ANCIENT THRONES Returns w/ Haunting Video "A Moon Fused Key" From Sophomore Album "Melancholia" Out Sept 2025
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Halifax, Canada’s relentless progressive death metal band Ancient Thrones return with their harrowing sophomore album "Melancholia", dropping September 19th, 2025, a follow-up to 2020’s debut "The Veil". Leading the release is their first single, “A Moon Fused Key”, accompanied by a haunting lyric video that offers a raw glimpse into the album’s psychological abyss.
Formed in 2011 and reborn in 2018 with the arrival of guitarist and composer Dylan Wallace, Ancient Thrones carved out a new identity rooted in fast, extreme, progressive, cinematic, and existential soundscapes. With "Melancholia", the band dives deeper into these sonic philosophies, creating a concept-driven album born out of isolation, trauma, and the need to transform pain into art.
"We think this album is a turning point for us, where we were able to take the atmosphere of our previous record, and kick the aggression up to a thousand. The intention of our last record, "The Veil," was to be poetic and hopeful, but the intention with our second full-length, "Melancholia," is to crush any ounce of hope that is left," adds the band.
A high-speed, technically savage record written during the first wave of the pandemic. "Melancholia" is packed with themes of hallucination, suicide, and emotional unraveling, inspired by personal experience and psychedelic trauma. Built as a narrative journey, with abstract lyrics and music that flow seamlessly from track to track.
The writing process started with Wallace churning out riffs in isolation while drummer and vocalist Sean Hickey developed the narrative alongside the music. Their creative synergy resulted in a cinematic tapestry where music evokes visuals, and lyrics deepen the vision. Each track exists as a piece of a larger, emotionally devastating puzzle.
The band meticulously sculpted every sonic detail over five years, dialing in tones and mastering techniques to ensure a pummeling production. Unlike their expansive debut, "Melancholia" tightens its tracklist to accommodate a proper vinyl release, with each song handpicked for impact. Every riff, lead, and vocal layer contributes to an immersive and aggressive listening experience.
“We didn’t plan to write a concept album, but the story began to unfold, and we couldn’t resist,” adds Hickey.
Inviting fans into the haunting world of "Melancholia", Ancient Thrones is unveiling their first single and the album's opening track, “A Moon Fused Key”. Kicking off the record, the track sets the stage for the violent nature about to unfold both musically and lyrically. This is the point of the concept album where the character puts an end to every piece of life in his body. At the end of the song, he sees the hand of god pulling him to heaven, and he severs it. This song is fast, filled with crushing riffs, and sets the tone for what’s to come.
The band comments:
“A Moon Fused Key is the opening track on the album, but also a climax narratively, jumping straight into where hell is unfolding in our character's story. The song begins with unrelenting force and speed, and does not stop until the final bitter moments. We wanted to establish that Melancholia was not just a catchy title for the album; that we intend to tie our audience in a nihilistic, inhuman, terrifying, and brutal end, as the character celebrates their death viciously. This song is a statement in existential exhaustion, where you have no choice but to brace for what’s coming”.
Taking influences from black metal, 2000s death metal, and modern tech death, "Melancholia" reflects the Ancient Thrones' commitment to pushing boundaries in extreme music. Recommended for fans of Archspire, The Red Chord, Deafheaven, and The Faceless.
Watch and listen to "A Moon Fused Key" via its lyric video premiere on NoCleanSinging HERE.
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/54OafwThPmIXquCxxy0ySq
Album pre-order (Vinyl, Digital) (out Sept 19th, 2025) - https://ancientthrones.bandcamp.com/
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Track Listing:
1. A Moon Fused Key (5:12)
2. Achromatopsia (1:19)
3. Melancholia (6:17)
4. A Turning Point (5:46)
5. A Pellucid Prism (4:26)
6. Sacred Swollen Glass (6:16)
7. Blight (2:18)
8. A Pale Palace (4:55)
9. Vacant (5:31)
Album Length: 42:00
Band Lineup:
Dylan Wallace - Guitar
Nick Leslie - Guitar
Matt LeBlanc - Bass
Sean Hickey - Drums & Vocals
More info: Facebook.com/Ancientthrones | Instagram.com/ancientthrones
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