Around the World in 80 Tunes Project: (Cairo - Egypt) Medic - "Ascension"

  

As we started our journey from the very south of Egypt towards the North, we are now in Cairo. And, when it comes to Cairo, it is so hard to select just only one Metal band from the city to talk about because Cairo is one of the country's two major hubs of Metal bands. Scarab, Crescent, Ahl Sina, Medic, Sinprophecy, Frostagrath, Destiny in Chains, Devour, Divine, Wyvern, and many others made a shining mark in the history of our scene. But, if I could pick a band with a universal theme as this blog tackles more universality-oriented themes, It would be Medic's "Ascension"! 

The concept of "Ascension" is deeply mystic, and philosophical. It is the journey from freeing the soul from the chains of the body and unifying it with the wide existence, tasting the pleasures of paradise, and fearing the depth flames of hell.

So, the tracks of the album take the form of chapterization, as if you are reading a novel or a story. There are characters, they are anonymous, but they are part of this existence, ironically, one of the characters could be you!

So, beginning with "Ramla" which is a mournful, nocturnal soundtrack with Medieval touches. It was just stealing your soul and mind to the journey, so it could somehow mythical-in-mood. 

As we are talking about mysticism, one of its greatest principles of it is contradictions! so, to know the good, it should be bad, and to taste the beauty of the white, you need to taste the bitter taste of ugliness, and to reach heaven, you should rise from hell!

So, here is "Downfall"! It is the death, it is the fear of hell, it is the fear of the grave horrors. 

So, the music is a combination of contradictory moods: calm and rage, highly dynamic riffs and magical acoustic parts, and clean and growling. 

Next, it is "Road to Oblivion"! Part of Mysticism or the journey to reaching the absolute truth is to experience the fear, the mazes of the mind, to question the whole truths around you, to live like a lost soldier in the desert or a wasted sailor in the sea. And this is the mood that "Road to Oblivion" expresses.

"God give me light so I can see

The truth behind my agony

Tell me how I should perceive

One day I’ll be obsolete"

So, the continuation of mixing between the beautifully alerting slow-tempo parts, followed by attractive guitar tunes, and mazes of rhythms is just to give you a better view and feeling of what the soul could experience at that moment. 

Moving to "Wandering in Wasteland," another step on the road, but with more contradictory sounds. An authentic oriental musical intro with different moods of enjoyment, to mourning! The title of the track would express a part of its essence! 

Let me take you back to a historical event, the Crusades or the escalations between Europe's kingdoms and Muslims in Spain. You know, here, the concept of those wars and fights was religiously-coated. Undoubtedly, mysticism is not religion, but religion is a belief or thought which is part of mysticism. So, having this oriental mood for the track is magnificent. It is deepening the experience. 

And the mood of the track really represented this case of gazing around you to watch those strange lands, or massive desserts, or to watch those vast areas of the afterlife worlds. 

A real conversation between instruments, especially guitars ruled the track. Those tunes mess up your emotions and imagination.

A deeper sense of this game is reflected more in "Of a Blessed Memory"! It is not a matter of death, not the matter of being forgotten, not a matter of being involved in harsh experiences! It is the dream of passing all those temptations to reach peace, to "Rise Above," and to "read the page from the very first line!"

Moving from this mood of fear and surrendering to another mood of feeling readiness, for having massive powers to change fate, to get a step closer to your salvation, to have a new start. 

So, the music is full of readiness-mode distortions, and a strong mood of being victorious, to be determined once again. 

One of the greatest elements in this track is the orchestration work. The track overall is epic. 

Here comes "Colors", it is just a reflection of your war in the real life, and your war inside your head to experience a new world. The feeling of serenity! The music somehow carries some glimpses of "Ramla." It is like the final chapter of conflict, of fear and fire, life and death, war and peace, calm and rage, loss and victory, fate and freedom.

Finally, it is"And the Sun Rises." It is the new beginning, reaching the heavens, saying goodbye to this world with all its escalations! And, even if you are alive, you are having an unforgettable experience like Dante's Divine Comedy! You reach the truth, nothing in your eyes will be the same as before!

So, the fast shift between this spiritual interlude to killing, tuneful melodies is motivating! 

The sounds of power and strength could be touched in the fast, fresh gears. The Melodies are killing in fact, it is like a whole play performed before your eyes, images of rising, images of light, images of sun, images of vividness. Rebirth!

The music is like an elegy for the previous chapters of the story! The fresh, alerting melodies bring to your eyes the emotions of the previous stages. 

I was deeply attached to the atmospheric/ambient-like part towards the middle of the track! They were gloomy and fearful! Then, they take you to another melodic part as the wandering in the lands you experienced before! 

Dreaming by the moon I’m free-falling again

Will I wake up inside you?

Will the sun rise again?

Next, it is a surprising part for me, a surprising riff, I liked that the sound of the bass, it backs all those sounds. It is really cheerful, and beautifully performed keys with happy, cheerful guitars that are full of positivity, dreams, freedom, and light!

Then, a well-made Saxophone sound, cheerfulness, and peace, a farewell to the pain, to the darkness, and flying over the skies and heavens, no more pain! Just Joy! Ascension! No sins, no wounds, whiteness, and good! Rose ABOVE!

Nothing I can say about Medic's "Ascension" except it is one of the well-performed, scripted, and produced a masterpieces in the history of this scene. Must-Listen!