We live in an age that it’s impossible for any new act to not have been influenced by the greats of the past, and some people like it while others despise it. If it’s done well, it’s definitely something to celebrate. Whenever I see a new band with clear influences from all over, I want to make sure the band in question is not just a straight rip-off and trying to do something at least a little original. Delving into the first work from Ashlands, I was greeted with a solid blend of many past and current legends of the style that all come together in a neat image that we’ve definitely seen before but far from anything that’s boring or unimaginative.

This is but the first in a trilogy of EPs that Ashlands has plans to put out in the near future with this, obviously, acting as the first with three tracks to call its own that surprisingly covers most of the bases of diversity that could be covered in such a short amount of time. There’s very much an essence of Tolkien-influence that’s going into “I” as you can feel the essences of Summoning as Ashlands tries to wiggle their way into that vein of black metal while still taking a page or two from other bands like Moonsorrow and even a little bit of Agalloch for good measure. The overall mix could easily be better, but it’s still enjoyable as it is with “I” having plenty of peaks and valleys that perfectly fit into the Tolkien-influenced branch of black metal and Ashlands does a solid job of paying homage to their favorite bands that have come before them whilst still trying their best to create something that they can call their own. It’s with a respectable story, solid musicianship, and a good understanding of the style that Ashlands does a pretty nice job with “I” such that I’m very intrigued to see where this band takes their sound for both the rest of this trilogy and beyond because I can easily see their sound evolving quickly so that we can hear their true voice in all of its glory.

It’s always difficult to try and respect your influences while still creating something your own because it’s so easy just to try and replicate those that you love. Ashlands does their best to steer clear of that path and that’s very evident throughout this EP even though it’s clear that they still need a little time before their craft is honed to be as sharp as it can be. Even then, “I” has plenty for lovers of atmospheric black metal to sink their teeth into and deliver on plenty of the necessary points that you need in order to succeed with this style.

“I” releases on September 30th!

LISTEN to the advanced song, “Pyre”, on Bandcamp here or via YouTube below.

LIKE Ashlands on Facebook here.