Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the media-library-assistant domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php:6114) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1893 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php:6114) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1893 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php:6114) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1893 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php:6114) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1893 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php:6114) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1893 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php:6114) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1893 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php:6114) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1893 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/functions.php:6114) in /customers/8/6/5/powerofmetal.dk/httpd.www/newsite/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1893 {"id":12091,"date":"2016-10-17T17:50:58","date_gmt":"2016-10-17T15:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/powerofmetal.dk\/?p=12091"},"modified":"2016-11-01T16:12:23","modified_gmt":"2016-11-01T15:12:23","slug":"anciients-voice-of-the-void","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsite.powerofmetal.dk\/reviews\/anciients-voice-of-the-void","title":{"rendered":"Anciients – Voice Of The Void"},"content":{"rendered":"

I first heard Anciients<\/strong> about two years ago, which is about a year after their debut album \u201cHeart Of Oak<\/strong>\u201d was released.\u00a0 The band and album did what rarely happens with me, and that\u2019s start an instant love affair with their musical cohesion, totally encapsulating and gripping me with the myriad of sounds coming out of my speakers.\u00a0 The band\u2019s intoxicating mix of current sounds with an old-school approach instantly won me over, and the album has remained in my musical rotation ever since.<\/p>\n

So after a long three year wait, rumblings began to surface that the Vancouver<\/strong>, Canada<\/strong> quintet was writing the all-important follow-up album, due for release in the fall.\u00a0 I was instantly excited, and even more so with the release of the first single \u201cFollowing The Voice<\/strong>\u201d in late July.\u00a0 Any worries I had of the sophomore jinx were squashed at the very least for this song.\u00a0 It instantly brought back the sound I loved from their debut.<\/p>\n

And now the hour is finally upon us to digest the new album \u201cVoice Of The Void<\/strong>\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 After lots of time listening to the first single (and also the album opener), I was eager to get my first taste of the rest of the batch of new songs.\u00a0 \u201cBuried In Sand<\/strong>\u201d (at almost eleven minutes being the longest song on the album) follows up the opening track by hitting just as hard, but it\u2019s right out of the gate instead of a build.\u00a0 It slows down after a couple of minutes into a sludgy, plodding approach with an emotive guitar solo.\u00a0 There\u2019s a nice atmospheric lull that comes into play, simmering the whole approach down even more, but not giving up on the emotion. It then starts building back to a higher paced forceful riff pattern. The band keeps an infectious energy going through all movements of the song and time flies by.\u00a0 \u201cWorshipper<\/strong>\u201d gives off a slow and labored opening which turns into a pertinent march.\u00a0 A twisting guitar solo and quick time changes give off a magical vibe.\u00a0 \u201cPentacle<\/strong>\u201d is a good song to throw into the order at this point as it serves as a great way to slow down the pace of the album just enough with it\u2019s guttural vocals and mid-paced groove as to not overwhelm the listener.\u00a0 \u201cDescending<\/strong>\u201d takes us a little quieter with the acoustic based instrumental showing great depth from the band.<\/p>\n

\u201cIbex Eye<\/strong>\u201d ramps things back up with a thumping and thunderous opening.\u00a0 This track incorporates a lot of beautifully picked guitar backdrops with a monstrous bass surging underneath.\u00a0 The death vocals help put the dirge and sludginess over the top in grand fashion.\u00a0 \u201cMy Home, My Gallows<\/strong>\u201d is a head-bobbing jaunt with a mid-paced power drive as the core of the song.\u00a0 Plenty of interesting guitar melodies, both spiraling and frantic are woven into the song fabric.\u00a0 The second half of the song turns up the speed at times and works well with the crushing drums of Mike Hannay<\/strong>, moving in a fevered and unapologetic stomp, going back and forth between pounding and crisp to barrage-like.\u00a0 \u201cSerpents<\/strong>\u201d shows off Kenneth Cook\u2019s<\/strong> powerful singing style which compliments the laid back light organs and emotive platform of the song.\u00a0 \u201cIncantations<\/strong>\u201d sets up a mood-setting acoustic pace for the final song on the album.\u00a0 It morphs into another set of complex guitar patterns and syncopated instrument cohesion that leaves me wondering how the band can move so seamlessly between the hard and soft and always make it sound interesting.<\/p>\n

And in what seems like such a brief foray into the band\u2019s new venture, \u201cVoice Of The Void<\/strong>\u201d comes to a close.\u00a0 The time flew by me, which is all the more surprising considering the album is over an hour in length.\u00a0 This speaks to me about how interesting and exciting the music is.\u00a0 When you can get so lost in an album that you lose all concept of time, you know it\u2019s a winner.<\/p>\n

However, I\u2019ll be the first to admit that although this album took me away and onto a different sonic plane, it didn\u2019t hit me as hard right away as their debut did.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t to suggest that it\u2019s any less worthy or less pleasing, however it\u2019s such an involved sound that I took so much time feeling it out and analyzing the contents. \u00a0But with repeated listens it grows more and more on me and sits with just as special of a place for me as \u201cHeart Of Oak<\/strong>\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s almost more wide-open and expansive in a way, which is quite a feat.<\/p>\n

This album should\u00a0 be the one to give the comparisons to bands like Mastodon<\/strong> and Baroness<\/strong> a rest as Anciients<\/strong> are proving that they have the songwriting ability to be in a class all of their own.\u00a0 This band features everything I want in a metal band; new sounds mixed with a respect for the old-school, emotional highs and lows, adrenaline pumping riffs and delicate yet carefully constructed musical landscapes.<\/p>\n

The sophomore jinx didn\u2019t enter into this album\u2019s sound at all.\u00a0 And while it felt like an eternity to receive new material from the group, I\u2019m more than happy with the result in the time it took to carefully construct the beautiful music I\u2019ve digested.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tracklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n

01. Following The Voice
\n02. Buried In Sand
\n03. Worshipper
\n04. Pentacle
\n05. Descending
\n06. Ibex Eye
\n07. My Home, My Gallows
\n08. Serpents
\n09. Incantations<\/p>\n

Playing time:<\/strong> 66:01<\/p>\n

Release date:<\/strong> 14 October, 2016<\/p>\n

Label:<\/strong> Season Of Mist<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> Anciients Official Website<\/a><\/p>\n