__________.____ ______________________________ .__ _______ ________
\______ \ | \_ _____/\_ _____/\______ \ |__|\ \ / _____/
| | _/ | | __)_ | __)_ | | \| |/ | \/ \ ___
| | \ |___ | \ | \ | ` \ / | \ \_\ \
|______ /_______ \/_______ //_______ //_______ /__\____|__ /\______ /
\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/
artist: Ancient Death
title: Ego Dissolution
year: 2025
genre: Death Metal
type: Album
label: Profound Lore Records
language: English
rel. date: 2025-04-18
source: WEB/MP3
quality: CBR 320kbps / 44.1 kHz / Full Stereo
runtime: 00:35:07
size: 84.53 MB
rip date: 2025-04-17
source url: http://deezer.com/album/701124181
tracklist:
1. Ego Dissolution 5:01
2. Breaking the Barriers of Hope 4:45
3. Breathe - Transcend (Into the Glowing Streams of Forever) 5:11
4. Journey to the Inner Soul 3:21
5. Echoing Chambers Within the Dismal Mind 3:56
6. Unspoken Oath 4:26
7. Discarnate 1:34
8. Violet Light Decays 6:53
release notes:
Inner peace, compassion and alien-eyed visionsÆve usurped the horrors
of olden death metal today as the noveau hippies of the ænew old
schoolÆ movement embrace deeper generational echoes of early 90Æs
underground enlightenment. Emotional maturity, social awakening and
greater self-actualization are among the mind-broadening subjects
addressed and encouraged within this debut full-length album from
Walpole, Massachusetts-based psychedelic death metal quartet ANCIENT
DEATH as the ego-death depicted portends a potential higher state of
personal authenticity will follow. As they go on whirling through æEgo
Dissolutionæ these folks act within the realm of progressive and pure
death metal tropes in construct of bespoke mutations curated from a
point of strong personal taste, transforming recognizable tones and
space-cased rhythmic temperament into righteously flowing movements.
As this hotly wafting set of gestures are delivered between familiar
hands and curiously invaginating riffs its oddly meditative
roar-and-shred manifests intimately surreal moment after moment, a
not-so bizarre stretch of contemplative thought and surrealistic
wonderment.
Ancient Death formed circa 2019 via folks you might recognize from
progressive death metal band Garroted as well as related projects
Matriphagy and Morbid Vitality. Before the original quartet had
released any material theyÆd swapped drummers circa 2022 with Rhode
Island based Derek Moniz (Churchburn, Cruciamentum) joining since.
ItÆd be fair to set your expectations nearby an alt-evolution beyond
Garroted wherein the weirding spectrum of æold schoolÆ underground
death metal meets up with otherworldly tones, Finnish death metal
atmosphere, and inspiration from the new breed of spaced-out stuff
beyond the early 2010Æs all coalesce. The first digital single theyÆd
released (ôLabyrinths of Self-Reflectionô, 2022) should have taken you
there with tentative intensity and a wild trade-off of (four) solos to
highlight their introduction, soon leading to an EP release (æSacred
Vesselæ, 2022). The broader first impression was one of progressive
rock shaped death metal, a patient and searching breed thatÆd owed
some of its spaced fusion to Cynic with some Demigod-esque twists
taken. In the process of coursing through the bandÆs discography thus
far and some of their related projects what does carry through is an
intent to express personal dilemma and sojourn in general through
heady (mostly) riff centered craft as a sort of psychedelic
self-purge, moreso than an escapist or paranoiac sci-fi fantasy.
The step these folks have taken with æEgo Dissolutionæ is perhaps
easiest likened to the cinematic positioning of Cavern Womb or the
harder-edged side of mid-2010Æs Horrendous in the sense that their
explorations are ephemerally shot, guided towards melody but often
leaving the thought incomplete or half-stated before moving onward to
the next riff or interjection, leaving the mind lingering where
theyÆve left it and developing a ranting cadence in many cases. If you
were a fan of the easy dripping motions Cadaveric Fumesæ final LP or
appreciate the more The Chasm-leaning riffcraft VoidCeremonyæs first
album there is a similar chill nÆ skilled-up step to this record where
the baseline is set via classics-minded ideals/references in the midst
of Ancient Deathæs distant, cloudy zen-atmospheric presence. Consider
Æem a ritualistic/shamanic doom metal band playing Finndeath tempered
Floridian prog-death (re: ôJourney to the Inner Soulö.)
Opener/title track (ôEgo Dissolutionö) really makes plenty of room for
these folks to flex their ability to rant off into space via a largely
instrumental piece which kicks from one death-thrashing groove to
shredding celestial loft. The wandering spirit found there sets the
standard and pace for æEgo Dissolutionæ using late 80Æs death metal
rhythmus as their main feature (see: the lead melody ~1:17 minutes
in), speaking the dramatic language of æThe Karelian Isthmusæ and
æUnquestionable Presenceæ at once. As the volume knob guitar swells
and spongier riffs collided I was pretty easily sold on this record
from those first five minutes, purely effective opener full of
exceptional lines via an indulgent and almost playfully executed hand.
There is a swinging-loose ease, a slick yet distanced tone to the
warbling thrash of ôBreaking the Barriers of Hopeö which never fully
shouts in the face of the listener but bullies up with some of the
albumÆs harder grooves. Keener-than-thou eared fans of Atheist should
pick up on this bands cross-eyed love for (again) æUnquestionable
Presenceæ and IÆm not saying that for the sake of Jerry Witunsky
currently playing guitar for the band but there are nods to that
classic atmosphere, quick-escalating lead guitar style and quick
snapping grooves of that album all over æEgo Dissolutionæ. All that
this conveys to my ear is an ideal, or serious fandom, surrounding
some of the more transcendental death metal records of the early 90Æs.
An underlying rhythmic motif solidifies in mind as ôBreathe û
Transcend (Into the Glowing Streams of Forever)ö carries the wave, a
slow-to-form Bolt Thrower-esque jog eventually breaking through a
folkish, surreal introduction. The big surprise here comes via clean
vocals from bassist Jasmine Alexander (see also: ôEchoing Chambers
Within the Dismal Mindö) adding to the moment without killing the
momentum of the song. This doesnÆt feel like a one-trick pony ænew old
schoolÆ death metal record but a record that is flexing its face off
with how in-step its rhythms can get when they lock in. The outro to
that song in particular had me wheeling back several times and
stepping back into that high-strung apex of shrieks and riff runs; By
the time weÆre hitting the æHeartworkÆ-tipped roll of ôUnspoken Oathö
weÆre fist-deep into Side B and the focus of the full listen feels
unraveled, unsure of its next step but definitely rocking out with its
shaken-out groove. The bass guitar tone is far too understated for my
own taste on this album but IÆd appreciated that song in particular
for opening up their rhythms to reveal more of their rhythmic
underpinnings in broader strokes, however ranting their phrases end up
being.
The space made between the high of ôUnspoken Oathö and closer ôViolet
Light Decaysö initially felt unnecessary but ôDiscarnateö does well to
set up the closing song, provide one deep breath before their rattled
shouting begins. It isnÆt my favorite song on the album by far,
leaving the tone agitated without a point of relief, yet the
finality/intensity conveyed in Ancient Deathæs quick-stepping movement
creates an queasy level of tension that makes sense enough for an
endpoint. IÆm more than likely to skip the last two songs on the
average æfullÆ listen or wheel back to Side A in general as the
favored run here. ~35 minutes is not a demanding investment for a
first act on the part of the listener and seeing the whole thing
through was still entertaining when coursed through for the umpteenth
time. High rhythmic competency and an unusual hand applied to grooving
mid-paced death metal works out for these folks and especially in the
moment, everything is presented in neatly woven knots which maintain
an irregular shape which allow for a mind-bending, heady experience
which carries a very strong spiritual connection with classic death
metal. I wonÆt suggest all of æEgo Dissolutionæ is outright memorable
in terms of catchier pop-metal moments, not at all, but the overall
trip did stick in mind as I worked my way through labyrinthine
meditation. Any fan of progressive death metal or psychedeliaÆs
imprint upon death metal should appreciate this one.