Genre:
Alternative,
Rock
Hometown: Leverkusen, Germany
Ashborne is a studio project based in Leverkusen/Germany, initially born out of a long series of lyrics that singer/lyricist Ashley Ashborn felt compelled to write in 2025. Emerging from a state of emotional distress - triggered by the ultimate heartbreak - he wrote to open a mental safety valve and release the pressure.
These lyrics took the form of letters - addressed, on one hand, to himself, but also - and perhaps most significantly - to *her*. A silent scream of desperation. Writing helped Ash. At least to some extent; and when he later reread what he had written, the thought occurred to him that there might be others out there going through something similar - people whom these words might also help. That he was not alone.
So, Ash quickly assembled the band of his dreams to transform these raw lyrics into music. Centered around bassist and musical director Claire Monroe, guitarists Tessa Rayne and Rachel Stone, keyboardist Siobhan Sheahan, and drummer Lara Frost (his ex-wife for a long time, ironically enough) crafted music that brings his lyrics to life.
The self-titled debut EP and the follow-up “Days to remember” were emergency measures - this "letters" had to be sent out immediately. They feature compact, straightforward songs, built around strong melodies that tell stories of complicated emotions. Situated somewhere within the rock universe, the sound oscillates between the poles of Alternative, Heavy Rock, and Post-Grunge - yet, thanks to its melodic accessibility, it perhaps even possesses a subtle, underlying pop appeal.
With the pressure finally released, there was at last time to catch a breath - and to consider how to move forward, given that there were still so many lyrics left to sing. Now a cohesive unit, the band has penned more complex, denser songs for their first proper album, Missing the Idea, to be released on June 10th, 2026 - perhaps a touch heavier at times and finally offering a little room for Tessa and Rachel to solo, too. Yet the core concept remains unchanged:
the song serves as a canvas for the lyrics.
*** Ashley Ashborn is the AI persona and musical alter ego of German musician, lyricist, and producer Frank Gregorowius (born 1973). The Ashborne project sets lyrics written by Frank to music, hybrid human-machine compositions performed by AI ***