Album Review: Tungsten – Ashes

Album Review: Tungsten – Ashes

Reviewed by Matthew Caldwell

Despite being labelled as a power metal band, Tungsten are actually much more versatile than that. The power, speed and melodic passages are all there, but an important part of their sound, and what makes them stand out from their contemporaries, is the industrial element they bring to the genre.

Even if you aren’t familiar with the band themselves, you may well recognise a couple of the members. Tungsten were founded in 2016 by Anders Johansson and his two sons, Karl and Nick. Anders is best known as the former drummer of Swedish power metal royalty HammerFall and Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force. He is also the brother of Jens, keyboard player of Finnish power metal giants Stratovarius. It’s fair to say that the Johanssons are a very musically gifted family, and the two youngest members are carrying on that tradition. Completing the line-up is Cloudscape vocalist Mike Andersson.

The new album, Ashes, kicks off where you’d least expect it to… with yodelling.

Does it work? Absolutely it works.

‘Joker’ perfectly sets up what you’re in for: crunching guitar riffs, techno-inspired keyboards and huge, singalong choruses. ‘Bite My Tongue’ is all about juxtaposition. It’s heavy, dark and there’s growling, but then it softens to reveal its more passive side. Tungsten can do both, and both they do well.

‘Fuego Del Sol’ is where things get a little different. It incorporates Latin American rhythms and is sung partly in Spanish. For those hoping to catch the band live, expect this party anthem to be a strong contender for the setlist. ‘Happy’, meanwhile, doesn’t sound happy at all. Instead, it sounds menacing, driven by relentless riffing throughout the verses.

Arguably the best song on the album comes in the form of ‘The North Will Rise’, a Scandinavian and Nordic call to arms and unity. It features another hero of the power metal world, Sonata Arctica’s Tony Kakko, effectively making Tungsten a supergroup for this track. Kakko sounds brilliant here, and fans of early Sonata Arctica particularly are in for a treat. The album closes with the brutally heavy ‘The Forge’, a track that seems to emanate from the darkest depths, combining thunderous riffs with symphonic energy.

If this album doesn’t grab you straight away, give it a few listens. There is a lot to digest in just under forty minutes, and the combination of different influences means there’s plenty going on beneath the surface. The musicianship and production are both top notch, too. It’s also worth checking out some of their music videos. They’re great fun, and it’s clear that the band have a lot of fun making them as well.

Overall, Ashes is a fun, energetic and varied album that demonstrates there is considerably more to Tungsten than a straightforward power metal formula. It’s a worthwhile addition to their growing discography and, if nothing else, proves that sometimes an album really can start with yodelling and still end up somewhere rather good indeed.

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