ASHENT was formed in 2001 by two italian brothers, Gianpaolo and Onofrio Falanga who play bass and guitar respectively.
After few months, the keyboards player Paolo Torresani, the singer Max Zhena, the guitar player Thomas Giro and the drummer J.C. joined the band.
The guys worked extensively during the first couple of years, developing a personal style which synthesized a fresh blend of progressive metal with modern day thrash&death. Their music features huge riffs, characterized by aggression and various tempo changes. The themes developed in the lyrics reveal personal reflections of the bands views on the human condition and future of mankind.
ASHENTS vision was brought to fruition on the four tracks of their first demo CD that bears their name. The CD, which they produced themselves, was recorded during February of 2003 at the famous New Sin Studio where veteran engineer/producer Luigi Stefanini supervised the recording and mastering.
The band received rave reviews, the critics gave the CD fantastic reception and praise: "Ashent" was named demo of the month and was awarded excellent ratings by dozens of magazines and web-zine throughout Italy and Europe. After some excellent live performances, a change of musicians gave to the band the best line-up possible in order to sign in the 2005 a contract with the veteran Italian label Lucretia Records(Angra, Time Machine, Vanden Plas.).
With the eclectic drummer Davide Buso, the virtuoso guitar player Cristiano Bergamo and the amazing american singer Steve Braun, Ashent started to compose their debut album.
In December of 2005 the band went to Rome to record the drums at Outer Sound Studio, under the supervision of Giuseppe Orlando & Massimiliano Pagliuso of the band Novembre. The remainder of their first official album "FLAWS OF ELATION" was recorded at New Sin Studio during February of 2006 and was mixed and mastered by Luigi Stefanini.
"Flaws of Elation" is the first ASHENT's jewel, an example of refined prog-metal with techno-thrash influences that was extraordinarily well composed, played and produced. Ten songs with an original mixture of energy, impact, catchy melodies and shredding arrangements, that demonstrated the high level of ASHENT's personality as composers and musicians.
In just a few months the album sold out and received fantastic reception and praise, giving to the band a solid fan-base and an extraordinary reaction from the critics. The secret of the band is, of course, a great line-up constructed with the right balance between experience, ambition, fresh-songwriting abilities and solid live performances.
After a year and a half spent supporting the release of the first album, Ashent decided it was time to push themselves to compose new material. During 2008 the band came back at New Sin Studio and recorded the "Flaws of Elation"'s successor, entitled "Deconstructive": a prog experience with many contaminations and a maturity of song writing that can only be classified as Ashent.
Produced by Falanga brothers and Luigi Stefanini, the 12 tracks has been released worldwide in March 20th 2009 by Lion Music, the Finnish label unanimously considered as a leading force within progressive and power metal circles!
Undoubtedly Deconstructive led the band to be considered one of the most interesting new coming European metal band, due to an enthusiatic response of critics and a large fan-base fond of the band. Lion Music Top Seller's band, almost 500,000 plays on Myspace Official page, and a new line-up with Titta Tani (Goblin, Daemonia, ex-Necrophagia, ex-DGM) as new singer!
