A New York based project consisting of two main musicians plus guest support to flesh out the material, Eternal Ascent revolves in the symphonic/power metal platform for Reclamation. Christian Rush and Mark Bellofatto are the duo responsible for the majority of singing, songwriting, and instrumentation. Listeners can expect an eleven-track debut that soars into the glory of virtuoso musicianship, fluid sixteenth-note drum parts, magnificent multi-octave vocals, and catchy hooks/melodies that traverse numerous North American/European influences.
Lightning quick guitar runs and equally speedy keyboard interplay fuels the early Sonata Arctica meets classic Stratovarius-oriented “Blight of Dragons”, Mark’s soaring verses and comfortable screams along with guest Kristin Starkley (Twilight Force, Planeswalker) traversing a mix of operatic and conventional metal ranges – many would compare his abilities to Tony Kakko, Timo Kotipelto, and Fabio Lione. Lush orchestration against mid-tempo guitar melodies and a galloping tempo makes “The Lie” a mid-album highlight, the staccato-oriented transitions giving off a bit heavier stance to the otherwise commercial leaning vocal/musical hooks. Christian’s guitar dealings cross power, symphonic, and traditional lines – while Mark can add some nifty organ strains beyond his keyboard abilities, plus tremendous diversity on the drums to make “My Right Hand” and “Take to the Skies” surefire winners even to the most critical fan of these genres. When Eternal Ascent wishes to pull out the epic bells and whistles, look no further than the 8:07 “Our Glory” – featuring keyboard/guitar tradeoffs and a cinematic intro against the normal riffs and transitions that Kamelot/Nightwish followers desire. Including guest vocals, bass, and lead guitar spots from musicians like Andy Gillion (ex-Mors Principium Est), Blackwald (Twilight Force), and Krista Sion plus Alasdair Mackie of Dialith to name a few – this is a highly professional sounding record for such a first effort, speaking well to the professionalism and knowledge of the players on hand.
Eternal Ascent proves that symphonic-oriented power metal can be delivered to an upper echelon standard stateside just as well from European/international artists – Reclamation an exhilarating journey that takes late 90’s/early 2000’s inspiration and brings insight and experience to a current standard.