With the world literally at one’s fingertips, collaborations expand horizons in fulfilling musical ambitions into any style possible, as Aries Descendant features two virtuoso studio musicians from Minnesota and Denmark. Keyboardist / orchestrator Jonah Weingarten is a part of Pyramaze, Catalyst Crime plus numerous collaborations or session outings for others all across the metal, rock, film, and video game realms – while vocalist, guitarist, bassist Nicklas Sonne has worked in Defecto, Evil Masquerade, and his own self-titled project beyond session work with a multitude of musicians. The duo’s debut album From the Ashes of Deceit presents ten tracks that fuse a love of film music into heavy metal – results of which should move many followers of both camps, plus grab a curiosity factor of outsiders given the strength of the performances put forth.
Dazzling displays of neo-classical runs against conventional power riffs allow Jonah to equally intoxicate the aural landscape with vivid keyboard / orchestration coloring – immediately apparent to full imagery on the Kamelot-esque “Symphony of Demise”, where Nicklas rears back for some upper register melodies in a very dramatic chorus next to some side growl action for a darker twist next to Dragonforce-like lead break action. Contrasts abound, as other songs inject more of the reflective serenity to bombastic mid-tempo march-like charge that has been explored with artists like Evergrey, Manowar, and Rhapsody (Of Fire) as “Renewal of Hope” and “Moira” illustrate. Layers of piano, keyboards and orchestral movements penetrate the almost eight-minute epic “Echoes of Betrayal”, the soothing sequence in the early parts perfect for Nicklas’ lower to high pitch melody shifts before kicking into stunted metal splendor, the lead break very thoughtful even in its note bends or fleet of finger proclivities. Beyond the eight main songs there are two instrumentals that bookend the record – the title track at 1:47 contains those requisite tension filled classical/film score peaks to engage multi-sensory appeal while closer “The Heart of the Forest” features cellist Tina Guo that brings the proceedings to a satisfying finish, as if warriors stand tall embracing a tranquil landscape once the battle has ended.
There’s no question that heart, passion, and timing play a strong part in why Aries Descendant can deliver an entertaining debut out of the gate for From the Ashes of Deceit. This will be a band to watch develop, as it appears the marriage of film/cinema and heavy metal has plenty of wider horizons that need to be conquered and cherished.