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Artist: Ilium |
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'Ageless' Decay is fourth
release from Australia’s premier power metal act Ilium. The band
have enlisted the vocal might of one Mike DiMeo for this release, and
Tommy Hansen for the mixing and mastering side of things. These
two facts alone should make you sit up and take notice of what is the
band's best release to date.
With Hansen on board you're sure to get the best a band can be, and he really has brought out the best in this band. DiMeo is at his vocal best from the off making this is another superb album in what has been a glorious year for metal and rock. The album launches straight for the jugular with the riff laden ‘Mothcaste’, with DiMeo as shining light along with the fantastic guitar work of Jason Hodges, the huge pounding rhythm section of Adam Smith on bass and Tim Yatras on drums. This impressive album continues with the mighty epic ‘Hibernal Thaw’, a real metal monster with DiMeo once again showing what a great vocal talent he is. This is one of his best vocals I’ve heard from the former Riot/Masterplan frontman and with the soaring guitar work from Hodges, this song is one of the standout tracks of the album for me and the little prog moment mid song is just superb. It’s Power Metal all the way with ‘Tar Pit’ and the oddly titled ‘Omnipaedia’, two ball busting slices of metal that will have the metal-heads in raptures. As will ‘Xerophyte’ which is a slow burner that just builds into a frenzied guitar assault and a tub thumping attack from Yatras, and with the added keys from Smith this is a real all out headbanger's delight. The all guns blazing
attack is induced with a little Eastern spice or should I say East
African for the excellent ‘Nubia Awakes’, during which Smith shows
he not only a wiz on bass and guitar, but he can also tinkle the ivories
when the need arises. The title track ‘Ageless Decay’ is one of the shortest tracks on the album, but size is not important it’s what you do with it and this one is just superb. A real ass-kicking rocker that just explodes from the off and never eases up, this it METAL!!!! no doubt about it. We go in a different direction completely with ‘Eocene Dawning’, a little progressive element that really makes this one something special, while still that heavy metal element in the mix, but Hansen has also infused a little orchestration to give the track a bit more depth, and it really works well with DiMeo’s vocal and Hodges and Smiths great guitar work. It's all out Metal once more with the speed ridden ‘Fragmented Glory’, a real powerhouse track this one. Raise the horns and scream out loud, metal-heads unite, this one's for you! ‘The Neo –Mortician’ again brings in a little prog edge to proceedings without losing any of that Power Metal glory and ‘The Little Witch Of Madagascar’ is guitar players bliss, with Hodges and Smith throwing out like no other. This tremendous album closes in fine style with the seven minute plus masterpiece ‘Idolatry’, that is just sheer melodic metal joy. A real corker of a track to end what is without a doubt Ilium’s finest hour. Let's hope DiMeo remains a integral part of the Ilium team because he brings a touch of class to the band.
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Tracklisting:
1. Mothcaste
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