Ash Wing have very recently released their ‘debut’ album Ash Wing and have created a beguiling and reflective record, full of atmosphere. Ash Wing were previously known as ‘C-Sides Project’ and have been releasing albums since 2011. They have decided to resurrect themselves as ‘Ash Wing’ so this album should probably be regarded more of a ‘rebirth’ rather than ‘debut’. Knowing this band features two ex-members of early Magenta tells us that this is a band characterised by excellent musicianship and an innate sense of melodic progressive rock, but they have formulated their own distinctive style on this impressive album.
In all honesty this album was rather a pleasant surprise, having been formerly aware of previous C-Sides Project releases which were decent but had not really significantly grabbed the attention (with no offence intended – they just were not my cuppa!) However, this new Ash Wing album fully commanded my attention right from the word go, and held me right to the end of its enthralling musical journey.
Ash Wing have helpfully explained that: ‘the new album draws its inspiration from buildings that have stood with us for centuries, most notably churches. These structures carry a weight of permanence, silent witnesses to the passing of generations and the countless lives that have moved through their doors. They are more than stone and mortar, they are vessels of memory, places that absorb the joys, sorrows, rituals, and quiet moments of the people who have used them across different times and periods’.
This sounds like a fascinating theme, but there are many albums with high ideas of what they are trying to convey which do not end up justifying some lofty ambitions. In this case Ash Wing are stunningly successful in drawing the listener in with an evolving piece filled with great ideas, superb vocals and outstanding musicianship laying out the theme in extended segued pieces that are fluid and entrancing. Seemingly out of the distance a twanging guitar and subtle percussion draws the veil open on Millennium and Sian Ellison’s excellent vocals entices you in. The Kate Bush comparisons are inevitable and fully justified. This flowing and melodic song also has an earthy texture with some bluesy guitar licks threading through this tale of ancient buildings, which flows seamlessly into From My Window – another musical and thematic place. The rock tempo picks up considerably with Ellison more impassioned and insistent in her vocals, driven along by Alan Mason-Jones’ excellent drumming. This dynamic piece has frequent changes in tempo, and the poetic lyrics are used sparingly, giving the music room to breathe. For the last quarter of this nearly 9-minute piece the atmosphere changes significantly with an ominous and dark coda with Ellison’s almost ghostly vocals, illuminated by Martin Rosset’s subtle guitar dashes in the gloom, all underpinned by Allen McCarthy’s brooding bass.
The sonic landscape is suddenly transformed as we merge into It’s All Change in which we hear the tortured, frantic saxophone of guest Peter Jones, of Tiger Moth Tales, suggesting nightmarish scenes. This sinister piece rolls on with a classic rock beat, reminiscent of some of those behemoths of the early 70’s, such as Led Zeppelin. Martin Rosset shows his versatility and virtuosity with a great textured guitar passage which ushers in Sian Ellison in a rather more impassioned, almost bluesy wail – what a singer! It’s All Change almost recedes into the distance with a measured finale… but yet again we segue perfectly into the next excellent piece, Shadow of the Crows. An acoustic guitar gives a portentous feel which is then embellished by an unusual gravelly sounding guitar passage – this is a song, like much of the album, which sounds organic and almost gritty in atmosphere. A brief eccentric interlude with whistling and banjos gives a whimsical twist, accentuated by a 1920’s sounding treated male vocal, before returning to the main driving theme with Ellison singing above the increasing maelstrom. Rosset’s guitar adds stylish electric guitar embellishments as this powerful and cinematic song progresses… progressing to who knows where though!? Eerie spasmodic synths, resonant bass and just plain weird noises seem to take us into another world for the end section.
A plucked acoustic guitar and spectral vocalisation transport us into Our Darkness, which is restrained and strangely hypnotising. Alongside the simple but crucial bass and Ellison’s almost whispered, forlorn and fragile vocals, Pete Jones returns with some subtle dashes of saxophone. The vocals become sweeter but still delicate, underpinned by a restrained acoustic guitar… sometimes less really is more. The tempo and power builds in this dark and brooding piece, but gradually this musical world crumbles as it becomes increasingly broken down and sparse… a truly fascinating 12 minutes when you are never quite sure where it will go next. The brief but beautiful Why You Run Your Circles picks up a similar musical theme, but with a flute (or recorder?), distinctly harkening back to medieval times in atmosphere – appropriate for pieces about ancient buildings.
Ash Wing takes a dramatic turn with insistent crunching drums from Alan Mason-Jones on Only You Know. The chugging tempo of this piece has echoes of Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush, and the whimsical vocalisations and a splash of sax gives this song a playful nature. The segue into Thin Disguises is a little jarring, but it soon settles into a solo piano and Ellison’s striking, compelling and stark vocals. This piece builds and builds to a slightly manic but great sax solo from Pete Jones in keeping with the feel of the song.
Ash Wing reach a remarkable finale in The Fox and the Crow, which swings in like some sort of crazed enchanted dance with Ellison’s voice chanting along in a sing-song fashion. Ellison seems to increasingly sound more and more off kilter as she spins and spins in tune in this entrancing spell like incantation, with the whole band blending so well in intoxicating rhythm.
Ash Wing have expanded on the inspirations behind this final song and the whole album:
‘Within their walls, individuality fades and what remains is the simple truth of people being seen for who they are. Interwoven with this is the presence of nature, represented here by crows, creatures that, like the buildings, watch without judgement, observing both the hidden and the visible. Together, the churches and the crows and the foxes that live there form a dual perspective: one rooted in history and human ritual, the other in the eternal cycles of the natural world. The album inhabits the space where these two forces meet, reflecting on time, memory, and the act of being witnessed.’
To some that explanation may sound like some sort New-Age hippy twaddle 🙂 but as a longtime resident of Totnes I may have just become inured to such cynicism! However, any hint of cynicism about such perspectives are swept away by the engaging and entertaining musical journey upon which Ash Wing take us.
Sian Ellison has shared: ‘I loved the concept of this album. It allowed me to express my love for folk and old Welsh hymns. I felt a deep connection to the romantic Celtic vibe and the old traditional Welsh revival songs which are a part of my heritage.’ There is certainly a ‘Celtic vibe’ to this release with folk tinged songs, but Ash Wing is also clearly firmly rooted in finely composed and excellently performed melodic progressive rock.
In truth, it feels that although these songs are all titled separately, this is actually one extended epic piece, made up of multiple, flowing parts. The secret of the undoubted artistic success of this album is that this ever-developing composition continually pulls you into its orbit with great songwriting and stirring music. These pieces could probably all stand alone as separate songs, but flowing so well together they gain more power and impact, with repeating themes drawing musical and lyrical threads together to enmesh the listener in their web.
Some albums come out of left field and really surprise you – Ash Wing really hit the mark for this listener. Atmospheric, poetic, dramatic, lyrical, flowing and shot through with a beguiling ‘Celtic vibe’, Ash Wing totally captivates the heart. Is it the best ‘debut’ progressive rock album of 2025? Maybe not, but Ash Wing is most definitely the best ‘Rebirth’ album this year. It will be fascinating to see in what direction Ash Wing go in future now that it seems they have found their own distinctive and very captivating style… more please!
TRACK LISTING
01. Millennium (3:57)
02. From My Window (8:41)
03. It’s All Change (5:47)
04. Shadow Of The Crows (8:11)
05. In Our Darkness (12:18)
06. Why You Run Your Circles (1:33)
07. Only You Know (3:43)
08. Thin Disguises (4:35)
09. The Fox And The Crow (5:52)
Total Time – 54:37
MUSICIANS
Sian Ellison – Vocals
Alan Mason-Jones – Drums, Percussion
Martin Rosset – Guitar, Vocals
Allen McCarthy – Bass
~ With:
Peter Jones – Saxophone, Flute
Rob Reed – Keyboards
Kevin Dawson – Additional Keyboards, Vocoder
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: White Knight Records
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 7th November 2025
DISCOGRAPHY
As ‘C-Sides Project’:
– Devitrification (2011)
– We Are Now (2017)
– 10 days (2018
– Purple Hearts Corner (2020)
– Different Plain (2021)
– Foxes On The Road (2024)
As ‘Ash Wing’:
– Ash Wing (2025)
