Year : 2018 (Japan Edition)
Style : Progressive Power Metal , Female Vocals
Country : Australia
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 152 mb
Bio:
One of Australia’s finest female fronted metal acts, Divine Ascension have proven to be an awe-inspiring live act lead by the powerful, emotive performance of Jennifer Borg – a name to be etched alongside the likes of Anette Olzon (Nightwish), Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) & Floor Jansen (After Forever).Backing the theatrical and cabaret trained Borg are five men full of drive and spirit on stage. The sheer energy produced during a Divine Ascension set has caught many and left them stunned. Experiencing a Divine Ascension show is in-part like stepping into their songs and experiencing the tale there in, and in-part sharing in the bands exhilarating performance that leaves none in it’s wake.Recording a roughly cut demo in September 2007, the name Divine Ascension soon brought about a multitude of attention from fans and media alike. Initially, the 3 track CD was recorded to help the band obtain gigs, however, this quickly grew to bigger things once local and national radio stations picked up the CD and spun it numerous times. Interviews were requested and supports with local metal heavy weights ensued, and the name Divine Ascension was soon on the lips of those in the local scene as a fresh new talent not to be missed.Two years on from the demo recording and a ‘baptism of fire’ touring the local scene, Divine Ascension found themselves in the early stages of recording their full-length debut album. With 12 tracks totaling 60 minutes of music, this release, due in 2010, is bound to receive global attention and see the band obtaining a place as one of the world’s best emerging female fronted metal acts. This will not only allow Divine Ascension to storm onto the international metal scene, but will continue to cast the global metal spotlight on the shores of Australia. Many great Australian bands have gone before and are still showing their wares on the international stages, keeping Australia in the hearts of many metal fans as a continuing source of outstanding music.Divine Ascension is gearing up to show the world they mean business and their debut album will be their spearhead. Join them on their expedition and experience Divine Ascension.
Album:
The phenomenon is not abating, it is only gaining strength. I am, of course, referring to Australia and the plethora of incredible music coming from out Antipodean friends on the other side of the world. They may have stolen the sun from us here in the northern hemisphere for the next six months but it is hard to stay mad at them when seemingly every month I’m confronted with an Aussie-based album that provides such entertainment. I won’t list all of the culprits because that’s be a long and arduous task. Instead, I’ll just focus on the release at hand.‘The Uncovering’ is the third full-length release from Melbourne-based Divine Ascension, a melodic progressive power metal band that formed in 2007 and is now, finally, well and truly on my radar. Mind you, such is the sheer energy and power that Divine Ascension deliver, they are in danger of blasting a hole right through my radar. We’re not talking extreme metal per se with these guys, more a torrent of riffs, urgent tempos, bold rhythms and epic, melodic choruses. But it is executed with such proficiency that it’s like facing into a hurricane; it is breathless, exhilarating and relentless.Divine Ascension is comprised of Jennifer Borg on vocals, guitarist Karl “Inski” Szulik, bassist Jason Meracis, and drummer Luke Wenczel. Someone within the band is also responsible for the swathes of keys that appear throughout the album, although no-one has put their hands up and assumed responsibility. It’s a shame because they are another crucial element that helps to make ‘The Uncovering’ the enjoyable beast that it is.If you think of Divine Ascension being a blend of Kamelot, Vanishing Point, Evergrey and modern Nightwish, you’d not be a million miles away from the truth. Throw in a little Symphony X in terms of the guitar work and you’re even closer. Only, Divine Ascension do have their own identity, built principally upon the excellent vocals from Jennifer Borg. Blessed with a tremendous pair of lungs, she copes effortlessly with the muscular metallic output that surrounds her. In fact, her deep timbre is the perfect accompaniment to the barrage of riffs that Divine Ascension deliver because she genuinely sounds like she is having a blast all the while she sings.Unlike many albums these days that start things off slowly with an instrumental intro, ‘The Uncovering’ starts like it means business. ‘Evermore’ literally thunders from the speakers from the first moment with an energetic lead guitar lick and bombast before settling into a brisk, galloping tempo. From there, we’re treated to Borg’s passionate voice, drumming that alternates between mid-paced stomp to all-out double-pedal action. The chorus has a hint of Within Temptation to it insofar as it is a bold, melodic affair that immediately makes an impact. The lead guitar solos are exuberant and neo-classical in tone.The energetic output continues courtesy of tracks like the frantic, power metal-infused ‘New World’ and the neo-classical gusto of ‘Beyond The Line’ which also contains plenty of dark, ominous atmosphere, not to mention some of the best drumming from Wenczel and latter stages that are almost pop-meets-stage musical fodder, certainly more upbeat in tone despite more heavy, unrelenting guitar work. ‘One Step From Here’ on the other hand pushes the Kamelot-isms to the fore whilst ‘Bittersweet Divide’ is simply thunderous, bursting with effervescence.For all of the intense and adrenaline-fuelled material that Divine Ascension produce, there is also a fair amount of variety to be heard across the record, allowing the band to use the ‘progressive’ part of their description. ‘Prisoner’, for example, is a darker, more keyboard-soaked affair with a bruising beat to begin. However, there are more restrained sections scattered amongst the chunky riffs and plenty of expressive vocals from Borg. There’s even the introduction of a hammer-horror-like organ for extra dramatic effect. ‘The Fallen’ on the other hand offers a taste of classic rock courtesy of a cheeky lead guitar line as well as a melodic hard rock vibe thanks to a catchy chorus.The bass line of Meracis is immediately arresting within Pursuit of Desire’, as is a guest appearance from my favourite vocalist of all time, Evergrey’s Tom Englund. The duet atop a ballsy and heavy riff is a real highlight of the album for me. The tinkling keys only increase the similarities with Evergrey, particularly as this dramatic-sounding track offers some of the most prog sounding material on ‘The Uncovering’, which features an extended instrumental section completed by a lengthy lead guitar solo.To my mind, the most slow-burning track has to then be ‘Revolution Phase’. There are some melodies that take literally ages to hit the mark but when they do, they don’t let go. The gang chanting will put off some but again, it adds a certain charm to the song, making it more interesting and three-dimensional in the process. Again, the organ makes an appearance to add a greater sense of theatrics.All-in-all, I can’t help but be very impressed by ‘The Uncovering’. For a band that had previously eluded me, the quartet have made a genuine impact through an addictive blend of heavy riffs, melody, well-constructed songs and a kick-ass vocalist who adds passion and conviction to her performance throughout to match the intensity of the music that surrounds her. If you fancy a blast of heavy and melodic metal with a progressive and dramatic sheen, you need not look beyond Divine Ascension to sate your desires. I hope they’ll be able to tour and bring their quality new material to a stage near me before long, because I suspect that this music will slay in a live setting.
Line Up:
Luke Wenczel Drums (2007-present)
Karl Szulik Guitars (lead) (2007-present)
Jennifer Borg Vocals (2007-present)
Jason Meracis Bass (2013-present) - See also: Unknown Addiction
Tracklist:
01. Evermore
02. Prisoner
03. The Fallen
04. Pursuit of Desire (feat. Tom Englund)
05. New World
06. Revolution Phase
07. Beyond the Line
08. One Step from Here
09. Bittersweet Divide
10. Vultures
11. Old Worlds Depart (Japan Bonus Track)
12. Evermore (Radio Edit) (Japan Bonus Track)
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