The Ascension

On 'The Ascension', Glenn Branca conducts a four-guitar ensemble through compositions that explore the extreme sonic possibilities of the electric guitar, using alternate tunings, high volumes, and harmonic overtones to build a monumental wall of sound. The pieces are built upon a powerful and repetitive rhythmic foundation, allowing layers of chiming, dissonant, and droning textures to accumulate into dense, continually rising auditory structures. This fusion of minimalist compositional principles with the raw, visceral energy of rock instrumentation established the album as a landmark of No Wave and a highly influential work for subsequent noise-rock and avant-garde artists.