meat and potatoes style of death metal, as I surely do, you will enjoy the eight tracks of devastation contained within "Kill/Gore/Sledge". With a definitive nod to the genres heavy hitters like Deicide, Morbid Angel, and the mighty Cannibal Corpse, the dudes in Ares aren't looking to start any new subgenres or trends, but are rather content with keeping the belief that less is more and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Charging at you like a rhinoceros protecting it's young, Ares run through you at an unstoppable pace until there is nothing left but blood and dust in their wake. Take also into account that these fine fellows are still very young . With youth and talent at their disposal, there is definitely a promising career ahead of Ares. They have surely harnessed their ability to create brutal death metal without compromise and I salute that.

 

Reviewed by Rob"Bubbs"Harris

Posted at Metal Exiles