Anciients: Progressive Sludge Metal Architects
Anciients is a Canadian progressive metal band known for blending sludge metal intensity with intricate, melodic songcraft. Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, the band achieved significant critical acclaim with their debut album, which earned a Juno Award nomination in 2013.
Early career
Anciients formed in 2010, emerging from the fertile Vancouver heavy music scene. The founding members, including vocalist/guitarist Kenny Cook and guitarist Chris Dyck, quickly honed a sound that drew from diverse influences like Mastodon and Opeth.
Their first significant release was the 2011 EP Snakebeard, which garnered underground attention. This early work led to a deal with the respected independent metal label Season of Mist in 2012, setting the stage for their full-length debut.
Breakthrough
The band's breakthrough arrived in 2013 with the release of their first album, Heart of Oak, on Season of Mist. The album was met with widespread praise from metal publications and fans for its ambitious scope.
This critical success was cemented when Heart of Oak was nominated for the Juno Award for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year in 2014. The nomination placed Anciients alongside established Canadian heavyweights and significantly raised their international profile.
Key tracks
Raise the Sun — This opening track from Heart of Oak perfectly encapsulates their dynamic range, shifting from a crushing riff to acoustic passages.
Faith and Oath — A prime example of their epic, multi-movement songwriting that became a live staple and fan favorite.
Following the Voice — This song showcases their ability to weave melodic vocals and harmonized leads into a dense, heavy framework.
Buried in Sand — From their second album, this track highlights their evolved, more progressive and complex compositional style.
The band followed their debut with extensive touring across North America and Europe. Their sophomore album, Voice of the Void, arrived in 2016, further expanding their progressive tendencies and sonic experimentation.
While maintaining a lower public profile in recent years, Anciients' two albums continue to be celebrated within the modern metal community. Their work is frequently cited for its masterful synthesis of aggression and melody.
Fans of Anciients often explore similar artists like Mastodon for their shared love of progressive metal concepts. Opeth is another key reference point for their blend of harsh and clean vocals and dynamic shifts. The Canadian scene offers peers like Kylesa, who also merge sludge with psychedelic elements. Listeners might also appreciate Baroness for their use of melody and weight within the progressive metal and sludge genres.
The powerful and intricate music of Anciients has earned regular rotation on specialty metal radio stations and online rock radio streams. Their albums are featured on independent music radio stations dedicated to showcasing modern and progressive heavy music, ensuring their complex riffs reach a dedicated audience.
You can hear the formidable sound of Anciients on radio stations featured on our website. Listeners can discover or tune into the band's catalog through the variety of rock and metal radio stations available on onairium.com.
