I’m not really sure what this band’s album title means…is it synomous with “Procreate the Ordinary Paradigm?” or the more mundane “Make more copies of the usual thing?” Regardless, BEAUTY TO ASHES is the proud owner of a wholly inconsistent musical soundtrack that at one point can be completely raging and at the other, entirely tepid. How so you ask? My guess is that the band really stretched themselves to make this a full-length, as not all of the songs sound like the even came from the same recording sessions. At their best, BEAUTY TO ASHES remind me of GOOD RIDDANCE had they merged with the screaming nastiness of AMERICAN NOTHING, and at their worst, these guys come off as a strangely detached DAG NASTY oriented melodic punk band. The final tune is a cover of the MISFITS “We are 138,” and while homage to the aforementioned is appreciated, the cover adds nothing to a release that has plenty of its own burn to soak up. Lyrical cliches also marr “Reproduce The Common Practice,” the most shocking to the conscience being the line, “Dressed Up with Nowhere to Go,” on “Candy Apple Smile.” Yeah, that’s a novel reference. Woodoggy. Now that I think about, this disc definitely angers me, because the talent in BEAUTY TO ASHES is clearly apparent on the songs where the listener can feel the band playing the guts out. It’s just the half-assed filler that degrades “Reproduce…” into an unsatisfying trip that leaves me with a foul taste. However, if there’s another release from this band in the near future, I do expect to be impressed.

Pluto Records

www.plutorecords.com