The French outfit Ashes to Fire spat forth this EP entitled "Still Waters" in late 2016, but for some weird reason it did not find its way to my mail box until quite recently. Anyway, Ashes to Fire perform metalcore in the vein of August Burns Red and Born Of Osiris with a slight hint of Devildriver to it. This six-track release of theirs is quite well-produced and suitably complex and yet it sounds a bit derivative and uninspired. The quintet is most definitely adept at handling their instruments, but "Still Waters" never quite manages to fuse all the different elements and inspirations together to form a coherent, cohesive, and awe-inspiring whole. There are plenty of clever arrangements and intricate details and whatnot, but in general the songs never manage to establish a compelling atmosphere and take off. The affair feels a bit anticlimactic.

"Still Waters" ultimately lacks creativity and individuality, which is to say that it contains very few surprises and it feels as if one has heard this particular type of release a million times before. It has its moments, but it never really stays with you and is quickly forgotten. Having said that, the song entitled "To Disappear" is pretty cool and diverse; it definitely stands out more than the others. If metalcore and modern metal music in general appeal to you, then you might consider giving this a spin or two, but there are way better alternatives out there

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/still-waters-ep/id1176906820