California rock band A Skylit Drive have recently released their latest album, Rise: Ascension. The group previously released four successful records and decided to make the fifth entirely acoustic. Rise: Ascension contains the same songs from their last release, Rise, dropping their post-hardcore sound. While their more extreme sounds are absent from the album, the replacing instruments help create smooth flows and transitions within the songs. With a variety of sounds, A Skylit Drive have produced Rise: Ascension with a methodical attempt to provide fans with a new style.
While some may not be familiar with Rise, Rise: Ascension still captures the distinct vocal style that A Skylit Drive is recognized for. The album’s backing instrumentation helps maintain and emphasize the lyrical clarity within each of the 12 tracks. In “Pendulum,” they rely heavily on traditional piano notes throughout the song and it establishes a contrast within the album itself. The vocals still have the unmistakable post-hardcore technique, yet the instrumentation is quite different. Never losing the intensity, the combination of acoustic instruments creates a unique style. This is especially noticeable in “Crash Down” where there are several different sounds; the cello is the most distinct instrument within the song. An acoustic album often means unplugged guitars; A Skylit Drive have created Rise: Ascension extending beyond that concept.
A Skylit Drive put in the necessary time and effort to avoid becoming too general with their acoustic rendition of former songs. Rise: Ascension has an interesting blend of post-hardcore and traditional instruments that makes the album creative and genuine. The use of different styles and sounds adds to the variety on the record. In 12 songs, the band is able to recreate an entire album with their clear vocals and diverse sounds. Any rock fan can certainly appreciate the dedication A Skylit Drive have displayed on Rise: Ascension.
In A Word: Straightforward
