Ryan Adams announced a hiatus from music in 2009 after suffering from Ménière's disease, an inner-ear disorder that causes vertigo and progressive hearing loss, but the North Carolina alt-country staple never really left. Through various monikers and channels, Adams released rations of black metal and hard rock, giving select performances throughout 2009 and 2010. He has now returned to form with Ashes & Fire, an album that'll feel familiar to fans of his work with his former band, The Cardinals.