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New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
25.09.2016
- Seven: Shattered
- Stargate: Longing For Light
- Exile Of Heaven: The Illusion Of Randomity
- Eternal Champion: The Armor Of Ire
- Grim Reaper: Walking In The Shadows
- Seventh Wonder: Welcome To Atlanta Live
18.09.2016
- Fractal Cypher: The Human Paradox
- Icy Steel: Through The Ashes
- Airbourne: Breakin' Outta Hell
- Imperial State Electric: All Through The Night
- Temperance: The Earth Embraces Us All
- Operation Mindcrime: Resurrection
11.09.2016
- Narnia: Narnia
- Sumerlands: Sumerlands
- Shotgun Rodeo: The New Standard
- High Spirits: Motivator
- Ancillotti: Strike Back
- Iron Fire: Among The Dead
04.09.2016
- The Ben Cameron Project: A Cycle Never Ending
- Oddland: Origin
- Guns Of Glory: Strafing Run
- Crystal Ball: Deja Voodoo
- Serious Black: Mirrorworld
- Damian Wilson: Built For Fighting
28.08.2016
- Hercules Morse: Equine Size Comparison (EP)
- Myriad Lights: Kingdom Of Sand
- Vicious Rumors: Concussion Protocol
- Imminent Sonic Destruction: Triumphia
- Liquid Steel: Midnight Chaser
- Evergrey: The Storm Within
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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Overall, Inheritance continues to deepen the Ashent's exploration into more complex progressive metal, but sometimes with mixed results.
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England's Seven had a bottle rocket-like existence between 1989 and 1990, spinning two singles in the latter year and performing with the likes of Richard Marx. Then they were gone. But some remembered them ... [ Read More ]