Genre:  Melodic Death Metal

01 Forsaken
02 Wordless History
03 Atrapada en Pesadillas
04 Disclosed
05 Glimmer

Its been a long long time since we've heard from the Ancestral Legacy front.  Since 1995 the band has been avidly working at making a name for themselves and finally succeeded 10 years later on Magik Art Entertainment with Of Magic Illusions.  After the release though, the band more or less disappeared off the face of the Earth.  No one really heard much on them until the release of Trapped Within the Words, a self-released EP from 2008 meant for promotional purposes label searches.  These songs, as with a number of others, are to be included on an album entitled Nightmare Diaries that the band had hoped to be released late in 2008, but unfortunately it has not yet seen the light of day.  However, the band has finally been signed to Femme Metal Records, a label that got their modest start as a webzine much like ours.  When the album release is scheduled is still unknown, but the release of this 5 track EP obviously paid off for them.

Trapped Within the Words is both exciting and disturbing, and sometimes, slightly disappointing.  The music is top notch, so is the production.  The vocals are absolutely sick on the male side and the textures throughout the album border gloomy and depressive, to even progressive in particular moments.  Everything about the album is produced perfectly, and the composition has been written out very well, but therein lies the disappointment at times.  The album is nearly completely straight-forward, with the minimal exception of momentary lapses into progressive / minor movements which last for a second or two at most.  The female vocals are less than impressive, with far too much chorus / effects, and not nearly enough expression.  The music stays on pace throughout most of the record with little to no difficulty for the style they place. 

Regardless though, this could be considered and easy listening album for Melodic Death Metal.  Its easy on the ears despite the sick vocals, fantastically performed by Eddie Risdal.  The band will probably continue to progress into this route, far removed from their proggy black metal routes, especially with their recent signing to the Femme Metal label which will all but focus, undoubtedly, on Elin Anita Omholt.  Its not all bad though.  Tracks like Disclosed showcase exactly what she can do on an interesting level.  Her voice works well for more powerful mid-ranged vocals on difficult note progressions, so it will be good to see them utilize this if they go that route.  There is so much potential here, all it really comes down to is where the band decides their path lies.  You're either going to see a poppier, female-dominated music on the next album or something more brutal with female vocals as an accompaniment during moments.  Either way, it will be good, just left up to a matter of taste.

By the way, if you do get ahold of this EP, there's a hidden piano track at the end of Glimmer, so don't shut it off too quickly!