If there is a central theme on "Panic", the third album from the Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based act FROM ASHES TO NEW, it's that the only way to rise above obstacles is to trust in yourself. The new single from the album, "What I Get", talks about falling into self-destructive patterns that we have to break ourselves out of.
"We have all been in that toxic relationship that feels impossible to get away from," says vocalist Matt Brandyberry. "You wake up one day telling yourself that you have had enough and you are out, but out of habit continue on the same course of misery. You know that person is the worst thing in your life, but can't imagine your days without them. The pain, the hurt, the anger is what we trade for the fear of uncertainty. It makes the song and the phrase "What I Get" all too real."
The new single and lyric video, out today, kicks-off the pre-order campaign for the album, which comes out August 28. "Panic" is full of the band's empowering messages delivered via their unique blend of metal, hip-hop, rock and electronica. It contains a sense of urgency that is as inspiring as it is innovative, and offers a moment of intense clarity in a world grown cloudy.
The first single and title track, "Panic", was released on April 17 and has amassed over 1.5 million streams and one million video views in less than a month. The song has been featured on prominent playlists such as Rock Hard (cover artists), Adrenaline Workout, New Metal Tracks, Kickass Metal, Metal Charge 180 BPM and Rock Rotation on Spotify as well as Apple's Breaking Hard Rock playlist.
The band will also have its songs featured in two films and accompanying soundtracks — Better Noise Films' "Sno Babies" and "The Retaliators", both set for release in fall 2020. The band also appears in "The Retaliators".
"Panic" features the same lineup as the band's 2018's breakthrough release "The Future" — vocalists Brandyberry and Danny Case as well as guitarist Lance Dowdle and drummer Matt Madiro. Brandyberry credits the undeniable musical magnetism of these eleven songs to the enduring lineup. "The chemistry between us is there and fans who have seen us recently have been very vocal about the fact that we are firing on all cylinders," he says. That unified feeling, which was solidified on the road performing songs like the Billboard-charting single "Crazy", enabled the band to further refine their sound and move creatively to the next level. "We know what our vision is and we know what we want to do, so we were able to really accomplish that on this album because the structure is there," he adds.
In order to reach the potential of these songs, the band reunited with producer Colin Brittain (PAPA ROACH, ALL TIME LOW) who previously produced the band's single "Nowhere To Run" and shared their laser-focused musical vision.
"On the last record, we got the chance to do one song with Colin and it was kind of on a whim," Brandbyberry explains. "We really liked his approach and the creativity Colin brought to that song and thought that if we could do that with the short amount of time we had together, what could we accomplish making an entire album with him?" The band also teamed up with Erik Ron (GODSMACK, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE) who brought his dynamic style to the title track "Panic" and "Wait For Me". The result is an album that showcases how much FROM ASHES TO NEW have grown over the past two years, much of which was spent on the road touring with bands like FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, PAPA ROACH, ICE NINE KILLS and SKILLET.
