Rites of Ash - Like Venom

A metal band using auto tune? Riiiiiiight...Ever wonder what a metal band would sound like on auto tune?  If you're not familiar with auto tune, it is that weird vocal effect, that lots of pop artist's use, to make their voice sound robotic.  Not a fan of pop, I always attributed this vocal enhancer as a way to disguise a lack of vocal talent.  Rites of Ash are the first band, of the heavy nature, that I have heard using this effect, and I'm not sure it works that well.  Vocalist 80-2, yeah that's his name, can sing, so it boggles the mind as to why they would incorporate this effect into the mix.  Thank goodness, it isn't present throughout the whole CD. 

Rites of Ash is a different animal, because they mix sounds of pop, rap and rock into one interesting sound.  Don't get me wrong, the band is primarily a hard rock band, but they do infuse different elements, into their sound, to give them a distinct sound.  I think that is where the use of auto tune came into play.  It is hard to describe their sound, especially like on a track like Toxic (Her Lip Are Like Venom) because it sounds like a hard rocking pop song.  This CD is full of variety and surprises.  The next song Burn will definitely throw you for a loop, because of the death metal overtones represented in the tune.   This CD has it all from funk to pop to death metal.  A musical roller coaster ride that never comes off of the tracks.

Bottom Line: Rites of Ash offer the listener many different styles while sticking to their heavy roots.  A CD that will not get stale due to all of the different styles represented on the disk.  The songs are played well and the musicianaship is there.  I would say the mid-section of this CD is the strongest part of the record.

Standout Tracks: Burn, Dead Side of Hollywood, 3 Leaf Clover and The Sleeper

- Ragman takes off half a horn for the auto tune and is still scratching his head as to why this was used