28th August 2023

Review: “Ascendant” by Soul Debt

Having made their presence felt with 2021 debut album “Elegy” with themes of Insanity, Death and Existential terror, Montclair New Jersey Progressive Deathcore collective Soul Debt return two years on with “Ascendant“. A sophomore album that finds them having replaced original vocalist Tom Spina with Sam Cason, the new man having been in place since 2022 as he joins original members CJ Douma on drums, Marcus Carollo on bass and Aaron Naphor on guitars for eight tracks of violence…

A brutal roar from Cason to usher in this new wave of destruction before the first verse of opening cut “Futile” serves to put out any small fires of doubt that he may not be a suitable replacement for Spina, the caustic nature of the verse that follows reinforcing that with a hammer and nail. No cleans, just sheer brutality the way your mother used to make it. He’s surrounded by a sonic wall of stuccato riffs after an introduction more in tune with Progressive Metalcore, a vibrant tapping section giving it a blinding light before the crushing weight of the Deathcore hits with full force. The percussion feels like an artillery shelling before layered leads suggest the band will need a backing track or a second guitarist to carry them off in the live arena. Downtuned chug is highlighted by stunning leads once more with the album title track “Ascendant” offering up the kind of sound that Scott Carstairs of Fallujah or Adam De Micco of Lorna Shore have cleaved out for their respective bands. A clink of light through the dark clouds and the punches from the rhythm section keep coming. Some introspective lyrics bleed into the groove laden riffs of “Staring into the Abyss” as Cason continues to impress with his vocal prowess with some shriller tones that give the impression that a second vocalist is present. A spoken word adds a touch of the theatrical as the downtempo grooves shake the foundations before a classy solo all of which culminates in something that doesn’t rely on all our aggression to get it’s point across. “World Eater” continues the narrative of well thought out song structures with another punchy cut that summons to the mosh pit. A instantly appealing headbangable track with some almost ethnic lead moments it’s a real moment with bleak and ominous undertones.

Building from a drip to a flood “Divination” mesmerises with flamboyant soloing after a darkly majestic introduction as the band go all out attack with complex rhythms in ruthless fashion. That makes it the gift that keeps giving over multiple listens because there are moments that pop out of the mix that you don’t hear the first few times around as the human brain is too busy dancing to the thing your heard first to hear what came second. There are hints of Black Metal inspirations in “Tyrant“, it’s sombre meloncholic meanderings accompanied by a venom spitting vocal as Cason seeks a violent revenge. An epic cut that approaches six minutes with consummate ease, the grit and integrity matches the unbelievable musicianship for a band so relatively young. A guest vocal appearance from Christian Roche of Diamonds To Dust on “The Departed” adds a little shine to a cut that feels a little more stripped back, the moments that reach and touch the void into Slam territory giving it more depth vocally to match the Thall orientation of the main riff. Last but by no means least “City of Ash” finds Soul Debt play with texture as they drop out from a galloped onslaught for a melodic break. Cason sounds like a demon calling from the bottom of a poison well before the flames of the furnace are lit once more and the band smash the mirror in fear with a heavier part. A second melodic drop out opens up into a flourishing solo, the transitions between the passages nothing short of masterful. A clever album, deceptively varied it should find Soul Debt following Distant and Lorna Shore to Century Media, such is the quality of this undertaking [8.5/10]

Track Listing