Jade Tree developed a reputation in the '90s as one of the birthplaces of emo, and the label that featured the weediest and most self-involved practitioners of the genre. Tennessee-born, Oregon-based zealots
From Ashes Rise sound more like the hardcore kids who taunt the emo kids on the sidewalk outside the all-ages club. Straight-up hardcore with little fancy stuff to take away from the brutal wallop of the dead-tight rhythm section, and singer Brad Boatright's commanding sneer, the 12 songs on
Nightmares are undeniably intense stuff. However, catharsis is best experienced in small doses, and although the band does try to throw a few change ups, like the quiet/loud dynamics of "The Inner Beast," this half-hour album does start to drag a bit around the halfway mark. It may not be as self-absorbed and insular as
Joan of Arc, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's better. ~ Stewart Mason