Ad Omega announces its second album.
Formed in Italy in 2019, the band releases its first EP the same year, followed by a second in 2020. The first album is announced in 2021, then a third EP for 2022, and finally Aphelic Ascent is revealed in 2023 by Noktvrnal (vocals/guitar/bass/keyboards, Lamasthu, Intus Mortem, Deviate Damaen) and Vindur (drums/keyboards, Mörkvind), at Drakkar Productions.
Dysangelium, the first track, quickly puts us in the center of a storm of dissonance, darkness and devastating screams which will eventually slow down while keeping its oppressive tones. When the sound speeds up again, scathing harmonics and energetic drums lead us to Profane Mystic Crown, a more haunting and airy track placing leads at the center of the mix to accentuate the soaring atmosphere. We also hear more aggressive elements like the massive double kick and cavernous screams which will considerably slow down to let Solvet Cosmos In Favilla create a heavier atmosphere while using lead guitar peaks to give the track a mystical flavor. Following this dark surge, the band allows us a moment of respite with the melodious Aphelion (Interlude) and its omnipresent guitars completed by some slower strokes before fading into nothingness, crushed by Stellar Heritage which lets the musicians go wild while recreating a devastated landscape the instruments regularly come to ignite and annihilate under the cover of melancholic melodies. The Bitterest Heart follows by adding an unhealthy energetic touch to the previous atmosphere, but keeping the heavy and hazy sound helped by massive and disturbing vocal parts before giving way to Triumph of Void, reviving Old School influences within frantic riffs. A few softer and appeasing moments will follow, but the track is definitely dominated by a raw and dark rage, which will let Cosmic Demise close the album in a suffocating dissonance where the vivid roots sometimes express themselves to give the track an aggressive touch.
With this second album, Ad Omega once again lets oppression answer to violence in a stream of darkness. Aphelic Ascent will speak to the amateurs of heavy melodies, but also of dissonant riffs.
85/100