ILIUM - My Misanthropia

May 20, 2015, 8 years ago

(Nightmare)

Mark Gromen

Rating: 7.0

review heavy metal ilium

ILIUM - My Misanthropia

After a pair of records with former Riot/Masterplan singer Mike DiMeo, the long-running Aussies have opted for Lance King (Balance of Power/Pyramaze), who also runs Nightmare Records. Keyboard enhanced power metal, with a tinge of the progressive, is the name of the game, think millennium dawning Italians like Labyrinth, or Vision Divine, although "Quetzalcoatl" and "The Hatchling" sound like early '80s Rush compositions.

"Penny Black" sees the drummer literally running in place on the double bass, as the guitarist hammers away over top. Seems odd to be listening to something called "Yuletide Ebbs" as Spring (finally!) dawns, musically, it's just as unsettling, slightly off kilter and an eerie sense of discomfort. With a swirl of symphonic strings, the 6:35 closer (longest on the disc), "The Cryptozoologist" (that's a lot of letter O!) sort of throws everything into one song. Initial 1000 copies include a 5-song bonus disc, aka Wendigo, with a trio of originals and cover of Bee Gees' “Tragedy” and the Roger Glover/Ronnie Dio penned “Love Is All”.



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