Clearing the Path to Ascend
Clearing the Path to Ascend asks for patience before showing its greatest strength. YOB divide the record into four long songs and let the guitars carry considerable weight. Size is only part of the appeal, however. The contrast between a rough outburst and a clear vocal line gives the music its direction.
In Our Blood develops from a restrained opening into dense guitars and a slow, firm movement. Mike Scheidt uses several vocal tones, moving from lighter singing to a much harsher cry. The same heavy sound can gain a different meaning without the band immediately starting an entirely new section.
Nothing to Win gives the record more pace. The drums push harder and the riffs move more directly. It remains a long song, but the approach provides a useful change after the extended opening. Unmask the Spectre returns to the tension between restrained passages and heavy eruptions. Those transitions give the music a clearer shape than its running time alone might suggest.
The closing Marrow brings the melodic side furthest forwards. Guitars and voice have time to unfold while the firm foundation remains beneath them. It shows how much difference a change of melody can make within a slow pace. The record ends with a more open feeling than it began.
Not every moment works as well. Some repetitions remain in place long enough for attention to drift before a change arrives. Listeners searching for short, direct songs will receive few concessions here. In return, YOB convincingly connect their heaviest sound to memorable melodies and a varied voice. Clearing the Path to Ascend is strongest when those elements grow together, with Marrow providing its most convincing reward for the wait.
