Tuesday 12 June 2018

Ancient Lights - S/T (Album Review)


Release date: July 06th 2018. Label: Ritual Productions. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Ancient Lights – S/T – Tracklisting

1.Decaying Lotus
2.Temple Ghosts
3.War of Attrition
4.Orichalcum Eater
5.Asakai Dasa
6.Against Nature
7.Miasmaculatum
8.Fallow Year
9.Vessel of Inevitability
10.Slow Breath

Members

Tim Bertilsson – drums
Adam Richardson – bass, guitar, vocals & lyrics
Ben Carr – guitar

Review

Ancient Lights is made up of members from the following bands Ramesses, 5ive and Switchblade Ancient Lights takes influence from those bands but still sounds remarkably different as well. Ancient Lights are more kindred spirits to bands such as BONG and SunnO))). As the band play a blend of Psychedelic Rock, Doom, Sludge, Ambient, Drone and Post Rock sounds.

Their debut self-titled album has its fair share of heavy and epic progressive sounds buried within the epic seventy minute plus running time. The album isn't going to be for everyone. As it's not an easy album to listen to. Some parts can be quite hard and challenging to fully sit through. However the album is never boring and it rewards the listener with an almost out-of-body trans-dimensional experience that leaves you wanting more on certain songs.

Opening song - Decaying Lotus - is a twelve minute opus that sees Ancient Lights creating a heavy droned out Ambient/Post-Doom atmosphere with the chant based vocals. I would normally say that this is a bold and brave move to open the album with. As the song is quite experimental and has a lot of different parts to it. However this is how the rest of the album sounds like. If you're not moved by the first opening track then the rest of the album won't impress you at all. Though I most soldier on with this album review and I'm a huge fan of what Ancient Lights have created on this album.

The myriad of different sounds and ambient textures make this album what it is. Songs such as: Temple Ghosts, War of Attrition, Asakai Dasa, Against Nature, Follow Year and Slow Breath are the standout songs on the album. With Ancient Lights creating the heaviest and most far-out riffs on the album. Sure the album could have benefited from a couple of the shorter songs being left out for pacing purposes. The instrumental work is simply superb and intense from Ancient Lights which isn't surprising with the hugely talented members involved.

The album does have its fair share of moments of Ancient Lights playing standard Doom Rock/Metal riffs compared to the usual Droned Out Metal parts that make up the majority of the album. The vocals do take some time getting fully used to. As they are primarily chant based. Though they are superbly sung throughout the entire album.

The production is simply marvellous with the album being consistently loud and dynamic from the start. Overall, Ancient Lights have released a thought provoking sonic experience that will leaves you wanting more.

Hopefully this will be the first of many great albums from Ancient Lights and not just a one-off collaboration.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Ritual Productions for the promo. Ancient Lights debut self-titled album will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ritual Productions from July 06th 2018.

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