I haven’t been keeping up with idol band ONEWE and didn’t realize two of its members had been discharged from the military earlier this year. Yonghoon and Kanghyun are back for the group’s new track and they’ve certainly been missed. Beautiful Ashes (추억의 소각장) sees the guys continuing where they left off, though it’s a somewhat muted return.
Apart from a dramatic guitar solo two thirds of the way through, Beautiful Ashes keeps things pretty safe and straightforward. The group’s strongest music utilizes gripping melody to accentuate the emotion of the vocalists. That’s the main ingredient missing here, as the tune feels very OST-ready without landing any memorable surprises. Beautiful Ashes crests with expressive drama, but the song itself doesn’t stop me in my tracks. It simply goes through the motions.
Still, it’s fantastic to have the full quintet back together — at least for now. Hopefully this will lead to more musical standouts before other members have to enlist.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5