Tungsten – Ashes

Tungsten
Ashes
Label: Perception / Reigning Phoenix Music
Out: 9^th October 2026
Playing time: 39:47

Their previous album, ‘The Grand Inferno’, left me with mixed feelings. In my view, the Swedish band Tungsten relied too heavily on gimmicks from outside the Metal genre. However, when they stuck consistently to their Power Metal style, the songs were actually quite enjoyable. You can read here whether the band – founded in 2016 by former Hammerfall drummer Anders Johansson – has done better this time round, in my opinion.

What on earth is that? At the start of ‘Joker’, a brief yodel can be heard. More follow later. Then it gets rock heavy. The drums in particular provide the drive, with riffs occasionally crashing in. The vocals are catchy. In ‘Bite My Tongue’, heavy guitar riffs dominate right from the start. There are a few growls interspersed with catchy vocal melodies. Guitarist Niklas Johansson shows off his skills with a solo. The track concludes with some sacred organ sounds. ‘Fuego Del Sol’ kicks off with some industrial sounds. Later on, it turns into lightweight Latin Rock. Accompanied by a sing-along chorus. And vocalises contributed by a female singer. Naturally, the ‘Arriba’ is a must with this sound. And it gets a bit silly again. ‘Supernova’ starts with the call of a cuckoo, which is repeated later on. Otherwise, Tungsten deliver some swaying Rock. In contrast, ‘Happy’ kicks off with heavy drumming. Some staccato organ notes can be heard in the background. The chorus once again offers a rather upbeat sound, with some thoroughly well-crafted guitar melodies. ‘Ted The Exorcist!’ is a bit heavier, featuring a few growls too. But it’s once again geared towards fun thanks to its Humppa influences. ‘Sunshine Of Fall’ follows as a successful Rock anthem. In my view, one of the best tracks on the album. Mainly because it does away with gimmicky elements. ‘The North Will Rise’ is elevated by Tony Kakko’s vocals. This track leans towards Speed Metal. It’s by far the highlight, featuring a powerful guitar solo. The Folk-inspired anthem ‘For Thee’ is also one of the better tracks. Things then take a silly turn again with ‘Ruin’, which is introduced by ‘Tschukituckituka’ chanting. This is followed by some feel-good Rock. The closing track, ‘The Forge’, is dominated by heavy riffs. The vocals are a bit harsher. The keyboards and drums also boom loudly from the speakers. This contrasts with a melodic sing-along chorus.

I can’t really get into Tungsten’s sound. The press release classifies the band as Power Metal. However, that isn’t entirely true. OK, the Swedes do often show their hard side. But time and again, this hard sound is toned down. A word on the album cover: at first glance, it suggests Death Metal. On closer inspection, however, you can spot a reference to the album title ‘Ashes’.

Tungsten – Bite My Tongue: https://youtu.be/Al2qFJnQvkQ?si=gcSYd1kmopwWNdY0

Lineup:

Mike Andersson – Vocals
Niklas “Nick” Johansson – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Anders Johansson – Drums
Karl “Kalle” Johansson – Bass, Screams, Keyboards

Track list:

• Joker
• Bite My Tongue
• Fuego Del Sol
• Supernova
• Happy
• Ted The Exorcist
• Sunshine Of Fall
• The North Will Rise (feat. Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica)
• For Thee
• Ruin
• The Forge