Medic: Ascention as A Spiritual Journey into Magic (Album Review)
By: Rana Atef a.k.a ``DaRk~~KniGhT``
Originally Published on 25/9/2018 at 10:40 am
Introduction
After few Days, Egyptian Progressive Metal band Medic will release its first full length "Ascension" finally. After 10 years of working, practicing, and exerting efforts, Medic's recorded work is come out to light. If you are a good follower for Egyptian Metal concerts, you are a familiar with Medic's musical combination based on the beautiful controversy between the Orient, and the West.
Thankfully, 2018 is a year of good for Medic as the band is launching its first full length with a warm welcoming from fans, social media promoters, organizers, musicians, and ME (as a reviewer :D of course).
I attended a Medic show for two years ago and I still remember the colors, and the reflection of Ehab Khaled Fawzi's voice, Ahmed Khalil's guitar tunes, Hossam El Tawdy's bass sounds, and Karim Wassim's catchy Keys, and Khaled El Demerdash impressive drum beats.
I found myself fast involved in music and in the lights. The performance was great, catchy. It was a good music, an attractive show, a killing performance. So, If you are preparing yourself to attend the upcoming Metal Blast, HAILS! It is going to be unforgotten NIGHT!
The Story
On Friday, I got a nice invitation from Medic to attend their exclusive listening party for "Ascension"a week before the digital release of the album. Unfortunately, I am not a Cairo resident, having certain social case mainly represented in rejection of my Metal activity from my family. I apologized politely while I was sending my curses on my bad luck.
Actually, Medic were nice enough, and Ehab Khaled Fawzi sent me THE WHOLE ALBUM ONLINE for a review.
I wished to make my review the first, but Harald Hardrada, Karim Yehia (الØاج ملانكولى), and Mustafa Gharib (Maddox Theory) released their reviews before me :D. ANYWAY, The Dark is here now, and she is giving her opinion :p.
So, I listened to the album online, and actually I am downloading it now. Simply, it is a treasure!.
LET'S GO TO THE REVIEW!
The Review
I want to initiate the review with a tip may some of you may ignore!
WATCH RAMLA VIDEO FIRST!!!
WATCH RAMLA VIDEO FIRST !!!!!!!
WATCH RAMLA VIDEO FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 weeks ago, Medic started their "Ascension" album campaign to attract the audience so they released a simplified, animated visual material (short video) for "Ascension" intro "Ramla".
The video carries the whole concept of the album, also it will warm your mind up to the journey.
According to the video, there are three main scenes: A focus on a faceless person, or to be more accurate, it is not a man, it is a SOUL, A Soul heading its way to the sky: heaven or hell. The second scene is a necklace hanging from a neck of a lady. The final scene is the lady of the necklace sitting in darkness, looking restlessly, and a sword carried blood!
According to the video, there are three main scenes: A focus on a faceless person, or to be more accurate, it is not a man, it is a SOUL, A Soul heading its way to the sky: heaven or hell. The second scene is a necklace hanging from a neck of a lady. The final scene is the lady of the necklace sitting in darkness, looking restlessly, and a sword carried blood!
If we go back to the cover, we can see three main symbols: A Soul, A fire and stone, and A Church!
OK, WE ARE ON THE RIGHT ROAD!
In one of my conversations with Medic's Ahmed Khalil, he told me search for "Sedlec Ossuary", plus I remembered that Khalil has posted a live streaming on Medic's page about his tour in the place.
Sedlec Ossuary is one of the most strange, attractive touristic destinations in Europe, especially in the Czech Republic. It is called the Cemetery of All Saints, or the Church of skeletons. While, On Medic's page, the band explained that the album is a journey of the protagonist from the wasteland to the sky!
My head is full of thoughts about the story with a high references, "The Wasteland" is a highly philosophical poem written by the legendary T.S. Eliot. He explained the images of destruction, blood, death, wars during the World Wars! If we go back to the Church, the hanging, decorative skeletons in the church are for murders or war victims, and saints of course!
War is War whether in Present or Past, it is a war. So, we can say that the main concept of the album is an innocent soul found itself into a journey from hell to heaven, and I mean from war to Ascension, which is beautifully scripted in music.
The beginning is with "Ramla" a nice, mournful instrumental track, carried the taste of prayers, so it is something religious/spiritual themed!
"Downfall" is the death, or it is the shift between death, and burying in dust, or getting lost between human parts, war wastes and soulless bodies.
The track is wandering between calm, and rage, highly dynamic riffs, and acoustic charming parts, and clean and growling. It is the fight, it is the war, it is the narration of the disaster, it is the beginning of the journey from blackness, to heaven.
The track is wandering between calm, and rage, highly dynamic riffs, and acoustic charming parts, and clean and growling. It is the fight, it is the war, it is the narration of the disaster, it is the beginning of the journey from blackness, to heaven.
The lyrics is backing that actually. Many phrases are mentioned regarding war, and fight as "I see a black hole with no end", "Hundreds of years they fought for their lands", "thousands men of swords."
"Road to Oblivion" intro was somehow strange to me, but according to our journey, we are now in a death phase or death aftermath. You can feel that the music carries somehow sounds of fear, of darkness. Even, the vocals structure depicts the bitter taste of death, and its horror, and "Death is Oblivion". Thousands of victims are on their way to be forgotten. Is it ringing bells? FOR ME? YES!!!!
In his poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", Thomas Gray shed the lights on the meaning of death, or what is the best description for death.
Through expressing the weeping image of small graves carried a dozen of workers and poor people bodies, Gray stressed that Death is the Oblivion! as nobody will remember them at all, even their graves carry no EPITAPHS!
The first part of the track is somehow slow-tempo one, full of guitars work, especially Bass lines I could catch, and the melodic part by Ehab, and Khalil. It was somehow close to Opeth Damnation atmosphere.
The second part, we are moved into death struggle! highly dynamic riffs, growling vocals, faster-tempo, the gears are turned up to be more groovy, and the great solo! then there you meet a slow part again, closer to a prayer! ended with a wonderful, emotional, scorching solo!
"Wandering in Wasteland" (MY GOD), IDK, it is early intro is like an initiative for something strong! and yes, after few seconds, you will find yourself in oriental part represented in Percussion, guitar, and bass backed with an atmospheric background!
In his poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", Thomas Gray shed the lights on the meaning of death, or what is the best description for death.
Through expressing the weeping image of small graves carried a dozen of workers and poor people bodies, Gray stressed that Death is the Oblivion! as nobody will remember them at all, even their graves carry no EPITAPHS!
The first part of the track is somehow slow-tempo one, full of guitars work, especially Bass lines I could catch, and the melodic part by Ehab, and Khalil. It was somehow close to Opeth Damnation atmosphere.
The second part, we are moved into death struggle! highly dynamic riffs, growling vocals, faster-tempo, the gears are turned up to be more groovy, and the great solo! then there you meet a slow part again, closer to a prayer! ended with a wonderful, emotional, scorching solo!
"Wandering in Wasteland" (MY GOD), IDK, it is early intro is like an initiative for something strong! and yes, after few seconds, you will find yourself in oriental part represented in Percussion, guitar, and bass backed with an atmospheric background!
I should greet, the talented percussionist Ahmed Aly who is featured as a guest through this track.
As for me, the best part in the track is from 2:40 to 3:45. Another level of enjoyment, and attraction, and musical beauty represented in an oriental guitar monologue. What's really surprising, the part starting from 4:02, it is really folk one influenced with the oriental songs of mourning, and weeping or "Al Aa'deed". Want me to be closer, "Ya Aieeny Ala El Walaad" :D (YOU GOT IT NOW).
Shortly, a nicer part or it is like a game between instruments :D each player shows his talented, and enjoyment. Even, the vocals part are so calm, slow, no high pitches, no growling!
"Of a Blessed Memory" This track is so melodic, as it is dedicated to the blessings, to the memories, to the traces of the gone one!
If you look to the lyrics, you can find many symbols refer to "Sedlec Ossuary" as "Crown of their bones", "the flesh", "story", "pages", all those signs are mainly taken from the mood, and the antiquities of the place.
Just image yourself stands in the heart of the cathedral or a chapel decorated with skeletons belong to different classes, different stories: ordinary people, glorified soldiers, kings, and saints. I felt that every movement in the track, every melody whether the calm or the dynamic try to express the mystery of the place, and the epic of the stories it contains, actually it is not a track to describe, it is a track to live, to feel. It is a well-made one, long but exciting, catchy and interesting, I liked the oriental touches in the riffs.
ARE YOU READY FOR RISE ABOVE?
Rise Above is one of the most known track for Medic, and when I say "Rise Above", I mean we are getting closer to the sky. I liked being involved in the heart of calm acoustic, guitar work. I don't know I feel that it is highly influenced with Dante's Inferno, in lyrics, many sounds give you the mood of punishment, of cries, of people who scream due to the fear and agony.
Vocal performance, OMG, the shifting between clean, and growling, high pitches, even the part which is written in non-English language (YEAH, I managed to solve a lot of mystery of the track but I could recognize the language :D but most probably LATIN).
It is one of the few tracks that the sounds of keys are so clear, and have a major role, in the final part of course. It is full of techniques, riffs, breakdowns, shifted gears, oriental influenced lines!
The orchestration work is very good. In a nutshell, it is an epic track!
So, "Colors", In few words, it is CHARMING!! Keys, and calm orchestration to give you this feelings of serenity, the pain is going to its end, the scars are healed, the tunes are so close to "Ramla" sounds. The soul is on its way to rest, the darkness is over, the warm sun of peace shins, there is no fear or "fray"! You will feel happy for this soul, but you will feel pain as you are still tied in the agony, and torture of the ugly life we live in.
OK, WE ARE GOING TO THE FINAL STAGE!!!!
"And the Sun Rises", it starts with calm, beautiful guitar sounds, and the mood of getting ready, of fast steps. 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. It is the concept of RE-BIRTHING!
In 5:36, there is a beautiful keys interlude, like a break, repeats some riffs in the album but in keys sounds! amazing, of course. But, shortly, you are taken back to powerful, high music again! I would call this part as en elegy for the whole journey! The presence of atmospheric colors enriches the atmosphere of the track beautifully.
In 11:43, it is a surprising part for me, a surprising riff, I liked that the sound of bass is higher in this part as the Bass backs all those sounds. It is really cheerful, cheer up guys, the soul landed safely. and YES, a well-made Saxphone sound full of happiness, cheerfulness, peace played by a talented musician as Youssef Khaled Fawzi!!!
Feel the music, feel the instruments, feel the dancing riffs. The soul is flying in the sky, it is getting better, it is fully cleared!
Finally, I think that I don't have nothing more to do, the album is great one, one of the greatest albums in our local scene. The production, the composition, the performance, everything is great, really great. I just have few comments. I felt that the quality of "Road to Oblivion" is lower than the rest of the tracks, plus, the music is higher than the vocals in some parts, especially when the music is high. BUT, GREAT JOB GUYS, BRAVOOOOO, CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT ON THE STAGE!!
As for me, the best part in the track is from 2:40 to 3:45. Another level of enjoyment, and attraction, and musical beauty represented in an oriental guitar monologue. What's really surprising, the part starting from 4:02, it is really folk one influenced with the oriental songs of mourning, and weeping or "Al Aa'deed". Want me to be closer, "Ya Aieeny Ala El Walaad" :D (YOU GOT IT NOW).
Shortly, a nicer part or it is like a game between instruments :D each player shows his talented, and enjoyment. Even, the vocals part are so calm, slow, no high pitches, no growling!
"Of a Blessed Memory" This track is so melodic, as it is dedicated to the blessings, to the memories, to the traces of the gone one!
If you look to the lyrics, you can find many symbols refer to "Sedlec Ossuary" as "Crown of their bones", "the flesh", "story", "pages", all those signs are mainly taken from the mood, and the antiquities of the place.
Just image yourself stands in the heart of the cathedral or a chapel decorated with skeletons belong to different classes, different stories: ordinary people, glorified soldiers, kings, and saints. I felt that every movement in the track, every melody whether the calm or the dynamic try to express the mystery of the place, and the epic of the stories it contains, actually it is not a track to describe, it is a track to live, to feel. It is a well-made one, long but exciting, catchy and interesting, I liked the oriental touches in the riffs.
ARE YOU READY FOR RISE ABOVE?
Rise Above is one of the most known track for Medic, and when I say "Rise Above", I mean we are getting closer to the sky. I liked being involved in the heart of calm acoustic, guitar work. I don't know I feel that it is highly influenced with Dante's Inferno, in lyrics, many sounds give you the mood of punishment, of cries, of people who scream due to the fear and agony.
Vocal performance, OMG, the shifting between clean, and growling, high pitches, even the part which is written in non-English language (YEAH, I managed to solve a lot of mystery of the track but I could recognize the language :D but most probably LATIN).
It is one of the few tracks that the sounds of keys are so clear, and have a major role, in the final part of course. It is full of techniques, riffs, breakdowns, shifted gears, oriental influenced lines!
The orchestration work is very good. In a nutshell, it is an epic track!
So, "Colors", In few words, it is CHARMING!! Keys, and calm orchestration to give you this feelings of serenity, the pain is going to its end, the scars are healed, the tunes are so close to "Ramla" sounds. The soul is on its way to rest, the darkness is over, the warm sun of peace shins, there is no fear or "fray"! You will feel happy for this soul, but you will feel pain as you are still tied in the agony, and torture of the ugly life we live in.
OK, WE ARE GOING TO THE FINAL STAGE!!!!
"And the Sun Rises", it starts with calm, beautiful guitar sounds, and the mood of getting ready, of fast steps. 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. It is the concept of RE-BIRTHING!
In 5:36, there is a beautiful keys interlude, like a break, repeats some riffs in the album but in keys sounds! amazing, of course. But, shortly, you are taken back to powerful, high music again! I would call this part as en elegy for the whole journey! The presence of atmospheric colors enriches the atmosphere of the track beautifully.
In 11:43, it is a surprising part for me, a surprising riff, I liked that the sound of bass is higher in this part as the Bass backs all those sounds. It is really cheerful, cheer up guys, the soul landed safely. and YES, a well-made Saxphone sound full of happiness, cheerfulness, peace played by a talented musician as Youssef Khaled Fawzi!!!
Feel the music, feel the instruments, feel the dancing riffs. The soul is flying in the sky, it is getting better, it is fully cleared!
Finally, I think that I don't have nothing more to do, the album is great one, one of the greatest albums in our local scene. The production, the composition, the performance, everything is great, really great. I just have few comments. I felt that the quality of "Road to Oblivion" is lower than the rest of the tracks, plus, the music is higher than the vocals in some parts, especially when the music is high. BUT, GREAT JOB GUYS, BRAVOOOOO, CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT ON THE STAGE!!
Dear Metalheads, the album will be available for digital streaming starting from October 1, and it will be available as Physical copies via the leading Metal East Records :) (UAE)
SEE YOU IN METAL BLAST GUYS!
The Rate is: 9
SEE YOU IN METAL BLAST GUYS!
The Rate is: 9
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