Ancient Settlers debut album Our Last Eclipse is out now, as is the international technical modern melodic death metal outfit’s latest single ‘Cerements’, on Crusader Records.
A sentimental song, ‘Cerements’ describes the sadness we have all felt for departed ones. Musically, the track implements clean-fuzzy guitars and driving bass lines to set a pop-oriented pace, before the synth section, inspired by film scores, drives the song into a faster, more powerful verse.
You can listen to ‘Cerements‘ here and check out the video right here at RAMzine.
The band has already delivered several singles in the lead up to their full-length album; two backed with animated sci-fi short film videos and another featuring live and behind the scenes video clips.
The band started their journey with the intention to explore the frontiers of modern melodic death metal, including catchy guitar riffs, the use of synths & keyboards, and a variety of different sounds and rhythms, trying to develop their own music personality. From a lyrical point, the band gets inspired by the recent tragedies that affect the earth and human race. They try to spread their message over all those who want to listen.
Our Last Eclipse features the following tracks, alongside commentary from the band on them.
‘Into The Depths I Ride’: To start the album, the powerful and melodic Into the depths…it is a fast-paced song with a complex riff in the verse. In contrast, a catchy chorus section, very synthesizer-driven, and powerful guitar melody. It is a strong song to introduce our first album.”
‘Cast in Gold’: “A very elaborate and frankly hard to accomplish intro (synths wise, it took days to create the sounds). The song has this nostalgic Gothenburg influence, with very melodic guitars. A rich bridge with only a string quartet, vocals and very fuzz distorted guitars to set the mood of the song. With an epic chorus with heavily layered synth sections, multiple arpegiators in the background, alongside the lead guitars marking the main melody of the song.”
‘Our Last Eclipse’: “The anthem, slow-paced song, became our title track. Deeply guitar oriented, eminently cold, that makes the listener think they are watching stars collide in outer space in slow motion. The chorus is uplifting, yet defeating at the same time massively surrounding low-end in the whole song and a powerful drum beat Highly technical solo section between the synthesizer and guitars.”
‘Cerements’: “We started the song with a different mood from the previous ones, implementing clean-fuzzy guitars, and driving bass lines to set a pop-oriented pace, with a nice synth section to drive the song into a faster, powerful verse with a very memorable pre-chorus to introduce the melancholic and nostalgic chorus with high gain guitars, layered with clean toned melodies. Synth lines are inspired by “film score” productions, with many layers of sound designed noises. The lyrics on this track are very sentimental; compelling the sadness, we all have felt for departed ones. An expressive and fast solo section to invite the listener feel the emotions implied in the song.”
‘Jotnar Magick’: “We wanted to pay homage to ancient lore by inspiring us in an old Norse mythology passage; it is a story about a Jotnar (giant) that does the ultimate effort and entraps an Aesir goddess into its will, causing her death at the end. A potent, fast drum-oriented song, that means to catch the rapid pace of the tale implanted in the song. The contrasting rhythms of the ending of the song symbolises the death of a goddess.”
‘Library of Tears’: “It is the first released single from the album. We went back to basics strong, in your face metal sound, certainly haunting background sound effects, to remind the listener the despair of being in a planet that lives no more, exactly what we wanted to portray in the music video. An almost seven minutes long epic track. The song itself has many contrasting guitar-driven melodies and powerful and skilful solo sections, and a very modern metal-oriented chorus, with solid 4/4 bars drums to mark a heavy rhythm.”
‘Silent December’: “This track starts with an 80s synthwave vibe. We got inspiration from the cult film Blade Runner. Right after, it kicks off with an eerie vocal passage; to take the listener to what comes right after, a straightforward song with drums that lead the song dynamics, and very melodic lines. With vast elements of not so metal genres, such as EDM, it has a retro guitar solo that means to take the listener into a journey to the past. From a lyrical standpoint, the song takes us through a path of vengeance that finally comes to its fruition.”
‘Memories’: “As its name title, Memories is a song about all the experiences of people that are forced to leave their motherland to face the odds of the unknown in a different soil; an ode to all the outcasts, the broken, but hopeful ones. Starting directly into the grit of a fast, energetic 90’s death metal drum groove, yet melodic instrumentals. The track introduces for the first time in the album, group shout sections, symbolizing despite the adversities, we are walking this path together. We had the pleasure of collaborating with a longtime friend in one of the guitar solos. He also shares the pain of being in exile (Cesar Diaz, you rock!)”
‘Black Rainbow’: “Coming to the second to last title of the album, it is a down tempo, melancholic song. Starting with an acoustic guitar section, it emphasizes the emotion that this track conveys; the never-ending mystery of what death is, and what, if anything, comes next. With harsh and heavy drum lines, and pounding bass, supporting a melodic and expressive guitar section all along the track, it prints the death-like feeling of being on the other side.”
‘Peregrination’: “In difference with the previous song, this one closes the album, and we decided to do it with a statement; starting this one with a punch, going “All guns blazing” from the get go. We unleashed all the power that Ancient Settlers has to offer on this title alone, melodic guitars, powerful and striking drums, deep and complex synths, and pounding bass to blend it all. However, there is a twist; coming to the end of the song, a transformation in the track’s cadence, to roll credits and sink in the journey this album has been, this peregrination.”
You can order Our Last Eclipse here.
