Ancient Thrones, the Canadian progressive blackened death metal force known for their visceral storytelling and relentless sonic assault, is set to officially release their long-awaited sophomore album, “Melancholia,” on September 19th (Vinyl and Digital), and can be heard in full before its unleashed via its album stream premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE.
Described by the band as “the sound of existential exhaustion,” “Melancholia” is a 42-minute concept album that plunges listeners into a surreal narrative: a colourblind protagonist takes hallucinogens in a desperate attempt to see colour, only to spiral into a kaleidoscopic nightmare. From the explosive opening of “A Moon Fused Key” to the haunting decay of “Vacant,” the album is a relentless barrage of speed, aggression, and cinematic atmosphere.
“This is truly an unapologetic extreme metal concept album. It’s a bad trip you can’t escape, jagged, abstract, and emotionally devastating,” says the band.
Formed in 2011 and rebranded in 2018, Ancient Thrones has evolved into a fully realized extreme metal entity, thanks in part to the addition of multi-band virtuoso Dylan Wallace. The writing process began in early 2020, just as the world was descending into pandemic-induced uncertainty. Rather than reflect the global crisis directly, the band channeled their energy into crafting a deeply personal and psychologically intense record.
“We’re proud to share this album with our fans, old and new. We hope it moves you in unnatural ways. Enjoy the trip while it lasts,” adds the band.
“Melancholia” is not just an album; it’s an immersive experience. The band’s signature blend of fast, extreme, progressive, cinematic, and existential metal is on full display, with every track contributing to the overarching narrative. Lyrically, the album explores themes of trauma, hallucination, and the dangers of idealism, all inspired by real-life experiences and a harrowing psychedelic episode.
Drawing inspiration from bands like The Red Chord, The Faceless, Archspire, and Deafheaven, Ancient Thrones pushes the boundaries of extreme music. Their sound is rooted in black metal, 2000s death metal, and modern tech death, but their cinematic approach and lyrical depth set them apart.
With “Melancholia” out on September 19, 2025, the band is already writing new material for the follow-up. Fans can expect more crushing, emotionally charged music in the near future.
Album pre-order (Vinyl, Digital) – https://ancientthrones.bandcamp.com
Lyric Video – “A Moon Fused Key” https://youtu.be/IfDBNhlJ0sI
Music Video – “Melancholia” – https://youtu.be/_LvSTJ78kd8
Playthrough – “A Turning Point” – https://youtu.be/zQ3wZqZj9EQ
 |
Track Listing:
1. A Moon Fused Key (5:12)
2. Achromatopsia (1:19)
3. Melancholia (6:17)
4. A Turning Point (5:46)
5. A Pellucid Prism (4:26)
6. Sacred Swollen Glass (6:16)
7. Blight (2:18)
8. A Pale Palace (4:55)
9. Vacant (5:31)
Album Length: 42:00
Band Lineup:
Dylan Wallace – Guitar
Nick Leslie – Guitar
Matt LeBlanc – Bass
Sean Hickey – Drums & Vocals
More info: Facebook.com/Ancientthrones | Instagram.com/ancientthrones
-30-
“The music is indeed violent, and immediately so, exploding in a blast of turbulent riffing, heavily undulating bass tones, and furious beats. The guitars wildly writhe and rapidly spear off in crazed angles, kaleidoscopic in effect, and the words spit forth in caustic screams that are equally deranged. Dissonant and dismal tones intrude, along with guttural roars, blast-beat outbursts, and pulverizing blows, and the riffing also seems to swarm in agony, adding further dimensions of darkness to the song’s overarching manifestation of delirium. Backed by a pulse-pounding and highly headbangable groove, the song also introduces yet another dimension, an eerie guitar solo that slowly slithers, brightly swirls, and evolves into an entrancing harmony, very much like a beckoning and seductive presence that manifests within the mayhem.” – No Clean Singing (single – A Moon Fused Key – 2025)
What the press has said about 2020’s “The Veil”:
“A full-throttle attack, the song (The Sight of Oblivion) delivers bludgeoning rhythms, vicious darting and slashing guitar-work, scorching blackened shrieks, and cold-hearted roars. There’s a brazen, borderline-unhinged quality to the barrage, generated by screaming, rapidly whirling leads, magma-like bass notes, and fast-changing, bone-cracking drums. But within the assault there are also fluid, sinuous melodic leads whose mellifluous, reverberating tones give the music a mysterious, mesmerizing, and mournful quality. And near the end one of those leads morphs into a fret-burning dual-guitar extravaganza that really gets the blood rushing.” – No Clean Singing (2020 – The Veil)
“Nearly an hour in length, The Veil earns that run-time with crisply-written compositions and an arsenal of sky-ripping riffs. The acoustic reprieve of “Sentient” and melodic grief of “Permanent” reveal the album’s heavy heart. But the album conjures strength from those pensive moments. Rife with nimble axe-work from Dylan Wallace and Nick Leslie, The Veil never succumbs to the solemnity of its subject. The Veil remains an impactful listen down to its final dying note.” – Decibel Magazine (2020 – The Veil)
“Trailer Park Boys and Hobo With a Shotgun aren’t the only pieces of media that have emerged from Nova Scotia that you should get excited over.” – MetalSucks
“From the massive tremolo sections and bludgeoning riffs to the surprisingly melodic harmonies between guitarists Dylan Wallace and Nick Leslie, Ancient Thrones have definitely honed in on something special with this track.” – GearGods
“From earth crushing riffs and face-melting guitar solos to the overarching theme of grief and devastation that the record encompasses, this single really ramps up the intensity” – Bravewords
“Canadian band Ancient Thrones perform a combination of black, death and thrash metal with some progressive tendencies on The Veil. They have similarities to Skeletonwitch, but have an even more dynamic sound. The songs are both aggressive and intelligent in equal measure and run through a variety of different emotional tangents. There is a vile and harsh aspect to the band, but there is also a forward thinking one. It all results in a creative and dynamic listen.” – Heavy Music Headquarters (2020 – The Veil)
“The prize for most ambitious album of 2020 already has the name of Ancient Thrones carved in marble. Who among you fancies a 56-minute blackened death metal saga with an epic meditation on one man’s descent into the afterlife? No band thought it conceivable to write the metal version of Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, but this Nova Scotia quartet are not just any band. This is a remarkable journey for the contemplative mind.” – Scream Blast Repeat (2020 – The Veil)
“The Sight of Oblivion and The Millionth Grave are steeped in ferociousness and savagery as only a band well versed in blackened death metal are capable of producing.8.5/10” – Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life (2020 – The Veil)
“With this new incarnation, Ancient Thrones has moved into strict Black/Death territory, producing an album filled with pummeling riffs, intricate song structures, and technical musicianship that’s leavened by atmospheric segments and epic, sometimes audacious melodies that border on Cascadian. The production matches this style perfectly, being heavy and abrasive while allowing the songs enough room to stretch out… fans of more epic and melodic Black/Death will want to give The Veil a listen. 4/5” – The Metal Crypt (2020 – The Veil)
“It is fast, thrashing extreme metal with shrieked/growled vocals, and a headbanging attitude. They have elements of thrash, black and death but their method of delivery won’t confuse anyone. It is metal to make the fans move. It is pretty thrashy, pretty brutal but also melodic, and the guitar work has plenty to offer both in the riffs and the melodies.” – Metal Bulletin (2020 – The Veil)
Add Comment