Hailing from the South-Western part of Germany come Undertow – a fiery three piece who have just released their fifth studio album Don’t Pray To The Ashes worldwide. The album’s intro is from Denzel Washington’s character in The Bone Collector who states, “They say [...] we come into this world with a preordained destiny, [but] destiny is what you make of it.” But will Undertow be able to make their own destiny, or spend their entire musical career trying?

Both “The Bitter Taste” and “Art Of Falling” open the album by going totally balls-to-the-wall. Immediately you will notice that Undertow’s sound is one you’ve probably heard before. Their sound is a meaty and melodic mix of Pro-Pain and Crowbar. Vocally, Joschi is just a higher registered version of both bands’ frontmen, Kirk Windstein (Crowbar) and Gary Meskil (Pro-Pain). The two tracks have hardcore stylings that remind me of something off of Pro-Pain’s The Truth Hurts, Contents Under Pressure or Act Of God albums. With “The Bitter Taste,” Undertow are able to mix in some “down home” southern swagger riffing for good measure, while “Art Of Falling” is just plain nasty with its big guitar crunch and bouncy grooves that surely never get old.

Like the Exxon Valdez, comes “Still Waiting.” This song is big, slow, and nasty, causing a ton of damage. Just as this enormous wall of guitar sludge rages towards you, Undertow break it down into beautiful melody driven verses that don’t disappoint. Then, once again, you are mentally destroyed with thick metal molasses. This song takes you back to the bygone era of Crowbar’s self-titled release which took the world by storm. I won’t spoil the ending, but there is an amazing breakdown that will leave you gasping for air.

Unfortunately for Undertow though, there is one major drawback. Just like the aforementioned bands, the band finds themselves reciting the same vibe over and over again. The upbeat songs pretty much all run at the same clip, while the slower songs feel just as similar to one another. They do add little nuances here and there to try and break up the monotony a bit, but not enough to make each track feel totally different.

Tracks like “Ashtray Memories” and “File Under Unexpected” are both solid but find themselves too familiar as other tracks. “Ashtray Memories” opens with an up-tempo southern laden groove, which transitions into this slow, dreary verse that feels totally out of place, dragging the momentum down with it. The chorus is pretty solid though, with a melody driven vocal that works out quite well. “File Under Unexpected” is just another track that has its moments of greatness, just to fall somewhere in the “Haven’t I been here before?” category. But it does, at times, have very cool bounce that will surely ignite a pit.

Taking a page right out of Pro-Pain’s vast catalog, comes the finale “Drenched In Gasoline.” From the opening scream, blasting drumming, and hardcore riffs, you are mangled like a hand in a meat grinder. With a song that clocks in at a mere three minutes, you know there isn’t too much time for variance. It’s cool, but just like most of the others, it just feels too “garden variety.” There is, however, a hidden acoustic track at the end of the album that really shows the talent of this band. I really wish that they would have made this a featured song on the album, because it’s beautifully crafted and extremely well written.

Undertow are a very talented band that need just a little bit more seasoning. Don’t Pray To The Ashes is an album that has some great moments – there’s no doubt about it. If you’re a lifelong fan of the bands/style mentioned above, then this album will fit perfectly in your collection. But, with its all too familiar lather, rinse, and repeat style, I’m afraid that it won’t appeal to listeners who are just window shopping.

3.5/5