| CD REVIEW Ilium |
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Band : Ilium Gee man, this Australian Power Metal act (based in Newcastle, New South Wales) really has gone through some heartship since its formation in 1998! Well, actually things start a bit earlier, as they were once known as Oracle, which began life back in 1990. The only real constant in thàt band’s history being guitarist Jason Hodges (whom is also the driving force behind the lyrics these days). Ilium originally started out as a regroupment of Oracle (who’d stopped activities two years before), including (besides Hodges) former members Mark Snedden (vocals), Kris Arendse (guitar), Matthew Woodland (bass) and Jason Dohmen (drums), but the latter soon left. With session drummer David Pearson completing the line-up, the band changed monickers to Iliad and recorded a 6-track demo which was subsequently discarted due to aweful sound quality. The band then changed names to Ilium, saw former guitarist Adam Smith rejoin, and operated as a 3-guitarist act for a while, until Arendse left. With Pearson still on the drum stool, Ilium then recorded a self-titled 4-track EP, which also included a cover version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Green Manalishi” (rendered immortal by Judas Priest). The EP, produced by Dungeon’s Lord Tim, got favourable reviews from magazines the world over, and a European distribution deal by German label Hellion Records. Both Pearson and Woodland would leave soon after! The strength of the EP nevertheless got Ilium signed to Italian label Steelheart, and the band (at that time still reduced to the threesome of Snedden, Hodges, and Smith) hired the help of Dungeon’s Steve Moore for drum duties to record (in a co-production with Lord Tim) their debut album Sirens Of the Styx (and yes, the title doés suggest the lyrics leaning heavily on the classics). Bass and keyboards on the album were additionally performed by Smith. Soon afterward, the line-up was completed with the addition of Peter Gilchrist on bass and Dave Walmsey on drums. Released in late 2003, the album came at a time when it was again cool to listen to Power Metal, especially in the growing and respected Australian scene. In 2004, the band recorded their version of Dio’s “Rainbow In The Dark” for inclusion on the Steelheart Records compilation “A Tribute To The Glory Of ‘80s Metal”. While still awaiting the debut album’s release, the band had announced plans to begin recording its next two albums...but dark clouds had again gathered around the band: the singer left because of family and financial problems, and technical troubles forced the band to combine the material for the two proposed album into what would become Permian Dusk. Due to the dire circumstances, both Gilchrest (whom hàd recorded his bass on the upcoming album’s demos; on the album bass would also be handled by the mylti-faceted Smith) & Walmsey (still recorded his drum contribution to the album before leaving) leave at the end of 2003. As lead singer for the album, the band eventually hired the help of producer Lord Tim (who’d already done the backing vocals to the first album), and seen as his voice was more in sinc with the ideas of the remaining members (Smith and Hodges), the singer’s contribution would help gain the band the national recognition which they’d been craving for. As an added bonus, they were also making a name for themselves internationally, in spite of the fact that they were only 3 at the time, and unable to promote the album in live circumstances. In a positive twist of fate, both Gilchrest & Walmsey returned in late 2004, and Ilium also recruited Walmsey’s very talented (and then 15 year-old) son Corey (who’d twice been a contestant on TV talent and reality show Australian Idol, but failed to go before public even though he made the top 100 each time) into the band on keyboards and backing vocals. His father again left (to be replaced by Dungeon’s Tim Yatras) while Permian Dusk was being mastered, and soon after the band was again stuck by bad luck as Corey was forced out of the band due to a foot amputation as a result of being it by a train a month before the album’s release in November 2005. Smith and Hodges then decided that Ilium would henceforth go through life as a studio project, hiring guest musicians as needed! By the way, young Walmsey díd mentally recover from his amputation, again enlisted for Australian Idol, and this time got into the semi-finals! Permian Dusk, displayingthe band’s combination of unusual and intelligent lyrical content (mainly provided by Hodges, whom also happens to be a published author of supernatural fiction), nice melodic guitar work, and soaring vocals, won positive reactions from the world at large, topped by a 9,5/10 rating from german top magazine Rock Hard!, and saw the band produce a video for the album’s track “Chloroform Divinity”…leading to the band growing as a favourite for a broad cross-section of Metal fans. In November 2006 the band announced the recruitment of Swedish keyboardist Kaspar Dahlqvist (ex-Dionysus, Stormwind, Treasureland & Circle II Circle…at that time also active with Ride The Sky), but due to personal reasons (which also forced him out of the Uli Kusch project) he was later forced to withdraw. Ilium’s third album Vespertilion (with Smith again handling keyboards as well as 2nd guitar)was released in Dec. 2007 to critical acclaim (again a favourite for Rock Hard!), but would be the last to feature Lord Tim (whom now focuses on his business). For their 4th album, Ilium was able to attract none less than Mike Dimeo…longest serving singer for Riot before joining Masterplan as a replacement for Jorn Lande. Mixed by Danish Power Metal legend Tommy Hansen, the album was released a short two months ago, and already got its fair share of positive reviews (check the band’s Myspace page). To me, Ageless Decay was an introduction to the band, and an album which I’ve been able to play quite a few time during my just ended 3 ½ week’s vacation. That opportunity also gave me the posibility to get a really good feel of the band’s Power Metal. The band’s biography opens with the statement that the band’s music is strongly rooted in the Classic Heavy Metal sounds of the likes of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Judas Priest, but their music is only occasionally remeniscent of the first where the band’s masterminds have allowed their guitar work to deviate somewhat from the mostly rhythmic and riff-geared sound. Luckily, those songs which are mostly riff-oriented (in a melodic sense, by the way, and also with a slight Progressive touch) dó get the addition of very nice keyboard lines. Dimeo’s vocals (he also does most of the backings) is possibly at its best here, and yet again the intelligent lyrics will give the more pensive among us something to ponder about. At myspace.com/iliummetal, you’ll not only be able to check out a threesome of songs off the new album alongside two off Vesperilion and one off Permian Dusk, but also the “videos” (they’re actually only sound bites) for the album opening “Mothcastle” (the album’s most Iron Maiden-ish track) and “Eoscene Dawning”…making for a grand total of 5 tracks off the album. Quite sufficient to give you an idea what this album is about. If melodic Power Metal with Progressive fringes is your thing, if you’re into some intelligence in Metal lyrics, but don’t quite get the band’s musical vision right-off at a first listen…try again, and give the stuff some time to sink in! It’s really needed that bit of repetition listening with me too, you know, and as a reward I grew to discover a very fine album indeed! 90/100 Tony. |