Ancient Ascendant
The Grim Awakening

January 2012
Released: 2011, Siege of Amida Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Metal-Rules.com UK Team

Ancient Ascendant are a 4 piece death metal band from Reading/London who have just released their first full length album after releasing their debut EP “The Heathen Throne” at the end of 2008.

After great reviews the band went on to tour the country with Fleshgod Apocalypse in 2009 and in 2010 were handpicked by death metal legends Bolt Thrower to open their sell out London show, their first in 4 years.



In 2011 Ancient Ascendant signed with Siege of Amida Records to release "The Grim Awakening" which were mixed and mastered at Hertz Studios (Vader, Decapitated) with some great artwork provided by Tony Koehl (Waking the Cadaver, Black Dahlia Murder). Taking influences from bands such as Death, Opeth, Decapitated, Pantera, Carcass, Emperor, Bloodbath it was without doubt I would enjoy this album and have to say that all 9 tracks do sound great! Showing elements of old school death metal with a progressive twist with great aggressive vocals and growls from Alex Butler, the band are happy to announce they are picking up where Carcass left off….



The album is great from the start and has great production and is solid with great melodies and riffs but does get slightly repetitive in the middle, then picks up again towards the end with a great finish! The band still have awhile to go until they are up there with the best of them, but I did find myself having to listen to it again, and is an impressive album for a first studio release; this is definitely an album worth checking out!



Review by Jo Blackened