Ash - 'Meltdown' (Infectious) Released 17/05/04

Ash were £1000 pounds away from bankruptcy before the release of 2001’s ‘Free All Angels’.  It topped the album charts, spawned several chart hits, and then the band disappeared again.  Having released a singles collection as a stopgap, the band is finally about to unleash ‘Meltdown’, which was previewed on their mini-tour earlier this year.  Recorded in America, it is produced by Nick Rasculinecz (QOTSA and Foo Fighters) and signals the band’s intentions to evolve their sound…

Tim Wheeler has described the album as “a full on rock monster”, and he’s absolutely right.  Opener ‘Meltdown’ sets the pace, crunching guitars alongside Rick McMurray’s pounding drumbeat.  New single ‘Orpheus’ is the closest thing to the Ash of old, while ‘Evil Eye’ is a slower and moodier affair that blends the vocals of Wheeler and Charlotte Hatherley to good effect.  ‘Clones’ is the band’s heaviest offering to date, Wheeler practically shouting the lyrics over searing guitars, and then we get to the highlight that is ‘Star Crossed’.  Get the lighters out, this is possibly better than ‘Shining Light’ and will go onto the shelf marked ‘anthems’. 

‘Out of the Blue’ picks up the pace but is one of the few weaker offerings, especially next to ‘Renegade Cavalcade’, which is in the same league as ‘Burn Baby Burn’ and ‘Girl From Mars’.  The chorus invites fans to “sing along” – and they will, as well as go absolutely mental moshing!  ‘Detonator’ finds Mark Hamilton’s bass work at its best, ‘On A Wave’ has a great guitar solo, while ‘I Won’t Be Saved’ is another track which should go down well at the shows.  The album finishes how it began in the shape of ‘Vampire Love’, a combination of chugging bass line, intense guitar riffs, and frantic solos.

Ash have raised their game in the shape of ‘Meltdown’ - the sound is heavier but the tunes are still here and in high numbers.  There is not a single bad song to be found on the album, and it is a very welcome return from Tim Wheeler and his band.