Album review: ARIES DESCENDANT – The Ashes Of Deceit

October 14th, 2024 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 18.10.24]

An amazing sense of musical ambition can often be found among European Rock and Metal bands. Often that ambition is rooted in the classics, or at least how the classics have been interpreted by contemporary musicians.

As cinematic as the music of James Horner or Hans Zimmer, with added hard rock guitars and vocals, this debut by duo Jonah (Pyramaze) Weingarten (orchestrations and keys) and Nicklas Sonne (vocals, guitars and bass), known as Aries Descendant, succeeds where many “Symphonic Rock” bands have failed.

Why? Because Weingarten and Sonne are constantly reaching for that awesome moment when symphonic rock and the classics fuse together, creating one heartstopping, transcendent piece of music.

Filled with electrifying dynamic shifts, and painted with huge, broad, colourful brushstrokes, each tightly structured track is a symphonic metal feast. With choirs, soaring choruses, and big, orchestrated production numbers.

The first songs the duo wrote, ‘Aflame The Cold’ and ‘Renewal Of Hope’, bring all those elements together. Sonne mixes primeval growls with operatic highs, adding vocal heft to an already dazzling soundscape.

Early on, Sonne seems to step forward and take charge. Almost as if we’re already taking Weingartens spine tingling orchestrations for granted (which we are).

It’s immediately noticeable on ‘Oblivion’, a song with the expected sci fi wrappings. Sonne’s story telling narrative rises and falls, ultimately reaching an evocative crescendo.

Similarly, on ‘Symphony Of Demise’, a more grounded, heavy metal speed freak of a song, Weingarten’s orchestrations spin in and out, but again, this is Sonne’s song.

Elsewhere, ‘Downfall’s moods and images don’t shift too far from the band’s lush, widescreen style, but is more operatic than symphonic, and makes a welcome contrast.

World famous Chinese American cellist, Tina Guo guests on the album’s beautifully apposite closer, ‘In The Heart Of The Forest’.

Her typically lyrical cello phrasing avoids the need for words, as all good instrumentals do.

It’s a delightful, classy, if slightly restrained end to a superb album. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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Power Plays w/c 14 October 2024

ALT BLK ERA Come On Outside (indie)
THE NEW ROSES Hold Me Up (Napalm Records)
ROYALE LYNN Sacrifice (indie)
BLACK NOTE GRAFFITI The Source (Golden Robot Records)
ANNIE AND THE JAYS Too Shallow (indie)
JULIET’S NOT DEAD Open Fire (TMR Rock Records)

Featured Albums w/c 14 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 KINGS OF MERCIA Battle Scars (Metalville)
14:00-16:00 JON BODEN & THE REMNANT KINGS Parlour Moods (Hudson Records)