''Atlantis Ascendant'' is the fifth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

by English

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

band

Bal-Sagoth Bal-Sagoth () are a symphonic black metal band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, formed in 1993. Originally formed as an epic symphonic black metal band with strong death metal elements, vocalist/lyricist Byron Roberts took the name 'Bal-S ...

. It was released in April 2001 through

Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast Records is a German record label with subsidiary, subsidiaries located in Germany, the United States and Brazil. It was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Donzdorf. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on ...

. This was the first Bal-Sagoth album to be recorded (albeit only partially) with digital recording technology. The album's primary story and lyrical concept as written by vocalist-lyricist Byron Roberts centres on the exploits of a fictional nineteenth-century British archaeologist and adventurer named Professor Caleb Blackthorne III, who has dedicated his life to the field of

antediluvian The antediluvian (alternatively pre-diluvian or pre-flood) period is the time period chronicled in the Bible between the fall of man and the Genesis flood narrative in biblical cosmology. The term was coined by Thomas Browne (1605–1682). The n ...

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, society, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including archaic humans. Social anthropology studies patterns of behav ...

and to seeking out evidence as to the true nature of humanity's origin. As with many protagonists in the

Lovecraftian Lovecraftian horror, also called cosmic horror or eldritch horror, is a subgenre of horror, fantasy fiction and weird fiction that emphasizes the horror of the unknowable and incomprehensible more than gore or other elements of shock. It is na ...

fashion, his investigations lead to madness and death. In November 2011, ''Atlantis Ascendant'' was reissued as a limited edition

digipak Optical disc packaging is the packaging that accompanies CDs, DVDs, and other formats of optical discs. Most packaging is rigid or semi-rigid and designed to protect the media from scratches and other types of exposure damage. Jewel case A ...

by Nuclear Blast's affiliate label Metal Mind Productions. The reissue featured an expanded lyric booklet, additional artwork and remastered audio. In July 2013, ''Atlantis Ascendant'' was released on CD in Argentina via Icarus Music under license from Nuclear Blast GmbH. On 16 October 2020 ''Atlantis Ascendant'' was reissued as a digipak CD edition via Dissonance Productions. In February 2021 a limited edition LP of ''Atlantis Ascendant'' featuring a lenticular 3D cover was released via the Italian specialist vinyl label Night of the Vinyl Dead. In May 2022, ''Atlantis Ascendant'' was reissued as a single disc gatefold sleeve LP edition via the UK specialist vinyl label Back On Black.

Track listing

These bonus tracks were taken from the 1993 demo.

Personnel

* Byron Roberts – vocals, cover art concept, design * Chris Maudling – guitars *

Jonny Maudling Jonny Maudling (born Jonathan Maudling) is an English keyboard player and drummer, former bassist with the unsigned UK thrash band Igniter and principal music composer for the UK symphonic metal band Bal-Sagoth. He is now the composer/ keyboar ...

– keyboards * Mark Greenwell – bass *

Dave Mackintosh DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, formed in 1999. They are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced sound. The band themselves refer to their music as "extreme po ...

– drums

Additional personnel

* Mags – engineering, mixing, producer *

Martin Hanford Martin Hanford (born 21 February 1974) is a British fantasy artist based in Herefordshire, England. In addition to painting album covers and T-shirt designs for a variety of heavy metal bands, including Bal-Sagoth, Twilight Force, Angantyr, Or ...

– cover art, artwork (illustrations) * Simon Lee – photography

References

Bal-Sagoth albums 2001 albums 2000s concept albums Back on Black Records albums {{2000s-black-metal-album-stub