Ascension – The Years Of Fire (1996)

Cleveland’s underground just delivered another crushing blow to anyone stupid enough to think Ohio hardcore peaked with Integrity. While everyone’s jerking off to the latest Victory Records bullshit, Ascension has been quietly perfecting the art of controlled chaos in the same basements that spawned Confront and Face Value.
Don’t underestimate Cleveland’s current crop of bands just because they’re not getting the hype machine treatment. Ascension emerged from the same grimy warehouse shows and all-ages spaces that have kept this city’s scene alive through economic collapse and mainstream indifference. These guys share stages with touring acts like Bloodlet and Chokehold, absorbing influences while maintaining their own distinct vision of what hardcore should sound like in 1996.
“The Years of Fire” captures everything that’s right about mid-90s underground hardcore. The production walks that perfect line between raw authenticity and crushing clarity – every breakdown hits like a sledgehammer, every blast beat cuts through the mix with surgical precision. The guitar work is absolutely devastating, alternating between dissonant chord progressions and single-note runs that slice straight through your skull. The rhythm section locks in tight, creating this suffocating foundation that makes Rorschach seem restrained.
Lyrically, these guys tackle urban decay, social alienation, and the complete failure of institutional promises with unflinching directness. No abstract philosophy bullshit – just honest rage about watching your community get stripped for parts by corporate interests.
“Transit” exemplifies everything brilliant about this record. The track opens with this ominous, slow-building intro that erupts into complete sonic warfare. The vocals shift between desperate screams and militant chants while the instrumentation creates an apocalyptic soundscape that perfectly captures the feeling of being trapped in post-industrial wasteland.
Toybox Records deserves props for documenting this perfectly. The recording maintains essential rawness while ensuring every crushing moment translates without sanitization.
Ascension has created something genuinely threatening here. While trends come and go, “The Years of Fire” represents timeless hardcore fury delivered with conviction most bands can only fake. Essential listening for anyone who believes hardcore should be dangerous

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