### Ancient Ascendant: Echoes and cinder

#### 31/05/14 || Ironpants

“When your prayers are heard”

Do you remember this record ? I do, and my prayers are now answered. I ended my review for the EP “Into the dark” with “The only drawback I can actually think of, is that it isn’t a full length album, I want more!” I have listened to that EP a lot since I found out about it, and have waited patiently for a full length. Do they live up to the expectations? Well, follow me and be enlightened.

First of all, it really doesn’t sound as I expected in a way, I was ready for a follow up with maybe even more catchier songs than “Into the dark” as it would have been a rather natural development for a band with modern standards that expand their song writing skills through the years. I wasn’t expecting commercial rock or anything, but maybe an even softer approach. But contrary to my beliefs, they have actually turned a few degrees towards the darker areas, but still maintaining their skill for finding a melodic path through the murkier forests. Sounds schizo? It isn’t…

The opening track “Crones to the flames” sets the pace for the album with heavy grooves and Butler’s exceptional voice, that sounds like mix between a black metal singer with a sore throat and a hissing snake. And if you’ve listened to them before you recognize the style but also that it is different. If you check out ‘Patterns of the bane’ , it gives you a taste of what to expect, even if it is one of the more laid back songs on the album. If you listen carefully, you also hear one of their trademarks, which is blending in a random heavy metal riff. I love that shit, there is a lot of that trick here and there on the album. OK, I know that you ADD-infested kids out there don’t have the attention span to handle that kind of info, so you can skip to 4:30 in that song and listen right away.

The production is top notch and is once again handled by the one and only Dan Swanö, I only have one remark about the sound, and that is regarding the guitars. The sound is perfect and all, thick and heavy, but they could have been a small tad higher in the mix. AA is that kind of band that have shit going on all the time, and the very intricate riffs gets a bit lost here and there. I would have loved to hear them better and really embrace them. But then again, I guess that the band wanted it that way, so there’s not much to do there, more than deal with it.

Here’s the deal. This is a very mature and cunningly written album. If I should compare music with food you could say that most modern metal is low nutrient fast food, classic heavy metal is meat and potatoes and death metal is my favorite food when I am able too choose. Metal core is frozen TV-dinners, which I never eat. AA on the other hand is a three course dinner served at a four star restaurant, yeah four (4), not five just yet. And served together with a beautifully seasoned wine, there’s a lot of flavors to explore and digest. When you work your way through the meal, you discover different flavors, pending from dark, murky sauces and splendidly cooked, spicy meat. Underneath you have that basic, solid ground of something potato-based stuff and a nice, fresh and crisp salad. The problem with this three course dinner though, is that you never get really full. You go back to that same restaurant over and over again, ordering the same dinner every time only to discover a new flavor you missed the last time.

Do you want your music to be more professionally crafted and well written, so that it can withstand the test of time? Then I guess this is one of the albums you need to get your hands on. It will last for a long time, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up on my 2014 list of best albums. Yeah, I know that right away, with age comes experience and with some albums you just know…

- Information
- Released: 2014
- Label: Candlelight Records
- Website: www.ancientascendant.com
- Band
- Alex Butler: vocals, guitar
- Nariman Poushin: guitar
- Alan Webb: bass
- Dave Moulding: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Crones to the flames
- 02. Patterns of bane
- 03. Riders
- 04. Fuelling the flare
- 05. Embers
- 06. To break the binds
- 07. The toll of mourning
- 08. Caged in the tunnels of time