Review by Norbert on December 26, 2025.

First, silence. A step into the darkness. A breath that grows increasingly heavy. And suddenly, everything moves. Images rush by, as if someone were scrolling through space in fast forward: eyes that stare from every direction, light and darkness clashing in a merciless rhythm. Then, stop. Silence like a punch to the void. Time stretches, the breath calms… but only to plunge back into the vortex a moment later—violent, torrenting, offering no respite. The whole thing is a continuous cycle: acceleration, halt, explosion, stillness. Storm and calm that return again and again, until your "self" disintegrates in this movement. And when, at the end, only light on the horizon remains, you feel that this journey has been worthwhile.

It's hard to believe this is Ancient Death's first full-length album. With Ego Dissolution, the Massachusetts band treads territory where technical death metal meets death-doom and progressive imagery. It's not an album that can be easily "checked off." It's more of a journey through various shades of extremes: from aggressive, precise explosions to heavy, monumental doom passages that sound like the walls are crashing down. Ego Dissolution is a dense album, full of sudden tempo changes and contrasts, where death metal foundations meet doom's heaviness and progressive imagery. On the one hand, we have precise, violent attacks that easily evoke associations with Death or Sadus, on the other, monumental, slowed-down passages with a distinct death-doom flavor, sounding like the ceilings of a cathedral collapsing. It's this balance between speed and heaviness that gives the album its drama and prevents it from ever falling into monotony.

Ancient Death's music also resonates with the progressive spirit of Cynic and Atheist, present in sudden rhythmic shifts, complex guitar arrangements, and unexpected modulations. The Ray Brouwer-Jerry Witunsky duo drives the narrative with razor-sharp riffs, yet simultaneously weaves melodic, spacious solos that evoke cosmic breath rather than brutal blows. The bass and drums keep this chaos in check, though it's not really about control, but about consciously letting go of the reins—one moment rushing with a frantic rhythm, the next moment slowing to a doomy heaviness. It's a variability that captivates and forces the listener to remain alert.

It's impossible not to mention more contemporary references. At many points, the album brings to mind Blood Incantation, especially where the death metal core opens up into a cosmic narrative and atmosphere, while in the most extended passages, you can almost feel the spirit of late Gorguts, where experimentation and structural freedom go hand in hand with brutality. There are also moments where the heaviness and stifling claustrophobia draw thoughts back to Incantation – especially where the death-doom slowness serves as an equal building block, not just a counterpoint. 

This keeps the album from being a relentless assault. Growls drive the narrative with passionate intensity, but every so often, surprises emerge: Jasmine Alexander's clean vocals, sounding like light piercing through storm clouds, or instrumental interludes—'Journey To The Inner Soul' and 'Discarnate'—that don't distract, but rather set the drama in a rhythm, allowing the listener to catch their breath before the next strike. All of this makes Ego Dissolution not a simple collection of songs, but a fully-fledged journey with carefully planned dynamics.

The cover by Maegan LeMay complements the whole experience – a decaying figure with a thousand eyes stares directly at the listener, hypnotizing and unsettling. It's a visual reflection of music in which terror and fascination are inextricably intertwined. Ego Dissolution is an impressive debut: it combines technical precision with doom heaviness and progressive narrative, balancing genre classics with contemporary explorations, and opening up a space for the listener where each passing minute brings a new experience.

And when the final note fades away, you feel exactly as you did in the story at the beginning – after cycles of rapid accelerations, slow doom marches, and cosmic visions, you're left alone, your ego dissolved in one of the most interesting metal journeys of 2025.

And you feel that this journey had meaning.

Rating: 9 out of 10