Every now and then a band comes out of nowhere and sets the music industry on its collective edge and you’re left wondering where the hell did that come from. In this case it came from Toronto, Canada in the form of Ascendia. Hey are a 5 pc Symphonic Progressive Power Metal band and are the real deal. The vocalist Nick Sakal has a powerful set of pipes that are on full display on their debut disc. The band is rounded out by brothers John Lov (Guitar), Billy Lov (Drums) , John Abanador (Bass) & Maestro (keyboards). The CD kicks off with The End of It All, a riveting opening track that showcases all the band abilities in one fell swoop and sets the tone for the rest of this amazing disc. Remember Me and my personal favorite “Moonchild follow”, showing that Ascendia was far from a one hit wonder. In fact it’s safe to say that this band, while unsigned when this was released, wont stay that way for long. “Demon’s Eyes” is a powerful song that is as impressive as any of the aforementioned tunes.
The band even throws in a slower tune in “Last Forever” then follows that up with a mesmerizing tune “No More Tales To Tell”. There is so much to love about this disc from the musicianship, the stellar vocals and the fantastic song writing. These guys played the prestigious ProgPower USA Festival in 2016 and prior to that did some warm up shows with Circus Maximus and local boys Imminent Sonic Destruction (More on that gig later). The accolades have been rolling in since those shows and deservedly so. “The Lion And The Jester” was one of the best disc in 2015 and I’m looking forward to hearing what these guys can follow it up with. (Rating: 10/10)
John Ridge / Metalheads Forever Magazine
