Unto Ashes is an American musical ensemble based in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
that incorporates
madrigal
A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance (15th–16th centuries) and early Baroque (1580–1650) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The polyphonic madrigal is unaccompanied, and the ...
,
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk horror
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Fo ...
, and elements of
neo-medieval and
darkwave
Dark wave, or darkwave, is a music genre that emerged from the new wave and post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Dark wave compositions are largely based on minor key tonality and introspective lyrics and have been perceived as being dark, ro ...
. Founded by
Michael Laird and
Susanna Melendez in 1997, the band has released twelve full-length CDs on the
Projekt label (all recorded and produced by Laird). Previous members and contributors have included
Kit Messick,
Melody Henry, Spider Grandmother (pseudonym), Jeremy Bastard (pseudonym). The band has continued to collaborate with
Paul Ash
Paul Robert Ash (February 11, 1891, German Empire — July 13, 1958, Manhattan, New York (state), New York) was a German orchestra leader, composer, vaudeville personality, and recording artist, who emigrated to the United States.
He recorded se ...
,
Catherine Bent,
Sonne Hagal
Sonne Hagal is a German experimental and neofolk group.
History
The band originates from Rathenow in Brandenburg where the core line-up was formed in 1992. The members were part of the local punk rock and experimental pop music scene. The early re ...
, and Bret Helm from
Audra (band). Singer
Mariko Sarah Newman left the band in 2008 to work with the German
Qntal
Qntal is a Music of Germany, German "electro-medieval" band (music), band founded in 1991 by Michael Popp and Ernst Horn. They later added singing, vocalist Syrah (Sigrid Hausen) to complete the band.
The band has roots in Estampie (band), Esta ...
project and related ensembles.
The band has performed at the
Wave-Gotik-Treffen
The (WGT; German for "Wave Gothic Meeting") is an annual world festival for "dark" music and "dark culture" in Leipzig, Germany. 150+ bands and artists from various backgrounds (gothic rock, Electronic body music, EBM, Industrial music, indust ...
Leipzig
Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
on four occasions: 2004, 2009, 2015, and 2019.
In 2006, the band toured Europe with
Qntal
Qntal is a Music of Germany, German "electro-medieval" band (music), band founded in 1991 by Michael Popp and Ernst Horn. They later added singing, vocalist Syrah (Sigrid Hausen) to complete the band.
The band has roots in Estampie (band), Esta ...
. For the 2019 WGT concert, the band performed with
Michael Popp, founding member of
Qntal
Qntal is a Music of Germany, German "electro-medieval" band (music), band founded in 1991 by Michael Popp and Ernst Horn. They later added singing, vocalist Syrah (Sigrid Hausen) to complete the band.
The band has roots in Estampie (band), Esta ...
, at the
Schauspielhaus Leipzig
Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
.
Discography
Albums
* ''Moon Oppose Moon'' (1999 · Projekt
SA
* ''Saturn Return'' (2001 · Projekt
SA
* ''Empty Into White'' (2003 · Projekt
SA/ Kalinkaland
ermany
* ''I Cover You With Blood (EP)'' (2003 · Projekt
SA/ Kalinkaland
ermany
* ''Grave Blessings'' (2005 · Projekt
SA/ Kalinkaland
ermany
* ''Songs For A Widow'' (2006 · Projekt
SA/ Pandaimonium
ermany
* ''The Blood Of My Lady'' (2009 · Projekt
SA
* ''Spellbound in Winter'' (2012 · Projekt
SA
* ''Burials Foretold'' (2012 · Projekt
SA
* ''Ghosts Captured'' (2014 · Projekt
SA
* ''Pretty Haunted Things'' (2019 · Projekt
SA
* ''Orchids Grew Here'' (2023 · Projekt
SA
Videos
* ''Palestinalied'' (2004)
References
External links
Unto Ashes Official website Unto Ashes Official Announcement list Unto Ashes Myspace website Livejournal Unto Ashes fansite Yahoo Unto Ashes discussion group
{{Authority control
American dark wave musical groups
Projekt Records artists