Ancient Tome has been around since 2020. This EP :The Implications of Ascendancy, is the first with the new drummer, Aidan Neuner. The band comes from U.S.A. and play doom black metal. Black doom metal is not that common, and I speak the truth right out, I'm not that used to it. But some band has members from Civerous, a band I heard before , Aidan Neuner and Naraka are members in Civerous. So let's dive right into it. " The Implications of Ascendancy" is the first track, and the track start so smooth, very clear sound, and you hear on the drummer after a while, that he does more than keep the pace. And after a nice build up white drums, keyboard and bass, the guitar and the black metal voice comes in. This is heavy and really brutal, Nice.

"Break the Blue" the next track, makes me think ...is this how Black Sabbath would sound, if they did black heavy doom metal? But the atmosphere and the music changes, and soon we are into black metal land. The speed is not doom, and somehow it works awesome. The drummer did give hints of progressive metal, and I would actually place this track into that area. So much going on, and the guitar work deserve attention. This is good. Next track "The Way of the World Is to Bloom" has acoustic guitar and a monologue, at the start, it's beautiful. And works perfect as a build-up for the change, to one of the best, melodic black metal piece of music, that I ever had heard ! It's just beautiful, has so much atmosphere, I did hear on the drums that something was on the way, but I did not expect this. The track goes after a while back to a more doom style, but keep the black metal intensity the whole way.

Last track on the EP: "Lamentation" is heavy and, right from the start, and can't help it, but what I notice first (I'm not a drummer) is the odd time signature, sounds like 6/4 (I can be wrong here, and if, I'm sorry). And it really adds a lot, gives space for a more doom sound. The whole track has a mysterious feeling. And I get hints from My Dying Bride (elder) to Anathema. Each track, gets longer and longer on the EP, and it feels like a concept. Like, every track has a connection to the one before.

And another thing, when I write this review I do it without any pre-listening. It is the first time I hear this band, and their EP. This was something new for me, and no reason to listen 5–8 times, and I know that I will buy it. I'm used to death doom metal, not black doom. But I know that I will be a fan of the band, and listen many times to this EP.