Black Tusk - Pillars Of Ash

I knew Athon, not well, but I knew him. Having him go the way he did was crushing and it let a whole in the scene that will never be filled. That being said, it feels like a fitting tribute to the great man to hear his voice ring out on Pillars Of Ash. Sure we don't know about the future of this band, and yeah, it might be a while before they put out anything else, but for now we have an album that sounds exactly how Black Tusk should sound, angry, heavy, and exciting. There is a very real fire in this bands belly and a spice in their lungs a sort of inhuman anger that guides them forward, and really what makes Pillars Of Ash essential listening for 2016.

All the elements that make Black Tusk so special are on this record, catchy choruses, harsh vocals, ad their unique triple vocal assault that made them so interesting. Beyond that, you have the classic riffage that just seems to wonderfully reflect what the band is about. The fusion of genres and sense of hope communicated in their music is strange, it speaks to the creative power of the band and reminds us why we all need to delve deeper into this kind of music. The diversity of this record is fun too - it's a nice step forward from previous releases, markedly less sludgy and replete with punk rock energy, but that doesn't change the fact that Black Tusk still have riffs, a factor that will keep the band great now and forever.

Black Tusk reign eternal on Pillars Of Ash and though their star mayhave faded too early there is something strangely hopeful about this band tham akes me think that they are ging to be able to drive forward beyond this. Pillars Of Ash is beautiful in a way that I never thought Black Tusk could be but heband has been able to push through their tribulation t put out something grandiose and epic, truly Black Tusk but not derivative. A step forward but one that reminds us what made us love the band in the first place. All we can do is cross our fingers and wait for the next great step forward from these mad geniuses.

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