Considering the tight run of albums since the first part of the “Gullvåg Trilogy” in 2017 – three double and a single album in less than four years – the 16 months wait for Ancient Astronauts must feel like an eternity for the fans. And once again we are amazed at the creative forces and consistently high quality at work here.
Much of the music here somehow continue in the manner of the band’s popular long form “N.O.X.” suite from The All Is One (2019) album, including “Mona Lisa/Azrael” and “Chariot Of The Sun – To Phaeton On The Occasion Of Sunrise (Theme From An Imagined Movie)”, the latter clocking in at 22 minutes, being the band´s longest instrumental track to date. Most of Ancient Astronauts was recorded in Amper Tone studio in Oslo during five days in August with old compadre Deathprod at the helm as producer. All four tracks are basically the band playing live in the studio, with the odd keyboards, bits of guitar and the vocals added afterwards. Some of it is in turns pretty frantic and angular or grandiose and hypnotic and is mined from the same sources as the band’s more explorative music from recent years. Meaning there aren’t many choruses to hang on to here, but plenty of mouthwatering music for fans and progheads alike.
