Atlanta's Ashen mixes the sweeping, ethereal sounds of early '90s bands like Curve and Swervedriver with the more visceral style of indie bands like Sarge and Jejune. The group formed in 1996, it was initially conceived as an instrumental trio by guitarist B.J. Hale, bassist Kelly Guinn, and drummer Benjamin Cenis. Two years later, vocalist Erin Akemi joined the lineup to add another dimension to Ashen's sound. In 1999 they released a split single with another local band which paved the way for their full-length debut No Other Comfort, which was released by Two Sheds Music in early 2001. ~ Heather Phares