Ascension of the Watchers Founder Discusses the Unexpected Guest Vocals On New Album

The Gauntlet recently caught up with Burton Bell (Fear Factory) to discuss his experimental band, Ascension of the Watchers and the upcoming album "Numinosum." When asked about the surreal vocals on "Mars Becoming," Burton replied "We recorded the bass tracks at this old Abbey in Brooklyn, a place where nuns used to live. Paul Raven had a friend that owned this old Abbey and he turned it into a home. It was 5 stories and he had a studio in it. It was a beautiful place. I walked in and I could feel that it was haunted. I am sensitive to that kind of stuff so I respect whatever is already there. So we go in and record the bass tracks and did our thing. I went back a week later to get the tracks and we listened to we had at the studio. We were listening to the music really loud outside on the driveway and I heard singing on the bass tracks. I looked at Edu [Mussi] and asked if he heard it. I was thinking 'Oh my God!' I heard vocals going on while the song was playing. It wasn't like words, it was like a chorus. It was amazing and beautiful. That became the chorus to "Mars Becoming," what they were singing. It was a few of them, a chorus."

Ascension of the Watchers will release its' debut album "Numinosum" on February 19th through 13th Planet Records.