Well, what kind of strange fish have we caught ourselves today? A record the old geezers over at the review desk downloaded because – the artwork intrigued them. And we were greeted with the story of Jasmine. Or something. An unknown outfit called Kronowski with a start date of 2020, boasting typical SoCal feel-good rock fare, complete with an overly sweetish sugary coating and a chipmunk voice spewing dark-ish lyrics at ye. And that, even if the artist hails from Georgia which is – incidentally – on the other side of the US.
And that’s where the inconsistencies already start to roll in. Back in October 2023, the band released a record called Amber. The original version of this here ‘new’ extended piece creatively named Ashes of Amber. A moniker they concocted with a few birthing pains and false left turns.1 So in essence, Kronowski here came up with a new full release of basically the same thing some four months after the initial one. Another album boasting an additional three tracks with no extra value, oomph, or other ornamental geekery that would have made us bow down in awe.
And by the time of writing this blurb, some listings are still not updated with the new information causing further confusion. I could go on. But instead, may the Gawds ov Digital Marketing and Disciplined Music Management send these guys a divine signal instead. Perhaps that will assist? We’re just here for the music.
Adam Kronowski is a gifted musician, no contest. Together with Tommy Lenzi on lead guitar and solo maestro supreme, they produced a pretty impressive debut album between themselves. But – I daresay – Ashes of Amber ain’t a metal album, even if some parts will cater to the hurt feelings of down-home Heavy and Power Metal adepts. Casually galloping about the soundscape won’t turn you suddenly into an astute metal band like the lost maidens in search of a new Dickinson or something. And I wonder how this band got onto the Metal Archives at all when other, sturdier outfits didn’t quite qualify for some reason.2 So, somebody must have set them up. And an entity suspiciously called ‘kronowskiofficial’ added the finishing touches later. But I digress.
Instead, the record often feels like some weird mix of the rougher parts of Baby Metal, modern-day The Rasmus, and the Californian band Train. And much of the material gets you these vibes of a boy band that went a-stealing in metal’s backyard and mixed it with all sorts of other styles and flavors. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Because the mix of Heavy Rock with a desert flavor, miscellaneous metallic items, and a few pop elements thrown in for good measure, resulted in some pretty juicy tracks to enjoy.
Amber with its heavy chugs, shreds, and wild drumming is one of them, for example. Oh, and check out the hilarious video below. It literally had us rolling on the floor with an excellent storyline and cool cinematography. Jasmine contains everything cheekily good SoCal-flavored rock hymns should contain. It’s authentic, brisk, and contains all elements a good rock song with a metallic tinge should sport. Specifically, the funky reggaeton vibes that could have come straight from Nanowar of Steel got the better of us. But this is also one of those songs with a hidden mean streak and – allegedly – a neat backstory.
In contrast, pure evil roars forth on Dead Man, something about exerting control over some guy and then gloating over it. And we got a kick out of Adam Kronowski lustily chanting – and I quote – “…dead man, treading the quicksand, I own you, the harder you struggle, the harder you bleed.” The record is full of these little nuggets, by the way. And this indicates that Kronowski here harbors some underlying viciousness that would translate well into a harder more metallic direction. But as it happens, all vocals are clears and there’s not a ghost of a growl anywhere. This is – yet again – a good choice if you cater to the happy crowd on the West Coast.
The aforementioned new add-ons to the record, however, left us ice-cold. The juice truly is in the original tracklist and Ashes of Amber‘s three additional tracks just piled on unnecessary ballast. To the point that the album felt overly lengthy and tedious after a while. And as is often the case, some self-editing would have worked wonders. Furthermore, the Part I-IV series3 felt confused and disjointed. It would probably have been better to lump everything into a 15-minute behemoth and let ‘er roar. This track needs flow unlike any other on this record and it’s not getting it.
So, where does this all leave us? Ashes of Amber ain’t a bad record and a lot of credit goes to the meticulous songwriting and often pretty good ideas on display. The material is expertly crafted. The mix and master work well, a few notable hiccups notwithstanding. And, you get a mélange of rock and (some) metal of the light that shouldn’t frighten the normal folk out there too much.
And yet, the band also got itself a record that tries to eat the cake and have it, too. There are just too many style elements jockeying for attention all at once. The statement of the band that there is – and I quote – “…something here for every heavy enthusiast…” is symptomatic, too. And it is wrong at the same time. The RMR crew didn’t find a lot of ‘heavy’ on Ashes of Amber. Records that want to cater to anyone’s taste usually end up with a messy record. And that’s the case here. To add insult to injury, the RMR crew picked up too much sugary sweetness and not enough bite. Let alone at least an inkling of the direction as to where this meandering behemoth is finally heading.
Ultimately, releasing Ashes of Amber as some recycled copy/paste of the 2023 piece with benefits may not have been the smartest idea. Perhaps a strong producer and a sturdy label capable of erecting a tent around this circus may be of help here for future endeavors. Because – you see – the aforementioned Train needs serious competition. And Kronowski here clearly have got the goods to do just that. Besides, the liberal crowd around Malibu Beach would probably adore the feisty wares Kronowski can throw at them, too.
Just sayin’.
Record Rating: 5/10 | Label: Self-Released | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 22 February 2024