Burn Halo
Up From The Ashes

By Todd Jolicoeur

The sophomore effort from Burn Halo, Up From The Ashes, shows a great forward step and growth from their self-titled debut. True to the bands word, this album is "more rockin' than the first. Heavier, faster, more metal and more in your face."

Disc opener and lead single "Tear It Down" kicks things off in the right direction. It lulls you into a safe feeling before jumping in and really rocking. Lead singer James Hart really showcases his vocals and range of styles on this tune. "Up From The Ashes" is a good song that would get a ton of play on Octane if the label pushed it. "Stranded" has a solid chorus that is pretty anthemic and will keep the fists raised during a live show. Next is "Threw It All Away," the first ballad-type song on the disc. Quite the retrospective song, without sounding all apologetic and depressed. It has a nice guitar solo and energized bridge/breakdown midway through the song.

"Alone" is one of the better songs in my mind. The music and vocals really stray from the path set down on the previous songs. You can really hear the pain in James' voice when he is asking someone to stay and not leave him alone. "Stuck In A Rut" has a mild southern rock flavor to it… must be the Tulsa influence rearing its head on this disc. This song totally reminds me of Hinder (not necessarily a bad thing kids). "Give Me A Sign" follows the trend and is another solid song that would benefit from airplay. This song best reflects James' talent on vocals. You actually hear the vibrato in his voice when he isn't forcing the metal. "Dakota" is not a bad song, just not a memorable song. They seem to be all over the board here, as the song looks for an identity.

"Rest My Soul" this is probably my favorite track. It has a very Alice In Chains sound to it - long missed in rock and roll. An awesome guitar line played by Joey Roxx acting as a bridge during each lull in vocals, as well as solid musicianship give this song all the components a great song has. "I Won't Back Down" has an all-killer / no filler drum part that makes my feet go crazy. "Shine" is a good song that really captures the vibe and feel of the album… if you wanted one song to recreate the whole album, this would be it. It closes the tracklisting, but not the disc, as we are treated to an unlisted bonus in "We Won't Live Forever." This song should be listed and could have replaced a few of the songs in my mind. This song is really good, and much like "Rest My Soul," has a great guitar line weaved through it.

I can't wait to see what these guys do next… I only hope they build on this disc and create the next step in the Burn Halo legacy… or at least record another song as great as "Rest My Soul." If anyuthing, just know that James Hart and crew are here to stay and to "Tear It Down."