'Ark Ascent' is a new progressive metal band that was originally the 'Jack Kirby' project created in 2011 when he was 19 and with 'Rogue Marechal' on vocals, released their debut album 'Downfall'. The line up is completed by the Italian 'DGM', 'Andrea Arcangeli' on bass, by the drummer 'Michael Brush' who has been with 'Sirenia', (see their latest album here) and the French pianist 'Katia Filipovic'.Their style mixes rock and progressive metal and this from the first instrumental track 'Arrival' which starts energetically and continues on a calmer rhythm in the middle of the title. With 'Point of no Return', the progressive side is put forward with frequent tempos changes but with always accessible melodic lines and quite present keyboards, then 'Sanctuary' is a rather short title and more direct and 'Darkest Hour' continues in a powerful metal but adds layers of keyboards juxtaposed to catchy guitar riffs. The suite alternates quiet acoustic interludes, 'Farewell' and 'Closer to Heaven' with relatively varied titles, first of all, 'Downfall', more classical in construction and with a chorus that remains in your head, then the beautiful power ballad 'Innocence Lost' brought by the short acoustic 'Ascension', then 'The Aftermath' which makes us go back to the progressive metal with changes of tempos and with a remarkable low rhythm / drum section, the long instrumental part being a highlights of the opus The album ends with the long composition 'The End of Time' which, with these 13 minutes, takes us into an epic mix of progressive rock and metal with all the ingredients we are looking for in this kind of title : a first Powerful mid-tempo part with a heady melodic, then an acceleration of the rhythm for a metal part, then a remarkable instrumental part offering multiple variations and finally a grandiose final resuming the theme and the rhythm of the beginning.
In short, 'Ark Ascent' are releasing their first high-quality album between rock and progressive metal and if you like bands like 'Dream Theater' (see their latest album here), 'Sons of Apollo' (see their latest album here) or 'Threshold' (see their latest album here), you should definitely enjoy 'Downfall'...
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