Ascend The Helix – Spiral Of Reflection
Release Date: 14th July 2023
Label: Seek And Strike
Bandcamp
Genre: Progressive Metal, Djent.
FFO: Meshuggah, Periphery, Gojira, Devin Townsend.
Review By: Metal Miguel
Where do I start? The easiest option is you all listen to the album and just accept it for what it is, it really speaks for itself and there’s no real need for a long, over analytical expose on why it’s good – it’s good, and it has all the right bits in the right places. Like the first time you saw a stripper, amazed, entertained and revelling in the joyous shaking of a tail feather without giving too much away, but you know the goods are there…No? Not got that image in your head. Just me then? *Eye roll
This bitchin’ album starts as they mean to carry on and while it has all the hallmarks of powerhouses like Meshuggah and Gojira I’d like to draw your attention to the smattering of Alice in Chains that is found within the vocals. A dynamic I wasn’t ready for but heartily embraced and if it wasn’t deliberate, it’s there, and I like it. The album is 11 tracks of variant degrees of metal awesome and covers off on many licks that you will remind you of Gojira from their Mars to Sirius days, Strapping Young Lad and all wrapped up in a more unique style and flair that allows the band to command their own position within the metal community. It’s fine to have influences and always a great place to start, but I think they have crafted a very unique sound and entertaining album of songs that take you on a journey that has riff after riff pounding across the 11 tracks, nodding to their influence but reminding you that they have their own ability, song-writing and face melting riffs to nod your head to until you can take it no more.
Having melodic singing available throughout and sitting in the heavier of riffs to juxtapose the screams is done in a way that traditional metal isn’t crafted, and I think this is why it stands out that little but more. It has more weight and gravitas to it. The repetitive riffs that don’t get old but have the drums, vocals and over all ambience to create solid tracks one after the other. Each track comes out at you like a 50-calibre machine gun, with blistering pace and purpose but lands on you in different ways, creating a wilting mess of happiness and enjoyment of some ear pleasing metal that has all the emotions covered depending on your mood, but you’ll be nodding along with your Judge Dredd style chin pointed in firm appreciation of what you have listened to.
(4 / 5)
