ANCESTRAL DAWN – Souldance [Japanese Edition] (2017)

Mixing metal / progressive rock electricity, ancient South American instruments, international world class vocalists and an Inca culture-based storytelling, “Souldance” is the worldwide debut by ANCESTRAL DAWN, to be released soon all over the planet and just appeared in Japan.

Ancestral Dawn was created in 2013 by bassist Jorge Higginson, teaming up with Jorge Segersbol (vocals) and Mark Astorga (management), the latter concentrated into launch the band internationally.
They secured the participation of Jonas Heidgert from the Swedish band Dragonland to put the lead vocals on Ancestral Dawn’s first single. The track had an excellent reception among the fans, press and specialized radio.
This encouraged Higginson to recruit and define the Ancestral Dawn current line-up, which is formed by Segersbol (Vocals), Higginson (Bass), Devadip Chunga (Drums), Bryan Bello (Keyboards) and Josué Castro (Guitar).

“Souldance” is some kind of a concept album based in an Inca culture-based story, and musically expect classic melodic metal, progressive, some power, and all spiced with non-traditional instruments providing a unique sound.
Higginson aimed higher and for Ancestral Dawn’s debut, and he wanted the top metal-related vocalists of the moment.
The crew on “Souldance” is truly impressive: Fabio Lione (Rhapsody/Angra) delivers a soaring performance on the rapid ‘The Traveller’, while the raspy pipes of Rick Altzi (Masterplan/At Vance) perfectly fit the melodic ‘Enter The Shaman’ – did I need to say Altzi is one of the best and most underrated shouters from the current scene?

The one and only Mark Boals (ex- Yngwie Malmsteen et all) put his stamp on one of the record highlights, title track ‘Souldance’, not only including a great middle section of flutes, quena & more – all wind instruments – but also a superb guest guitar solo by Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween).

If you need more variation, the excellent Amanda Somerville (Avantasia / Kiske Somerville) drops her velvety vocals on the ballad ‘Whispers In The Grey’, again, embelished by wind intruments, then on the other hand, for a heavier, razor and more melodic metal number, check ‘StormHaze’ featuring Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear) on lead vocals on a track that mix Judad Priest, Allen-Lande and Helloween all into one.

Another climax arrives with ‘The Eyes Of The Universe’, as it features all these stellar vocalists together; Rick Altzi, Mark Boals, Amanda Somerville and Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland/Destiny). The track itself is classic metal in the vein of JORN early works spiced with progressive keyboard runs.
The Japanese Edition features the bonus track ‘Covenant’, and instrumental showcasing the skills of all band members, a track with an old-school feeling all over.

“Souldance” is a really strong and impactful debut from Ancestral Dawn, a new band in the prog metal / melodic metal / power scene truly offering something different.
While the musical structures are typical from the genre, the band has a more ‘classic’ sound (read ’80s) than most the current acts, while they add their own, unique spin via wind instruments which provide a distinctive atmosphere.
The impressive list of vocalists raise the quality bar of “Souldance” a notch or two, plus the first rate production makes Ancestral Dawn’s debut a worthy & entertaining product for all audiences.
HIGHLY Recommended

01. Endless Nightmare
02. The Traveller
03. Enter the Shaman
04. Rise of the Ancestor
05. Spiritual Flow
06. Leading to Nowhere
07. Souldance (Ayarachis)
08. Whispers in the Grey
09. Stormhaze
10. The Eyes of the Universe
JAPAN BONUS TRACK:
11. Covenant

Jorge Higginson – Bass, Pan Flutes
Jorge Segersbol – Vocals
Josue Castro – Guitars
Devadip Chunga – Drums
Bryan Bello – Keyboards
Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen) – Vocals
Amanda Somerville (Avantasia/Kiske Somerville) – Vocals
Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear) – Vocals
Fabio Lione (Rhapsody/Angra) – Vocals
Rick Altzi (Masterplan/At Vance) – Vocals
Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland/Destiny) – Vocals
Nahtalie Markoch – Vocals
Roland Grapow (Masterplan/Ex-Hellowen) – guitar solo on 7

BUY IT !
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/IUCP-16261
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