Prosthetic Records is proud to announce the signing of THE EMBER, THE ASH, who will release their sophomore album via the label this Spring. Fixation is a seven track album due for release on May 14. The solo endeavor of a musical polymath who goes only by the name 鬼, THE EMBER, THE ASH is a project shrouded in mystery – yet also offers recognizable glimpses into emotional turmoil. The first track to be taken from the album, Strychnine, is streaming everywhere now. Fixation is available to preorder here.
Speaking on Strychnine‘s release, 鬼 comments: “Strychnine opens up the record with an abysmal descent into the tormented mind of an individual plagued by intrusive thoughts and suicidal ideation. I wanted to establish Fixation’s aggressive atmosphere with a track that was instrumentally heavy and concise, as well as lyrically somber
to set the tone for the record’s overarching themes.”
Of the signing to Prosthetic, they add:”I’m elated to announce my partnership with Prosthetic Records for the release of Fixation. I grew up admiring many of the alumni in their catalog, and it’s wonderful to be sitting here amidst a fantastic current roster. After meeting some of the team, I’m confident the project is in good hands,
and together we can actualize the record’s full potential.”
Distinct from their work as Unreqvited, Fixation follows on from THE EMBER, THE ASH’s 2019 highly acclaimed release, Consciousness Torn From The Void. Straddling the gulf between symphonic black metal and textured metalcore, Fixation is a unique blend of ice cold precision and a swirl of enveloping audio textures. The seven tracks that make up the album were written in 2019/20 before being entirely self-recorded and mixed in their home studio; mastering was handled by Nekkomix.
With a theme that picks through the debris of mental illness, 鬼 drew upon their own experiences of witnessing a loved one suffer through a traumatic episode. Exploring their own reaction to the fraught timeline of events,
鬼 channels their emotional response into the lyrics and music that make up Fixation. Suicidal ideation and spiraling thought patterns loom large over the album that is steeped in sombre atmosphere throughout. The distress of both witnessing and harboring such dark thoughts are at the core of the record’s aggressive sound as well as its lyrical content.
Fixation will be released via Prosthetic Records on May 14.