''Atlantis Ascendant'' is the fifth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by English

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

band Bal-Sagoth. It was released in April 2001 through

Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast is a record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label mov ...

. 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 Byron Roberts, also known as Byron A. Roberts, is the vocalist/lyricist and founder of the British symphonic extreme metal band Bal-Sagoth. He is also the author of "The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor" book series published by DMR Books, as well a ...

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. The narrative take ...

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

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

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

Jonny Maudling Jonny Maudling (born Jonathan Maudling) is an English composer, keyboard player and former drummer for the band Bal-Sagoth, keyboardist with the band Kull, former bassist with the unsigned UK thrash band Igniter, and frequent collaborator with ...

– keyboards * Mark Greenwell – bass * Dave Mackintosh – 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, Ora ...

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

References

Bal-Sagoth albums 2001 albums Concept albums {{2000s-black-metal-album-stub