Ignescent is a fierce, ferocious live band. You'll know it within seconds of pressing play on "Remnant," their most recent single. Only a group that has been tightened, tempered, and tested by countless shows could achieve such sonic cohesion. The words, the beats, the pummeling riffs, the propulsive grooves, the rawness, the attitude, and the surprisingly catchy melodic phrases are all expressions of a unified musical vision.

Ascension, the band's upcoming EP, is the latest realization of that vision: a tough, compact musical statement from a band that's never afraid to get right to the point. "Remnant," an anthem about perseverance and reinvention after misfortune, finds all four members performing at their absolute peak - which is saying something, given their formidable skills. Jennifer Benson sings about her battered but unbreakable spirit.