For a band that’s built its career soundtracking a generation’s anxiety, From Ashes to New aren’t interested in playing it safe. On their upcoming fifth album, Reflections — out April 17 via Better Noise Music — the Lancaster, Pennsylvania alt-metal mainstays double down on the tension, temptation, and turmoil that have fueled their rise into the streaming billions.
The first taste comes in the form of “Villain,” a brooding, high-voltage track that flips the script on the classic toxic-love narrative. Instead of singing from the perspective of someone trapped in a destructive relationship, vocalist Matt Brandyberry steps into the role of the chaos itself.
“‘Villain’ is a story about the magnetic pull between two people who know better, but dive in anyway,” Brandyberry says. “It’s the moment when desire outweighs consequences, when you choose the chaos you swear you shouldn’t want, and the ‘bad guy’ becomes the one voice you can’t quiet.”
The result plays like a modern tragic love story set against crushing guitars and industrial-tinged electronics — danger as comfort, temptation as truth. It’s not about redemption. It’s about surrender.
“Villain” follows previously released tracks “New Disease” and “Drag Me,” each hinting at a band sharpening its edges. That focus didn’t come easily. By late 2023, From Ashes to New had already demoed 16 songs for the album — and then made a radical decision: scrap almost all of it. Only two songs survived the purge.
For a band known for relentless forward momentum, hitting reset was uncharted territory. But the gamble paid off. “I wanted to take what we are good at and push it even further,” Brandyberry says. The mission was clear: stay true to their foundation while expanding their alt-metal attack to reach an even wider audience.
It’s a bold move for a group that doesn’t necessarily need to reinvent itself. Since their formation, From Ashes to New have toured with heavyweights like In This Moment, Motionless In White, Fit For A King, Asking Alexandria, and Black Veil Brides, while racking up billions of streams and topping iTunes and Spotify rock and metal charts with 2023’s BLACKOUT. But comfort has never been the goal.
“You have to have some talent, you have to have some luck,” Brandyberry says. “But it comes down to how hard are you willing to work?”
That work ethic traces back to their scrappier days on Warped Tour, when the band traveled in an RV with busted air conditioning, showered with water bottles in parking lots, and had no money for hotels. “There’s a beauty to that,” Brandyberry recalls. “It makes you feel like you earned it.”
Even now, the grind continues. On a recent run opening for Asking Alexandria, the band crammed seven or eight songs into a blistering 30-minute set. One conspicuous absence? Their breakout hit “Crazy.” “At every opportunity, we try not to do it,” Brandyberry says with a laugh, noting it doesn’t fully represent who they are now — though fans can still expect it at headlining shows.
Those headline dates return this fall with Magnolia Park in tow, following a massive 42-date U.S. tour supporting Black Veil Brides beginning in late April. In between, they’ve revisited the Vans Warped Tour — a full-circle moment for a band that once clawed its way across its stages with no budget and nothing to lose.
As for Reflections, Brandyberry is characteristically tight-lipped about specifics but unequivocal about its impact. “Our evolution’s coming, and it’s beautiful,” he says. “I know it’s the best thing that we’ve ever created, and I fully believe that it’s gonna be the breakout point for this band.”
If “Villain” is any indication, From Ashes to New aren’t just reflecting on who they’ve been — they’re embracing who they’re becoming, even if it means stepping into the role of the bad guy.
