Ancestral – band formed in January 1999 in the small town of Castelvetrano-Selinunte, southern Italy, has emerged as a major force in the metal music world. The Mendolia twins founded the band with a specific mission: to produce a sound that is both forceful and melodious while being notably devoid of keyboards.
Ancestral earned a name for themselves with their powerful live performances right away. Following multiple concerts, they joined the Riff Raff studios in Marsala in January 2000 to record their debut demo CD “Travel In A Forgotten Time”. This initial demo earned tremendous recognition, becoming popular not just in Italy but also abroad, notably in Japan and Germany.
A year later, in January 2001, Ancestral published its second demo, “Breed Of Chosens”. This CD showcased a more mature and technically advanced sound, cementing the band’s status as a prominent performer in the Italian metal scene. Soundholic Recs distributed “Breed Of Chosens” in Japan, and it became one of the label’s best-selling imported CDs.
Ancestral has performed at a number of prominent events among some of metal’s greatest artists. They’ve shared the stage with Vision Divine, Vader, Extrema and Udo, bolstering their reputation in the metal scene.
>>>Ancestral – Master of Fate<<<
In February 2005, Ancestral released a new promotional CD, “The Walls of Troy” and secured a deal with the esteemed Italian label Underground Symphony. Their debut album, “The Ancient Curse” recorded at Zenith Recordings in Lucca, hit the shelves in July 2007 and was met with both critical acclaim and popular success.
After a period of lineup changes, Ancestral emerged revitalized. Guitarist Carmelo Scozzari joined in 2010, followed by vocalist Jo Lombardo in 2013. In October 2015, the band opted to record their second full-length album at Hertz Studio Recordings in Poland. A studio renowned for its work with bands like Behemoth, Vader and Decapitated. This new album, titled “Master of Fate” featured a guest appearance by Fabio Lione (Angra, Rhapsody of Fire, Vision Divine) on the track “Lust For Supremacy”.
“Master of Fate” was released in January 2017 by the German label Iron Shield Records/Soul Food. The album has a distinct combination of US-style thrash metal and Teutonic speed power metal, displaying Ancestral’s ongoing progression and originality in their sound.
From humble origins in Sicily, Ancestral has grown into a formidable and renowned brand in the global metal scene. Their path exemplifies their creativity, tenacity and enthusiasm for making music that connects with audiences all across the world.
BAND MEMBERS:
Jo Lombardo – Vocals
Alessandro Olivo – Guitars
Carmelo Scozzari – Guitars
Domiziano Mendolia – Bass
Massimiliano Mendolia – Drums
DISCOGRAPHY:
“Master of Fate”
“The Ancient Curse”
