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New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
09.03.13
- Sonata Arctica: Pariah's Child
- Linda and The Punch: Obsession
- Primeval Realm: Primordial Light
- Million Dollar Fix: Psychedelephant
- Armageddon: Sunddown On Humanity
02.03.13
- Ogre: The Last Neanderthal
- Kirk: Masquerade
- Miracle Master: Tattooed Woman
- Freedom Call: Beyond
- Birth Of Joy: Prisoner
- Battleaxe: Heavy Metal Sanctuary
- Vanishing Point: Distant Is The Sun
23.02.13
- Sparta: Welcome To Hell
- Lothloryen: Some Ways Back Some More
- EZ Livin': Firestorm
- Various Artists: A Pysch Tribute to The Doors
- Azoria: Seasons Change
- Shadowdance: Future Negative Fantasy
- Dinner Music For The Gods: Beautiful and Treacherous
- Fallen Order: The Age of Kings (EP)
16.02.13
- Heavy Justice: Apocalyze
- House of Lords: Precious Metal
- W.E.T.: One Live In Stockholm
- Cooper, Alice: Billion Dollar Babies Limited, Numbered Edition SACD
- Vanden Plas: Vanden Plas Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld - Path 1
- Ancillotti: The Chain Goes On
- Overland: Epic
- Metal Inquisitor: Ultima Ratio Regis
- Darkyra Black: Dragon Tears
Ashent: Inheritance
Progressive Metal
3.5/5.0
With 2009's Deconstructive, Italian metal band Ashent attempted to break from European power metal mold with a more progressive sound. Largely, they succeeded, although it was sometimes uneven. This year's Inheritance builds upon that foundation as Ashent tries press farther into the realm of progressive metal.
Ashent: putting the big guy up front.
Again, generally, they have succeeded. Some of the success comes from a new lead vocalist, Titta Tani, who is a quite versatile singer and arranger. Additionally, Ashent have made their arrangements more technical, even complex, adding sequencers, synths, some sax inserts, orchestral parts, and choirs.
Sometimes, however, this attempt at invention and complexity blows back on them. Songs like Eve, Shipwrecked Affair, and Spider's Nest are so thick that it sounds like there are several songs overlapping one another in the same arrangement. Some of this may be due to the mix, but I doubt it. Conversely La Danzatrice Scalza has the complete opposite feeling. It's nearly perfect prog, interestingly, but not severely, technical, and simply delightful to the ears. Actually, Ashent seems to better when they're not trying to fill a song with a trick in their bag. Renaissance and the closing instrumental Labyrinthique are entertaining in their lack of complexity.
Yet, overall, Inheritance Inheritance continues to deepen the Ashent's exploration into more complex progressive metal, but sometimes with mixed results. Recommended.
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