Artist: Ancient Mastery
Release title: “Chapter One: Across the Mountains of the Drämmarskol” & „Chapter Two: The Resistance“
Label: Northern Silence Productions
Release Date: 02-12-2022
Format: Digital, CD
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Country: Austria
Tracklist:
Chapter One:
1. To Valdura (9:26)
2. The Majesty of Aztara (10:46)
3. The Passage (8:28)
4. The Forest Gate (10:03)
5. The Ballad of Tiga & Az’daerul (8:21)
Chapter Two:
1. Entering Valdura (8:28)
2. City of Broken Dreams (11:26)
3. To the Riverbank (7:30)
4. The Uprising (9:44)
5. Eternal Night (8:07)
6. The Resistance (6:32)
Line-up:
Erech – all Instruments & vocals
Circe – additional female vocals
Founded
in late 2020 by sole member Erech to give home to the ancient tales of
the mythical realm Valdura, Ancient Mastery delivers Epic/Melodic Black
Metal with symphonic undertones. On his albums mastermind Erech combines
melodic Black Metal riffing, triumphant synths and folkish tunes with
occasional pop aesthesia, which is amplified by the chthonian timbre of
his companion Circe.
While
“Chapter One” told about a group of adventurers and their travel to
distant Valdura, “Chapter Two” focuses on the arrival of Aryun and his
companions in that mythical realm. Unexpectedly drawn into a long
simmering conflict between the corrupt government and the resistance in
Valdura’s capital Tordal, they meet the female resistance leader Tabe
who informs them of the plight they just encountered.
For
songwriter Erech the six songs on “Chapter Two” are the logical
continuation of the music on the debut, with perhaps a bit less overall
focus on straightforward melodic Black Metal and instead playing with
influences from Power Metal and atmospheric Black Metal sprinkled with
classic Folk songwriting. To that end, and more often than on the debut,
the throaty, intoxicating voice of Circe takes center stage besides the
raspy Black Metal vocals of Erech, and there she truly shines.
Chapter
One, originally released on CD by the Chinese label Pest Productions,
is now re-released by Northern Silence in a fully enhanced version with
new artwork and layout and including the previously unreleased bonus
track “The Ballad of Tiga & Az’daerul”.
Both
DigiCDs of „Chapter One” and „Chapter Two” come with their own 12-page
fold-out poster booklet with the lyrics on one side and a map of the
territory on the other.
The
vinyl version of „Chapter One” is out concurrently with the CDs,
alongside the LP of „The Chosen One”, released on CD by Northern Silence
a year ago. The LP of „Chapter Two” will be released some time in 2023.
Chapters One & Two recorded by Erech.
Chapter Two edited by Justin Chasteen, mastered by Widek
Bandcamp: ancientmastery-northernsilence.bandcamp.com
Instagram: instagram.com/erechleleth
