Looking for some, pure, unrefined solid METAL for 2022? Then look no further than the International purveyors of the loud and the fast in Ancient Settlers who are absolutely BRINGING IT on their debut full-length Our Last Eclipse.
We got an early taste of the record when “Into The Depths I Ride” was released in November of last year and, to be honest, we couldn’t get enough of it. So much so that it was on constant repeat in the RNRF offices for a spell and it took us a second when diving into Our Last Eclipse to realize that yes, there are other tracks that follow. And lucky for us (And you!) those tracks hit just as hard, if not more in most cases, as the lead off single.
“Cast In Gold” is just as vital as that opening onslaught expanding on the synthetic elements before heading into some modern In Flames territory (Think “Take This Life” and their mid-’00’s output especially) and then sinking back into a familiar AS foundation. “Cerements” adds some Prog elements subtly into the sonic texture of the massive wall of sound Ancient Settlers have erected while “Jotnar Magick” may start the slowest but might be the one with the most bite on here as it gives way to a percussive fury, sick shredding, and a vocal cadence that’s as catchy as it is caustic.
“Library of Tears” starts with some futuristic stylings before a crushing Industrial meets Melodic Death Metal mash-up begins and then “Silent December” is a monolithic monster that exponentially expands on the Ancient Settlers sound combining early Static-X with Amorphis with vocals that switch between the familiar gruff bark found throughout Our Last Eclipse and a haunting spoken word with sweeping synths snaking in and out of the mix.
“Memories” is a scorcher to start then goes into this neat call and response crowd pleasing banger, “The Black Rainbow” is a hard pummel-fest that, as the kids (still?) say, slaps and sways for a sweeping kind of epic followed by “Peregrination” which just shreds from start to finish and closes out the record in a grand metallic fashion while never relenting and eventually segueing into some wacky alternate dimension where the ’80’s never ended with the way the guitars scream to the heavens.
Our Last Eclipse lands on April 1st through Crusader Records and you can pre-order your copy now by heading here or here. For the latest on Ancient Settlers, follow the stream of socials when you head here, here, or here.