With their first release, ARK ASCENT take you on a journey, following the fate of humankind at the onset of a major disaster that will eventually lead to its destruction.
Track listing:
1. Arrival
2. Point Of No Return
3. Sanctuary
4. Darkest Hour
5. Farewell
6. Downfall
7. Ascension
8. Innocence Lost
9. The Aftermath
10. Closer To Heaven
11. The End Of Time
‘Downfall’ was mixed by Rich Hinks (Annihilator, Silent Call, Aeon Zen, etc.) and mastered by Rob Aubrey (Spock’s Beard, Pendragon, Dragonforce, etc.).
Cover artwork by Bob Eggleton (Bibliography: Dragons’ Domain, The Star Dragons, Primal Darkness, etc.) and logo design by Eric Philippe (Steve Walsh, The Rods, Coldspell, Phenomena, etc.) .
ARK ASCENT have recently released a music video for the song ‘Sanctuary’: https://youtu.be/0YlSIhSCdnI
ARK ASCENT is:
Rogue Marechal – Vocals (ex-SHADOWKEEP)
Jack Kirby – Guitars
Andrea Arcangeli – Bass (DGM)
Michael Brush – Drums (SIRENIA)
Guest: Katia Filipovic – Keyboards
ARK ASCENT was formed in 2011 as ‘Prophecy’ around composer and multi-instrumentalist Jack Kirby, then 19. Pre-production for the tracks that were eventually going to make the cut for their debut album started that same year, with Rogue Marechal (ex-ShadowKeep) on vocal duties.
After a couple of years rewriting and re-recording the songs, the pair then decided that a bass player with flair would be a necessity to bring their music where they wanted it to be, and Andrea Arcangeli of DGM fame was recruited and started recording his part at the start of 2014.
It would take a few years of fine tuning before the songs were to be considered ready for mixdown and Rich Hinks (Annihilator, Aeon Zen) brought in to co-produce and mix the album. He also contributed the bass performance on The End of Time, the song originally penciled in as title track.
At the end of 2017, shortly after the band’s debut album recordings had been completed, Michael Brush (Sirenia, Holy Tide) was recruited to complete the line-up.
Jack Kirby performed all drums and most of the keyboard parts on the album, with Katia Filipovic responsible for all piano interludes. Tim Hall (Overdrive, Aonia) also contributed a keyboard solo to the instrumental section of The End Of Time.
www.arkascent.com
www.facebook.com/arkascentband
Finally available (remastered) in digital format in download and on all streaming platforms ‘Wings of Time’ which is the second DGM album, published in 1999. The sound becomes much more elaborate than the previous ‘Change Direction’ (also from slightly reprinted) but remains very powerful and fast. Fabio Costantino joins the drums, replacing Gianfranco Tassella, who we find here as a producer. It is a more mature album than the previous “Change Direction” and begins to outline a more mature sound. Wingd of Time is the last album that sees Luciano Regoli on vocals with DGM
The DGMs formed in 1994 as an instrumental band. The original line-up sees Diego Reali on guitar, Maurizio Pariotti on keyboards and Gianfranco Tassella on drums. After a year Marco Marchioni is added to the bass. The band played a lot at that time and participated in the ‘Rock Innovation’ festival where it came in second place. Later they start working on their first self-produced min CD “Random Acces Zone” in which the new entry Luciano Regoli also makes his debut on vocals. Luciano is certainly not a newcomer: he played in some seminal groups of the Italian prog of the 70s such as the ‘Recommended Return Receipt’ and ‘Portrait of Dorian Gray’ (together with Claudio Simonetti), and Samadhy. Finally, with a vocalist worthy of the name, the group is able to have its own personal style, mixing 70s sounds with the power vein that distinguishes them. The work gets a great response in the Italian power speed metal scene and not only and above all allows the group to get a contract with the Italian label Elevate Records. With a label behind him, the production of the first full length album begins.
In the summer of ’97 the band completed ‘Change Direction’ which will be released in November of the same year. The album receives excellent feedback almost everywhere, Italy, Germany, Finland, Denmark etc … and the band begins a tour that leads them to touch many Italian cities and keep them busy for the first part of ’98. Upon returning from the tour, the group begins to think about the second album but in this period the drummer Gianfranco Tassella leaves the group, in a friendly way, so that he continues to follow the group as a sound engineer. The new drummer is Fabio Costantino, already with the death metal band Carnal Raptor. Throughout January and February 99 the group is in the studio recording what will become their second album “Wings Of Time” which will be Top Metal Album on the best Italian and international magazines. The album comes only in Japan 4000 copies in the first 10 days, a unique result for a metal and even Italian band! At the end of 2000 after tours and interviews L’uciano Regoli left the band and in his place he joined the new singer Titta Tani.
Credits :
Diego Reali – Guitar
Fabio Costantino – Drums
Maurizio Pariotti – Keyboards
Marco Marchiori – Bass
Luciano Regoli – Vocals
]]>Thankfully, the two shows differ a great deal. Only the song ‘Reason’ is featured on both discs. On the first disc focus is on their latest album The Passage, while the second one goes back a bit and has focus on Frame and Momentum. If I had to choose one show over the other, I would pick the show in Italy.
On Passing Stages: Live in Milan and Atlanta, you hear and see a well-oiled machine perform some of their best songs live. DGM show why many consider them among the finest Europe has to offer in Progressive Metal. Passing Stages: Live in Milan and Atlanta is a really cool live release by a vastly underrated band.
Available on 2-CD+DVD and Blu-Ray.
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