The Ancient Curse

Often times the difference between an album shaking the pillars of its adoptive scene and simply passing by with little notice is a matter of timing, and fortune tends not to favor those who are late to the party. No clearer of an example of this can be found in Italy's Ancestral, a band that exemplifies everything that was great about the grittier side of the millennial power metal, but didn't end up fielding their long awaited debut until a good 3 to 4 years after the initial wave had crashed and receded back into the ocean. Nevertheless, history tends to be a far fairer judge than the whims of the moment, and while The Ancient Curse didn't make much more than a small splash in a day that was more focused on the AOR-styled trappings of Masterplan and the symphonic bombast of Epica and Kamelot, it's an album that stands strong on its small plot within the wilderness of older school power metal bands who were still plugging away in the late 2000s.

While the approach presented here was not exactly en vogue circa 2007, it would have been right at home among the similar fast and frenetic power/speed metal classics that were being pumped out by the likes of Manticora, Persuader, Freternia and Paragon between 1997 and 2004 in rapid succession, and likely outclassed many of them. It's hampered a tad by a dry production sound and a somewhat tinny drum mix, which was par for the course throughout the 2000s for any album being supported by Underground Symphony, but what this album may lack in posh studio gimmicks it more than compensates for with a level of enthusiasm and fervor for raw, unfettered speed metal with an infectious melodic line that is a cut above most even when considering the prime movers of the power metal revival. The resulting mixture of said elements with an early Blind Guardian sense of folksy tonality and a moderately gravely yet soaring vocal performance is an early 2000s powerhouse that was born just a bit too late to share the banquet hall with its stylistic brethren.

A retro vibe was naturally to be expected given that much of this album had been written and demoed by 2001, and the rest parallels the trappings of said year. The creepy ambient vibes the kick off the opening anthem "Freeborn" could be treated as a short instrumental prelude along the lines of what was typically employed during the era in question, and the song's subsequent buildup from a mid-paced grooving colossus with some thrash trappings to the guitar work to a raging beast right out of Blind Guardian's Tales From The Twilight Hall checks all the boxes for an epic sword and sorcery affair, albeit with more of a Robert E. Howard vibe rather than Tolkien. At times the song embodies some of the prog-like tendencies of late 90s Tragedy Divine offshoot band Spiral Tower, and as the album progresses there is a fairly regular tendency among longer offerings such as "Lord Of Terror" and "The Walls Of Troy" to showcase a similar tendency, to speak nothing for the rather unique employment of folksy acoustic passages at odd intervals between the high octane riffage of the latter.

The interesting little technical nuances and detailing that surface on most of these songs reflect a highly skilled collective of instrumentalists, which is a bit curious given the relatively unknown names that round it out. When considering the exemplary display of speed, power and precision put on by drummer Massimiliano Mendolia on all of the aforementioned songs as well as the blinding fury with loads of rhythmic twists of a title anthem "The Ancient Curse", it's pretty clear that his past tenure with the 80s thrash outfit Nuclear Simphony has been paying some dividends. But for the rest the performances turned in amount to an astoundingly positive first impression, with the fancy guitar work and occasional noodling bass input adorning infectious bangers like "Sanctuary Of The Kings" and "Jalwink's Fall" (both songs dating back to 2001) being standout moments. Vocalist Mirko Olivo also turns in a viciously on point performance on the band's rendition of Beatles tune "Eleanore Rigby", which is itself the most inventive re-imagining of said classic rock staple since NWOBHM trustees Ethel The Frog's 1980 rendition, complete with the same driving speed metal riffs and shred-happy solos that adorn the rest of the album.

Time seems to have largely forgotten this unsung classic, which owes not only to the year in which it finally came to light, but also to the fact that it would be a whopping 10 years before this band would field another album, and with a strongly modified lineup no less. If treated solely based on its musical merits, it's obscure status is woefully undeserved, and something that should be remedied by those with any degree of interest in the power metal sub-genre giving it their undivided attention. It's a relic from 14 years past that probably should have been 20 years past, but greatness doesn't require a watch or a calendar to make itself known, and this album is overflowing with it. Those who really took to the early offerings of Mystic Prophecy, Manticora, Kiuas, Persuader, and pretty much any band that put an emphasis on melodic anthems with a gritty edge and little to no keyboards to speak of will find a hidden gem here, and one that shines as brilliantly as the Arkenstone to boot.

Italy's Ancestral plays power metal along the lines of those of Manticora, Persuader, Kiuas, Savage Circus all taking many influences of Blind Guardian and speed/traditional metal bands like Helstar and then throw some Rhapsody in there for a full blown badass power metal band. The Ancient Curse seems to have been swept under the bed away from the limelight of 2007 releases but either way this surely needs to be checked out. With Mirko Olivo handling the vocals that surely redefine leather lunged soaring over the speed induced metallic riffing and Persuader-like insane drumming jumping from all out blast beats to standard double bass euphoria. The guitarists make there presence known with dueling solos that fly by so fast your neck won't even have a chance to react.

The Ancient Curse is a solid jam-packed album full of speedy power metal anthems and headbangers with the exception of a semi-ballad Time Has Gone By which shows some acoustic guitars and almost sorrowful singing which is really quite a treat for the ears showing some diversity and bringing in some Italian folk elements almost proving Ancestral can pull off ballads quite well. No filler resides on The Ancient Curse, just awesome songs (Lord of Terror, The Ancient Curse) and slightly less awesome songs (The Walls of Troy, Jalwink's Fall). Power metal fans of all types will enjoy this certainly and those who complain about 'wimpy flower metal' will definitely enjoy this ballsy power metal attack, one listen to the title track or Achille's Fury (In Hector's Death) or even the mighty Lord of Terror will know that Ancestral is here to make a statement of heavy intense power metal.

Ancestral is going to be a power metal powerhouse in the future; I highly anticipate their sophomore album after hearing this spectacular debut. Definitly worthy of being up their alongisde the likes of Blind Guardian, Manticora and Persuader fans of those take heed, Ancestral are here.