Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

This major label debut from Baltimore rockers Ashes Remain gets off to a thundering start with "Keep Me Breathing" and this track alone typifies an album of supremely good music coupled with a refreshing realism towards the struggles of life. Songs such as "On My Own" reflect something of the dark place that we find ourselves in without God whilst "Right Here" and the memorable "Change My Life" point to reliance on Christ as the solution. Musically, it is in the harder rock elements of this release that showcase the true talent of this stunning five piece with tracks such as the pounding "End Of Me" containing some arrestingly powerful vocals from frontman Josh Smith whilst Rob Tahan's face-melting guitar solos are the stuff that every budding teenage guitarist's dreams are made of. Elsewhere, more mainstream numbers such as "Everything Good" and "Without You" are equally as accomplished and provide a more tender side to the band. In short, this is a stunning release from a band set on communicating God's love in a real, relevant and electrifying way.

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Out of Baltimore, Maryland, emerge Ashes Remain with their debut album What I’ve Become.

Musically it is hard-driving commercial rock flooded with a decidedly current signature.

The lyrical arc of What I’ve Become addresses the experience of past mistakes, the hopelessness that lives there and discovering the resolve that comes from finding a hope greater than ourselves.