Beyond the Reach of the Sun
Beyond the Reach of the Sun finds Anciients making ambitious metal with a strong melodic centre. The guitars move between heavy riffs, flowing leads and quieter detail, while Kenny Cook's clean singing and growls provide a wide range of expression. The music is carefully played, but its best moments come from the force of an idea rather than the difficulty of performing it.
Forbidden Sanctuary opens patiently, allowing tension to develop before the heavier arrangement takes over. The clean vocal melodies give the long song a clear point of connection. Guitar harmonies and more exploratory passages lead towards a much harsher finish, making the opening a substantial introduction to the record's range.
Despoiled makes a more direct impression. The riffs have a strong sense of movement, and the singing gives the heavy attack an immediate hook. Its later gallop adds another burst of energy. The song shows how effectively the band can concentrate their musical detail without losing the broader progressive character.
Is It Your God brings a more mournful mood. Cook's clean voice is especially effective here, while the keyboards add another colour around the guitars. The later development gives the emotion room to grow, providing one of the album's strongest contrasts between reflective melody and physical weight.
The guitar playing remains the main attraction across the record. Cook and Brock MacInnes combine melodic lines, harmonies and heavier patterns without making every passage a contest. Beyond Our Minds and The Torch add welcome force later in the sequence, with the latter making particularly good use of a more technical, weighty approach.
The full album is less consistent than those highlights suggest. Some songs leave less of a distinct impression once their strongest passages have passed. Candescence and the extended In the Absence of Wisdom offer less immediate reward than the stronger material. Some careful trimming would give the most effective passages more space to stand apart.
Even so, Beyond the Reach of the Sun is a convincing progressive metal record. The committed singing, melodic guitar work and strong heavier sections give it more than technical appeal. Its familiar structures keep it from feeling like a complete breakthrough, but the best songs show a band with a clear command of its sound.
