Ilium
Genetic Memory
Rating
Style: Melodic Power Metal
Release date: 26 August, 2011
Playing time: 57:07
 

Black Majesty, Dungeon, Lord, Pegazus and Vanishing Point are the most known power metal related bands from Down Under. Ilium is one of them too. The problem all of these bands have is that it is very expensive for them to come play live in Europe, to promote their albums. What can help Ilium is that they have Mike DiMeo on vocals. He sang in Riot and Masterplan as you should know. Besides that he is a good singer, his name will perhaps open some doors too.

This fifth album is the logical follow up of their fourth album 'Ageless Decay'. Like most of these bands the music is inspired by the pioneers of heavy metal; think Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio and Black Sabbath. They sound more modern and they add tons of melody. Besides mid-tempo stuff, the band often speeds up the tempo; just listen to "Genetic Memory". When the band slows down like in the track "Hostile Sky", the combination of the music and the vocals give the music even a Whitesnake kind of touch. Naturally the voice of Mike makes you think about Masterplan too, but also Thunderstone, Silverdollar and Silent Force are bands that play similar kind of metal. The keyboard parts serve the music; only in the track "Ghosts in Flesh" do they have a more leading role. I don't know why the last track "Irrinja" clocks in over 11 minutes, in my opinion the song would be better when they stopped half-way, but perhaps that's just me.    

This fifth album is one that can compete with the better albums in the genre, give it a try I would say.


Tracklist

01. Kinaesthesia
02. Littoria
03. Grey Stains the Rainbow
04. The Immortality Gene
05. Ephemeral
06. Genetic Memory
07. Hostile Sky
08. Fevered Tongue
09. Neanderthal Within
10. Ghosts in Flesh
11. Irrinja

Label: Escape Music
Promotion: Connecting Music
Reviewed by: Reinier de Vries
Date: 13 August, 2011
Website: www.myspace.com/iliummetal