Thulcandra – Ascension Lost (2015)

On the days we are feeling nostalgic about the good old times of Dissection and similar bands that created and innovated with melodic riffs and epic songwriting, we turn to Thulcandra and their first two full-length releases. Unleashing “Ascension Lost” in 2015, the band continues to develop their old-school sound and make it their own, greatly improving on all the previous ‘borrowing’ they did from Dissection.

The album kicks off with the melancholic “The First Rebellion”, a fast-paced piece that is sonically pleasing and very technically proficient. The band’s proficient mixture of melodic riffs and old-school Black Metal is quite solid and songs like “Throne of Will” and “Deliverance in Sin and Death” are a testament to their abilities. Steffen Kummerer and Sebastian Ludwig are a highly skilled guitar duo that carries this release from start to finish with their intensity and creativity.

Our favorite tracks include the super catchy “Demigod Imprisoned” and the headbanging master piece “The Second Fall”. Both of these tracks have Immortal-esque epic guitar passages that will have you at the edge of your seat. The drumming is quite crafty, too bad that Matthias Landes left the band after recording this album. Saving one of the best for last, gradual tempo change on “Ascension Lost” make it one of the most engaging and entertaining song of this release.

Overall, the band’s Dissection worship is still very present (even in the album art), but they are moving further away from sounding too much like them, and that is great. If you like 90’s and early 2000’s guitar driven melodic Black Metal, this is one band and release you should have on your list for 2015. If you don’t know the band yet, be sure to check out this release as it will teach you a thing or two about solid melodic riffing.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: February 10th, 2015

Genre: Melodic Black Metal

Country: USA