After a while in the dark, ASCENDANT shed some light about their upcoming album “A Thousand Echoes”. Ascendant took a brief recess before they came back co-headlining shows with some international acts. And today they are revealing to Metal-Bell some interesting news about their debut album.

The Heavy Metallers decided to release the album during their upcoming show supporting Lacrimas Profundere on May 12th at The Music Room. We did this awesome and cool interview with the band who were very generous to open up with a lot of interesting information about the album. (Read below)

You can purchase the album from: BANDCAMP, cd-Baby, Deezer, Amazone, itunes.

Q: How challenging was recording and releasing the album?

A: Recording the album took us a little over three years! While we enjoyed the process, it was painfully slow. The band consists of 5 working professionals who play for the love of the music – and as such, things inevitably move slowly. However, it has been an amazing journey. This album is the story of our lives for the last three years; it has been a fulfilling experience.

While the recording was challenging but fun, I would say the process of releasing the album will be challenging and not-so-fun. All the work at this stage is unrelated to music, but it is crucial for the success of the album.

After all the efforts we put into the album, and considering the quality of the finished product, we’re now going to do what it takes, to get this album the exposure it deserves.

Q: How do you think the new album will be received by fans and critics?

A: We put in three years of work into this album. We did our very best on compositions, performances, and production, and now, we believe we have an amazing album. We are very confident that it will be received well by fans as well as critics and we’re eager to have this album reviewed.

Q: Any Plans to tour in support of “A Thousand Echoes” album?

A: Yes, we are trying to organize shows outside Dubai – but things are still in their early stages.

Ascendant at Playback Lounge Studio

Q: Can you tell us about the album concept?

Album Concept:

When we first formed as a band, we were very clear that we’re going to sing about things that mattered, things that strike a chord with us, emotionally.

On this album, we have some amazing stories. Some of them are tragically true. We have 3 members in the band who have been personally affected to varying degrees by a civil war raging in their homelands – and this is our method of expression.

‘Metal’ is a genre that is absolutely rife with clichés – that’s something we wanted to avoid altogether. We didn’t want any fluff on this album. Every song has a story, and every song matters.

Album Track List:

Twilight of Eden 1:39
Doomsday Machine (05:10):

The AI rises up against man, and it becomes our Doomsday Machine. The twist here is that the AI would actually be beneficial but of course we are loath to be bossed around by a machine.

Walls Between Us (06:05)
Fog of War (06:34)
Morning Light (06:07):

This song is about a Syrian soldier who called his father to tell him he was about to die. He was caught by ISIS and executed – that really happened. We then made a song about the aftermath for the parents. The father told the mother about their son, but she’s in a state of denial. The father wants to leave Syria, but the mother doesn’t want to because she believes her ‘son will return, by the morning light’.

The contrasting styles between the verse and the chorus represent the conversation between the father (verse) who wants to leave and the wife (chorus) who wants to stay.

Land of a Thousand Echoes (09:15):

The song talks about the people who left their homeland behind and brave the sea to seek refuge someplace safer… The monologue of being aware of one’s self to face the biggest fear while trying to reach calmness. Holding their souls, their breaths, their thoughts, and screams that have been reflected in the sea into a thousand echoes.

False Illusion (05:05)
Tears of His Majesty (07:28)
At the End of the World (12:56)

A Land of a Thousand Echoes

Recorded & Mixed in Playback Lounge Studio (Dubai)

Mastered by Fredrik Nordström in Studio Fredman (Sweden)

Cover & Booklet Artwork by Alaa Abou Saada

You can purchase the album from: BANDCAMP, cd-Baby, Deezer, Amazone, itunes.

Ascendant Line Up:

Youmni Abou Al Zahab – Vocals
Alaa Abou Saada – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Ashish Shetty – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Aram Kalousdian – Drums
Puneet – Bass & Backing Vocals

Special Guests on the album:

Lindsay Schoolcraft: Vocals (Cradle of Filth) on Track #5
Simon Abou Assali: Keyboards and Effects on Track #6
Elias Abou Assali: Lead Guitar on Track #6
Hadi Sarieddine: Intro Arrangement on Tracks #1, #4

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