The Brazilian Metal scene is huge and full of new names, and it’s hard to follow every release, because it’s truly an invasion down here! But from time to time, a friend recommends a band for us. Due the program Conexões do Underground (@conexoesdounderground, presented by Vanessa Martello), the name of the quartet ASHES came to me; and their music, shown on the EP “Burning in Flames” became a great surprise.

Paulo Eduardo (that worked previously with names as DARKSIDE, FÉRETRO AVERNAL and PANTÁCULO MÍSTICO) signs the production and recordings, giving the band a fine sound quality that aligns distortion and aggressiveness with a defined and clean approach that allows the band to express its musical ideas in a great way. It’s really a fine result. Hailing from the city of Fortaleza (on the state of Ceará, on Northeast region of the country), the quartet defies the tradition of extreme Metal of the country playing a form of traditional Heavy Metal with modern traits of the genre (or in other words, combines influences from NWOBHM, 70s Hard Rock, the aggressiveness of acts as JUDAS PRIEST on “Painkiller” days, and some touches from US Heavy Metal School from the 80s). It’s melodic and filled with excellent choruses, but aggressive and really deserves applause.

Ok, the quartet still has some shards to shape in the future, but their musical work depicted on “Live and Fight”, “Angels and Demons”, “Metal Road”, “Burning ‘n Flames” and “The Warrior’s Path” is truly amazing, filled with very good vocals in a ‘dickinson’/‘halfordian’ trend with very good guitar riffs and melodic solos, and a thunderous rhythmic work from bass guitar and drums. It’s really something excellent to be heard! “Burning in Flames” was released on 2022, so much more can be expected from the quartet. And be sure of one thing: ASHES is a very good name of the Brazilian scene that deserves to be heard. Oh, by the way, here is the link of the EP on the band’s Spotify: