Ventura, CA, screamo outfit
Glass & Ashes unveil an impressive debut with
Aesthetic Arrest. Launched with the inventive "Black Beneath the Eyes," guitarist Jesse Jenny, drummer Michael Gleeson, and bassist Michael Carter punch out a tense, rumbling musical canvas on which the hoarse-voiced Dave Hall paints his pain and opinion. Balancing the hardcore approach of, say, vintage
Dag Nasty with the dynamics of sorely underrated labelmates
Planes Mistaken for Stars,
G&A are steeped in melody and energy, as evidenced by the upbeat "The Art of Selling" and the edgy scorch of "Controlled Burn." Behind their capable roar,
G&A have a noticeable depth on "Dividing Line," which places the band in the company of other fine American outfits like
Thrice and
Scatter the Ashes. ~ John D. Luerssen