Ascension (SCOT)

Power Metal , Symphonic Metal , Opera Metal
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Horex
Metalový král
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Ascension (SCOT)

Príspevokod užívateľa Horex » 23 Feb 2023, 14:12

Ascension - Under The Veil Of Madness (2023)

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Year : 2023
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : Scotland
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 125 mb


Bio:

Scottish power metal band Ascension formed in Aberdeen in 2009.Five-piece group is focused around a more classic guitar-led approach, eschewing the synthesizers and symphonic trappings of metal's modern era. Led by the tandem guitar work of Stuart Docherty and and the strong, melodic vocals of singer Ricki Carnie, the band is backed by bassist and drummer Dick Gilchrist. Following their first U.K. tour, Ascension traveled to Sweden to record their debut album, Far Beyond the Stars, with esteemed metal producer Andy LaRocque. The group signed a deal with Japan's label, which released the album worldwide in 2012.

Album:

Sorry to throw out a cliché reviewer line right from the off, but: Oh boy, where to start with this one?! It’s been well over a decade since the previous (and first) LP from Ascension, 2012’s Far Beyond The Stars, and my experience with some of their members comes from a very different place. Both Richard Carnie and Fraser Edwards became household names for me thanks to their side project, Sharky Sharky, a shark themed power metal/hard rock act for kids (no really, check it out, they’re freakin’ awesome). With their demo, EP, LP and couple of singles under this nautical name, their output is almost as much as Ascension themselves! I mention them because I’ve grown very familiar with Carnie’s vocal style as a kid-friendly fish-muncher – so to hear him go full-on power metal spouting lyrics about insanity is pleasingly jarring. Fraser Edwards’ trademark frenetic guitar style is also very recognizable – and I thoroughly recommend you check out his solo project too – but what about the long-awaited sophomore album of their main outfit? Under The Veil Of Madness is an hour-long trek through an original story about a Dark Composer who writes cursed manuscripts that drive the characters of each song through states of nutso psychotic-ness. Curiosity: consider yourself piqued.An ambitious bonkers concept requires ambitious bonkers music. And holy shit does this deliver. Despite the duration of the album, and the average song-length, the Scots don’t fuck around with ambient intros or orchestral build-ups. “Sayonara” immediately smashes you in the face like a freight train made of sparkly rainbow candyfloss. Tempos are wild, melodies leap all over the place, and nothing generally calms the fuck down. After the initial bombardment, the lyrical imagery, musicality and hint of melancholy weave their way into the sound and the result is pure brilliance. As an opening track, this might be one of my favourite of all time – especially that totally sublime chorus. Every interval, every chord progression, every rhythmic idea is power metal perfection. In just six minutes, the years of hard graft that went into this record are so clearly on display. The band sound utterly incredible. Dick’s drumming is a frenzied assault, but oh-so musically articulate. Nick’s bass gets so many chances to shine, especially in the middle of “Last Winters Night”, and he is every bit a virtuoso as any Yngwie wannabe. Fraser and sole original member Stuart sound like their fingers are ablaze – seriously, this is some of the most impressive fretwork I’ve ever heard. Ever. The entire album is a six-string workout of cataclysmic proportions. Then there’s the silky smooth tones of Carnie’s vocals. He hits every note with pinpoint accuracy, sometimes at alarming speed, often at stratospheric heights. We should be holding this dude up with Alessandro Conti and Andre Matos as one of the greatest power metal vocalists of all time.Alright, here it comes: the inevitable comparison to Dragonforce. They’re a British power metal band, so they will sound a little bit like Herman Li & co. – though I would throw in Galneryus as a huge influence too. However, Ascension manage to creep in a bigger variety of timbres than either of those projects, not to mention a sense of connection to the thematic material that is surprisingly moving. I flail around my house like a lunatic to the quirky “Megalomaniac”, then the triumphant defiance of…well, “Defiance” and the sorrowful drama of “Monsters” throw tonal curveballs which are simultaneously jarring and addictive. The latter, in particular, ramps up the theatricality and always leaves me with a lump in my throat. The mournful subject behind “Set You Free”, combined with the majestic melodies of its glorious refrain, make for an exquisite first-half closer. Take a breather at this point, because – as previously stated – it does not calm the fuck down. Making the centre-point of an album two nine-ish minute tracks is a bold move, but one that absolutely pays off, as “Last Winter’s Night” and the title-track are two very different beasts. The former being a more traditional power metal anthem with an extended instrumental section; the latter being utterly unhinged, slightly menacing, and a vessel for Carnie’s best character vocals. The title-track alone is worth the price of the LP.The mix on this record is stunning. Polished, refined and super duper ultra mega shiny. Every single thing totally audible, from the uber-flamboyant guitar solos to the mounds of keyboard effects that rear their heads through the madness. Closing number “Pages Of Gold” makes the most of it with a smorgasbord of textures, from the soaring hymnal chorus to the sparse verses and irregular time signatures in the mid-section. After such a mammoth voyage, this is a suitable ending that leaves me satisfyingly exhausted, if not totally breathless. If left unchecked, I will continue to zealously write about every single note of this masterpiece, because fuck-a-doodle-do there are so many notes! Under The Veil Of Madness might not be this high in every power metal fan’s evaluation, but this whole record hits me on a very personal level. It reached my ears just when I needed to hear it, and single-handedly re-ignited my love of listening to metal for fun. If that sounds like unfair bias based on individual experience, fuck you. Reviews are never objective anyway. I’m a human being, this is the first 10/10 I’ve awarded in well over a year, and Ascension have gifted us with the best metal album that’s likely to reach my brain in 2023.

Line-Up:

Richard Carnie - Vocals - See also: Sharky Sharky
Nick Blake - Bass - See also: Fraser Edwards (live)
Fraser Edwards - Guitars - See also: Fraser Edwards, Sharky Sharky
Stuart Docherty - Guitars - See also: Autumn's Mourning, Fraser Edwards (live)
Dick Gilchrist - Drums - See also: Barque of Dante

Tracklist:

01. Sayonara
02. Megalomaniac
03. Defiance
04. Monsters
05. Set You Free
06. Last Winters Night
07. Under The Veil Of Madness (Part 1)
08. Power Of A Thousand Suns (Part 2)
09. Pages Of Gold (Part 3)
10. God Of Death


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Odkazy na stažení všech alb naleznete pouze na našem blogu zde: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

Návrat na "POWER Metal, SYMPHONIC Metal, OPERA Metal"

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