Melodic black metal cooked under Dissection's secret blend of spices is an infallible recipe. Thulcandra's style takes the frozen tremolo picking and melodically-charged black metal riffs and drives them to a land forlorn. "The First Rebellion," "Deliverance in Sin and Death," "Demigod Imprisoned," and the title track take the standard of the sound to new horizons with outstanding sequences and lead guitar aesthetics that would have Jon Nödtveidt smiling from ear to ear. They are magnificent, ice-covered and desolate black metal hymns showing forceful command over this province. "Ascension Lost" is mostly frenetic, paced antagonistically. Blast beats and hectic drum patterns common in this dominion match guitar work that is not too far beyond the rudimentary concept of melodic black metal. Thulcandra is a child of Dissection; the veneration is undeniable.

I feel the band isn't pushing itself much to become more than just a reproduction of this style, but "Ascension Lost" hits the spot thanks to superb performances and Thulcandra's ability to capture the purity of this neglected, icy style perfectly. The obvious knowledge and passion within "Ascension Lost" is magnificent insofar as the magic is not frittered away after some superb riffing sections and black metal arrangements on "The First Rebellion." The shrieking vocals are fine, though small potatoes compared to the top-notch atmosphere and Thulcandra's splendid gallery of melodic black metal riffs. Sound quality isn't a big deal, either; modern and powerful for the sound, but lacking the raw punch of the masterpieces this subgenre offered in winters past.