Anciients are bound for a big comeback later this year with the release of their long-awaited third album.
Last month, the JUNO award winners released a re-recorded version of a fan favorite to flex the cosmic muscle of their new lineup. Today, these hard-rocking Canucks are releasing another re-recording. Only this time, they’re tuning up an old bonus track that’s turned into a set list staple.
Listen to “Built to Die (Re-recording)”: https://youtu.be/FpLk_KsNUZM
Anciients first came into existence back in 2011, though Kenny Cook (vocals, guitar), Chris Dyck (guitar) and Aaron “Boon” Gustafson (bass) had already played in a band together. Their potent chemistry, joined with drummer Mike Hannay, spilled over into Heart of Oak, which landed the band an opening slot on tour with Lamb of God, as well as on the long list for a JUNO and the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.
After their second album, Voice of the Void, won a JUNO in 2018 for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year, Anciients underwent several line-up changes. They’re now joined by bassist Rory O’Brien and Brock MacInnes on rhythm guitar.
“Built to Die” tests the horsepower of Anciient’s new engine. A fuzz guitar revs right out of the gate, as if shot out of a cannon by the song’s gargantuan opening roar. What follows is a neck-and-neck drag race between that garage rock riff and double bass kicks that pump with the speed and precision of twin-cylinder pistons. “Goodbye friends / Hello death”, Cook sings with a throat full of melody before he’s swallowed by the low-end’s greasy chug.
“We’re excited to share a re-recorded version of ‘Built to Die’”, Cook says. “This was the first song written for Anciients, so it seemed like a fun idea to record it again with our current lineup. It was originally recorded by Shawn Penner for our Snakebeard EP way back in 2011. It was a great experience to bring it back to life, but this time with Jesse Gander producing it. Hope you all enjoy this new version!”
Anciients’ new album will come out later this year.
Praise for Anciients
“Heady stuff…arch-synthesists, cleverly appropriating a number of familiar, inter-related genres to fuse into a seamless ethos” – Metal Injection
“Proggy, sludgy and downright rocking” – Angry Metal Guy
“When the riffs rumble out of the speakers, you’re moving” – No Clean Singing
“Combining powerful drumming with Thin Lizzy inspired riffs, while sounding like the musical equivalent of Game of Thrones” – Echoes and Dust
“Big, melodic and fun” – New Noise
“It’s exciting stuff, really – often complicated without seeming excessive, skillful but soulful, approachable but not pedestrian” – Pitchfork.
“Parts progressive finesse, classic rock grandstanding and grass-roots bludgeon” – PopMatters
