EP Review: Astaroth Incarnate – ASCENDANCE (Self Released)

Astaroth Incarnate are back and bolder than ever. The Canadian symphonic extreme metal band started down the left-hand path with their first official EP in 2017 titled Omnipotence – The Infinite Darkness which was the successor to an unreleased self-titled one back in 2015. Their first EP picked up a vast majority of music critics’ ears to their unique style. Now the quintet are back with a new EP entitled Ascendance, which raises the bar even higher.

The band aptly name their style of music ‘Apocalyptic Metal’, and state:

We strived for years to create something we hadn’t heard or seen before. Our Avant-Garde approach to song writing eventually led us to perceive each new song with a completely different mindset. Welcome the beginning of the end and thrust towards your ensuing demise with true purpose.

Wow! Now this is epic. Now this is symphonic black metal.

This EP has three tracks, one of which is a cover of a Cradle of Filth song and in a short amount of time it makes an incredible impression. The two tracks are cut from the same cloth and both called I Am Fire / I Am Death with the difference being the ‘Alpha’ and ‘Omega’ parts.

The former is a gargantuan song, the orchestration layered perfectly alongside the speedy riffs and growling vocals. While the latter is an uber-gothic, more mellow yet still as beastly of a listen. A pair of super-impressive pieces of music.

Then to wrap this wonderful EP up in a nice little black metal bow we get a cover of the classic Cradle of Filth song, Her Ghost in the Fog. Musically it is almost exactly the same but the vocals are where Astaroth Incarnate make it their own. Instead of Dani Filth’s high pitched screeches we get a deeper style which works pretty well.

Astaroth Incarnate – Ascendance Full Track Listing:

1. I Am Fire / I Am Death (Alpha)
2. I Am Fire / I Am Death (Omega)
3. Her Ghost in the Fog (Cradle of Filth Cover)

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