Illuminatus - Glasnost

Sometimes when looking for new music to listen to, an older name crops up. Sometimes it's so subtle that you don't even notice. So it was with Illuminatus, a metal band from Nottingham. After seeing the video for Murdocracy a couple of weeks ago, I was very excited to hear the rest of the album, assuming it to be a new release. Not so. It was, in fact, release early last year.

It turns out that I have, in fact, seen Illuminatus play live. They toured their first album, The Wrath Of The Lambs, back in 2008. I saw them supporting My Ruin at Sheffield Corporation, along with Sanctorum and Speed Theory. They were the first up, and so were, unjustly, consigned to my memory as "that first support band who were really good but I can't remember their name". Such realisations make me wonder how much other cool stuff I could have found by being a little less drunk and forgetful at gigs in the past.

But on to the matter at hand; Glasnost. As may be expected by the title of both the album and the video Murdocracy, the lyrical themes of this album are corrupt governments, powerless individuals and the futility of war. Released last year to some high praise, and securing Illuminatus slots at Download and Damnation (which I missed, damnit), it cemented the band's great reputation. And rightly so. It's catchy as hell and the bombardment of heavy beats, riffs and hooks is energising. I'd love to be in the crowd to see them play this album live. It might might be the most upbeat of subject matter, but it's definitely one to get the crowd going.

Several tracks stand out from the pack, including the aforementioned Murdocracy, Keep Calm And Carry On, Red and Clarity. The vocals are a mix of clean and screams and fit the style perfectly, giving the music and urgency and an energy that's infectious. The band shun the scenes, the bandwagons and fashions of the times, steering clear of genre labels and the associated assumptions. This shows through in the simple honestly of the style. It's pure heavy metal, with guitar solos, epic riffs and thundering drums, while still being both melodic and atmospheric with a progginess shining through on many of the songs.

The album slows down toward the end, with Clarity having a much more classic rock feel to it, giving a different perspective on the album. The energy of the beginning of the album dissipates, but with some crushing riffs and amazing guitar work providing a slower, yet no less heavy experience. The bombardment eases, leading to a slow nodding of the head to the wail of the guitars, the steady rhythm of the drum and the soft pitter-patter of the cymbal. Slower, yet no less powerful, and picking up again right at the end of Wolves! to end the album as it began.

Having been thoroughly impressed by Glasnost, and having used it to rock out in the car while stuck in traffic on my way home in an evening, I shall be checking out the band's earlier material. The band's upcoming gig list is a little sparse (actually it's completely empty) but I'll be keeping an eye out for them in the future. Cracking stuff.