Artist: Illuminatus
Title: Glasnost
Type: Album
Label: Headroom Records

“No nonsense melodic song writing” is a description I’ve read of Illuminatus’s music. Listening to “Glasnost”, the latest album by the Nottingham-based collective of musicians from Spain, Germany, Italy and England, I would agree with this statement but add that it only tells part of the story. It’s true that there are classical song structures and strong riffs. This album has got balls, a lot more balls in fact than their 2008 album “Wrath of the Lambs”, but the classical element works its way strongly and impressively into post-metal territory. Both harsh and delicate soundscapes feature, but never for their own sake or at the expense of the song structures.

We get right down to business with the deep and penetrative opening two tracks “Glasnost” and “Murdocracy”. I can understand why a comparison has been made between Illuminatus and Anathema, Paradise Lost and even Cult of Luna. Where “Glasnost” is dark, “Murdocracy” sweeps us along. Both pack a powerful punch and share a strong sense of melody. The scene is set. “Division” has a swaying and dominant rhythm and has an element of Metallica in its classic nature. I particularly liked “Reconnect”. I knew already that Illuminatus have great technical skill, but this is mature Metal. “Reconnect” is rich, angry, emotional and delicate. It breathtakingly goes through the range. Moreover it’s a good song. With each track there’s a twist and “Cave In” minimalism gives way to an acoustically driven, hard-hitting and emotive song. “Cave In” and the later “Red” are both on last year’s EP release “The Rising Tide”. This album gets stronger as you would hope. “Keep Calm and Carry On” exhibits power at all levels. The rhythm is as punchy as ever, the vocalist is on fire, the drums provide authority and menace and the heavy instrumentals at the end are rich and potent. “Keep Calm and Carry On” is paradoxically exciting. Quiet moments continue to mix with hard-hitting and memorable riffs. “Red” is the perfect example of this and takes us on to a higher plane with its fusion of explosive but controlled heaviness, melody and nerve-jangling emotion. My only disappointment was the ending. The second to last track “Clarity” is a 6 minute dirge. Instead of leaving us on a high adrenaline level of the kind we have experienced on the earlier songs, it’s calm and plods along before building up moderately on power but not pace. It’s a good song but didn’t take us to that higher level. Some of that power is restored on the final track “Wolves!” but it seems to be lower in the mix and it’s as if the battery has been drained after being on full charge earlier.

I saw Illuminatus live in 2009 and on the strength of that performance and their promising EP “The Rising Tide” realised that they were capable of something electrifying. Well, they’ve largely achieved that here with “Glasnost” which has taken the technical skill of their previous album “Wrath of the Lambs” and added a welcome air of post-metal sharpness and edginess. As a band Illuminatus have good ideas. What I also see is a hard-working and talented band who I know put themselves out and go round touring in places like Grimsby. The musical quality is there too. Illuminatus deserve success with “Glasnost”.

http://www.illuminatus.uk.com
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatusuk
http://www.myspace.com/headroomrecords