NTH ASCENSION - "Ascension Of Kings"
The album Ascension Of Kings has a thread or theme running through it but it isn't a concept album. With the exception of a 3 part suite entitled 'Clanaan Chronicles' which will run and occur on subsequent albums. This follows a story by Darrel Treece-Birch in the vein of Narnia/LOTR which sees the rescue/redemption of a tortured realm from an evil dictator by a Seventh Rider who ultimately ascends to be a prophesied King. There is a spiritual element to the album for certain. Strange Dreams has a 'Matrix' type theme to the lyric. Vision tells the story of Moses vs Rameses from the perspective of a slave. Weight Of The World tells the story of desperation and fear that can cripple the soul but how that can be lifted through each other and true friendship. Writing in Nth Ascension is very collaborative affair. Initial 'bare bones' of songs are brought into a rehearsal setting and the band form and colour the rest from there. Once the song is fleshed out and expanded upon it is then ready for playing live or indeed recording. All members of the band bring ideas to the table and in some cases a reinvention of older ideas, eg Vision is a song written originally in 1991 by Darrel Treece-Birch, at which time it was 8 minutes long and not 18 minutes as it finally ended up. Influence wise each band member sites many artists as 'having an influence'. Such as, Marillion, Genesis, Yes, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Rush, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd to name a few. But the band resolutely stands by, that the music that is created is not designed or to order but is a flowing and natural extension of the collective.
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine
