Not your typical Epitaph band - or rather, what is normally thought of as "Epitaph", as they've been diversifying their roster of bands lately - Scatter the Ashes fill their debut for the label, 'Devout/The Modern Hymn', with enchantingly dark, atmospheric, and space-y goodness and quite fitting thought-provoking lyrics. The elaborate compositions with echo-y guitar work and seemingly meandering, dreamy riffs care of James Robert Farmer are held in place by the driving, forceful bass stylings of Matt McChord and the precise drum work of Dillon Napier, all topped off by the soothing croon of Daryl Stamps. A hard-to-pigeonhole band, the Nashville quartet infuse elements of post-punk, post-hardcore, indie, and experimental rock into their sound. The most wonderful offerings come in the form of the highly affecting (but still ass-shaking) instrumental "Hour Invocation" and it's follow-up "White Actress", while the opener "Caesura", "City in the Sea", and the energetic "Citadel (the New Fall Forest)" are no slouches either. No, they haven't "redefined rock 'n' roll," as claimed by the press release, but they have put their own, creative spin on it.