Ark Ascent
Downfall
Ark Ascent was formed in 2011 around composer and multi-instrumentalist Jack Kirby. Pre-production for the tracks that were eventually going to make the cut for their debut album started that same year, with Rogue Marechal (ex-ShadowKeep) on vocal duties. After a couple of years rewriting and re-recording the songs, the pair then decided that a bass player with flair would be a necessity to bring their music where they wanted it to be, and Andrea Arcangeli of DGM fame was recruited and started recording his part at the start of 2014. At the end of 2017, shortly after the band's debut album recordings had been completed, Michael Brush (Sirenia, Holy Tide) was recruited to complete the line-up. With their first release, Ark Ascent take you on a journey, following the fate of humankind at the onset of a major disaster that will eventually lead to its destruction. From the instrumental opener (Arrival), to the truly epic closing track (The End of Time), the flow of the music remains seamless and interesting, successfully combining highly energetic tracks such as Point of No Return and Darkest Hour with melancholic interludes (Farewell, Innocence Lost, Closer to Heaven), as well as showcasing shades of prog (Ascension, The Aftermath) alongside dopamine-releasing anthems such as Sanctuary and Downfall.