Remember Me – New Video From Toronto’s ASCENDIA

It probably goes without saying that many of our readers have enjoyed the film Metal – A Headbangers Journey, the 2005 Sam Dunn documentary about Heavy Metal. Throughout the movie and subsequent TV series, I reflected on the Heavy Metal flowchart that assisted in categorizing all of the ever growing sub-genres of heavy metal music. From Pop eMtal to Speed Metal, from Black Metal to Thrash Metal, from Power Metal to Glam Metal there are literally dozens of these sub-genres used to describe the particular flavour of metal you are about to unleash. Although I understand the human need to label things, the downside is missing out on something great because of preconceived notions. Case in point, Ascendia.

Today I was introduced to Toronto band Ascendia via their brand new video for the song “Remember Me” off of their latest album The Lion and the Jester (2015). Generally speaking “Progressive Metal/Symphonic Metal” is not really my thing, I much prefer the sleaze rock sounds of LA Guns to the laser precision fretwork of say a Dream Theater. So had I bothered to read through the description of what I was about to hear, I can honestly say I might have turned up my nose like a child not wanting his brussels sprouts. Instead, I just hit play and listened to the music unaware that I was dipping my feet into a foreign metal pool. Although still far from a “prog-metal” fan, I loved this track and have gone digging for more information on this new and local band.

I didn’t have to look far as our own Decibel Geek Writer, Shawn “Animalize” Irwin had already reviewed their most recent release and also included them at number 4 on his personal top ten of 2015! (click here for his review).

Check out the video below and try some Progressive Metal/Symphonic Metal on for size…

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmGlqeda3mU[/embedyt]

The band will be supporting Norway’s Circus Maximus on an upcoming North American tour. Ascendia is comprised of Nick Sakal – vocals, John Lov – guitar/vocals, Billy Lov – drums and symphonics, and Stephen Kerr – bass.

BUY: Ascendia – The Lion and the Jester