Release Date: January 09th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Trailblazer - Track Listing:
1.Submerge 05:15
2.Bend 09:23
3.Into The Emptiness 02:52
4.Inner Windows 08:24
5.Reverie 05:53
6.Cascades 03:47
7.Surfacing 08:00
Review
Trailblazer is the debut album from Lithuanian Instrumental Prog Rock/Metal collective Illusis and I would consider them more of a Post-Rock/Post-Metal band. As the band conjure up waves of Psych Metal, Ambient Sounds, Doom Metal and Atmospheric Sludge along the way throughout Trailblazer. The record has quite a dense and cinematic sound where the band are perhaps influenced by the likes of Pelican, Russian Circles, TOOL, Steven Wilson and NIN along the way.
Illusis are quite clever by merging different strands of Instrumental Rock/Metal which ultimately transform into a soulful style of Prog Metal. The songs are quite complex in places with Illusis quite at ease playing slow-to-mid melodic grooves to the heavier, aggressive and fast-paced Post-Metal sounds where the best parts of the album come from especially on tracks such as Submerge, Bend, Inner Windows and Surfacing.
There’s also a great style of different synths and multi level textures appearing with the gloomiest parts of the record that allows the listener to think what’s being played around them. With an unforgiving Alt Metal and Industrial attitude slowly moving further into the background when the subtle Post-Rock movements play that showcase a more emotionally charged creative force appearing which allows Illusis to play some epic uplifting Progressive/Post-Rock beats. There’s even some Classic Hard Rock guitar shredding that comes out of nowhere before changing back to an unforgiving Prog Metal style which showcases a level of ingenuity behind Illusis overall sound.
Trailblazer is a welcome addition to the Instrumental Rock/Metal scene and perhaps allow Illusis the perfect opportunity to gain a loyal following from other branches of the Underground Rock/Metal scene.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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