lukretion How on Earth did I miss out on this amazing band for all these years?! Hailing from Leipzig, Germany, Disillusion play a formidable distillate of all my favourite metal genres, from melodic death metal, to avant-garde / progressive metal, to dark gothic/doom metal. And yet their new record Ayam, released on November 4th via Prophecy Productions, is the first I hear from them - and it simply blew me away! The LP is just the fourth in a career that spans nearly 30 years and includes a long hiatus between 2006 and 2019. That may in part explain why the band has flown under my radar for so long, but still I cannot stop kicking myself for being so late to the party!

This album is incredible. It takes the listener on a sonic journey that knows no boundaries, exploring a kaleidoscope of diverse metal styles and influences with terrific aplomb and intelligence, as each twist and turn of this 60-minute beast feels as natural as water. Opening track “Am Abgrund” is a great example of the extraordinary creative drive that runs through the whole LP. This song throws literally everything at the listener during its exhilarating 11 minutes. A ferocious death metal section with blast beats, lacerating growls and – believe it or not – trumpet and flugelhorn, suddenly resolves in an epic clean chorus, whose vocal harmonies remind me of the way clean voices are arranged by Viking metal bands like Borknagar or Enslaved. The song’s first half is a hurricane, constantly swinging between fury and melody in a way that should be jarring and yet it works splendidly. This rollercoaster of a section eventually culminates in a stunning jazzy guitar solo that gives me strong Cynic vibes. A calmer section ensues, with acoustic guitar arpeggios and soft clean vocals painting the sort of suffused, ghostlike atmospheres one may find in the work of Opeth or Riverside. Another splendid chromatic solo leads back to the death metal pyrotechnics of the opening section, bringing the song full circle.

The rest of the album continues in a similar fashion. Each song brings in new shades of darkness, swinging between annihilating aggression (“Tormento”, “Abide the Storm”), and calmer nocturnal meditations built around dreamy vocals, mournful cellos and acoustic guitars (“Driftwood”, “Nine Days”). This injects a strong unpredictability in the proceedings, as one never knows where the next song may venture. This exhilarating sense that “everything goes” is also achieved by largely eschewing formulaic song structures: each new track takes its own course, loosely arranged around verse and chorus, but free to expand and contract according to the music’s needs. The songwriting is equally fluid, embracing an ever-changing set of influences from song to song. Echoes of gothic metal (Moonspell) emerge in “Nine Days”, but the same song later explores the sort of serene post-rockish soundscapes that one can find in Anathema’s output. Meanwhile, “Longhope” combines catchy dark metal vibes à la Katatonia with a Leprous-esque chorus that is at the same time poppy and brutal. Elsewhere, we find traces of Devin Townsend’s across-the-board take on extreme metal (“Tormento”), but also doomy riffs and tempos (“Abide the Storm”), and even hints of 1970s progressive rock (the Floydian solos in “Abide the Storm”).

It’s a lot to take in, but Disillusion pull it off with ease, making each transition feel natural, almost necessary. Andy Schmidt’s distinctive voice plays a big role in ensuring the album flows without solution of continuity. His subdue, melancholy melodies and cleverly-constructed vocal harmonies are the sonic trademark of the LP: like a beacon in the dark, he guides the listener through the album’s dense and dazzling journey. His vocals are the fixed point around which the music ebbs and flows, always returning to those familiar cadences and melodies. This achieves a beautiful equilibrium between exploration and familiarity, which is one of the major strength of this release.

There is another type of balance that Ayam nails perfectly: that between technical playing and emotional delivery. The progressive metal scene today seems characterized by a chasm between bands that play hyper-technical, but emotionally dry music, and bands that instead embrace the road of “cinematic metal”, rich in emotions but often limited in terms of virtuoso playing. Disillusion sit at the exact intersection between these two traditions, like very few other bands do (Opeth, perhaps, although their music does err on the side of technicality at the expense of emotional punch). Ayam brims with exceptional playing. The guitars (played by Schmidt, Ben Haugg and exiting band member Sebastian Hupfer) pull off excellent riffs and solos, but Martin Schulz’s jaw-dropping performance at the drumkit deserves to be mentioned too: he is a powerhouse, deftly switching between brutal bludgeoning and nimble percussions in the most natural way possible. Throughout the album, however, the focus is firmly retained on effective songwriting and emotional delivery: there is no trace of technical showmanship for the mere sake of it. The result is music that lends itself to two modes of listening – cerebral and visceral –, effectively combining the best of both worlds as far as modern prog metal is concerned.

Among all the praise, there is one aspect of Ayam that bothers me a little: the songs’ sequencing. There are two long-form epic tracks on the album, “Am Abgrund” and “Abide the Storm”, both exceeding 11 minutes in length. Both songs are excellent, but placing them so close to one another (at position #1 and #4, respectively) does not work well. The similarities between the two songs become too salient, reducing their impact (for instance, their structure is similar, with a calmer, moody middle-part bookended by more energetic sections). My other, and bigger, complaint concerns the closing track “The Brook”. This song feels unnecessary to me, because the album’s perfect closing moment has already passed, with the beautiful, languid fade-out of its penultimate song “From the Embers”. In my opinion, those should have been Ayam’s last notes. After such a splendid, uplifting come-down, “The Brook” feels almost like a second, redundant album finale, that lack however the emotional punch of “From the Embers”.

However, in the grander scheme of things. these are mere quibbles. Ayam is a terrific accomplishment that, come December, I am sure will end up on many album-of-the-year lists. There is little doubt in my mind that this is one of the best, richest progressive metal albums released in the past decades, and fans of dark, melancholic metal need to check this out pronto!

[Originally written for The Metal Observer]

siLLy puPPy DISILLUSION got its start in 1994 and was founded by multi-instrumentalist Andy Schmidt (aka Vurtox) along with a bunch of school friends who would all depart before the band cemented its more stable lineup around 2000. This band is a prime example of one of the former Eastern block satellite nations of the Soviet Union quickly finding its own after the collapse of the communist system and bands like DISILLUSION wasted no time crafting their inspirations drawn from the long gestating influences of Western creative fecundity. After a couple demos titled “Subspace Infinity” and “Red,” the band’s unique stylistic approach already proved to be in full power with the debut EP “Three Neuron Kings” but DISILLUSION was holding the best for its full-length album BACK TO TIMES OF SPLENDOR which wouldn’t find a release until 2004.

The EP got the band noticed and was signed with Metal Blade Records and immediately caught the metal underground’s attention for its unique approach of hybridizing the sounds of 90s alternative metal from bands such as System of a Down along with the melodic death metal sounds of bands like At The Gates, In Flames and Soilwork only teased out into more progressive compositions that included an overarching concept contains six tracks that are divided into musical chapters of a larger theme however remains nebulous enough never to grasp one’s hooks around exactly what the point is lyrically speaking. Perhaps it has something to due with the eerie blurred cover art that evokes a sense of some of the neo-prog albums but whatever the case DISILLUSION muster up enough clever hooks, twists and turns to create an album that stood out amongst the crowds back when the metal world was becoming a more crowded place by the day.

What DISILLUSION crafted here was basically a tight-knit inspirational palette of all the music that sallied forth into the new open societies of Eastern Europe. BACK TO TIMES OF SPLENDOR is a virtual smorgasbord of American thrash metal mixed with melodic death metal, alternative 90s and the more demanding complexities of the world of progressive rock and Dream Theater metal with two lengthy labyrinthine composiitons “Back To Times Of Splendor (14:39)” and “The Sleep Of Restless Hours (17:02)” which find catchy bombastic guitar riffs alternating into a sea of ever-changing variations that sprawl on with effective atmospheric accouterments. And despite all the obvious influences on board, DISILLUSION still manages to find its own niche in the expansive world of 2000s prog metal which sounds like the band perfected this one for years as the production and mixing is impeccable.

BACK TO TIMES OF SPLENDOR runs the gamut of excessively brutal death metal rampages to lushly fueled clean guitar passages that are more remnant of symphonic prog bands like Genesis or Marillion but never meander on too long without returning to the metal madness that rules this kingdom. Likewise Vurtox’s vocal diversity is another strength which at times evoke Serj Tankian in full System of a Down glory but also exhibit growly death metal vocals, shouts and tender clean vocals that leave the metal universe altogether. Technically a trio with the guitar heft of Rajk Bartel and the drumming prowess of Jens Malushka, Vurtox performs the lion’s share of instrumental duties by tackling not only the vocals but also guitars, bass, keys and the orchestral arrangements. A few sessions musicians were added for strings and piano as well as extra vocals.

While touted as one of the great metal masterpieces of all time, i can’t say i’d quite go that far when describing BACK TO TIMES OF SPLENDOR as it seems rather unfocused in how it jumps around from one track to the next. The story is neither compelling nor does the band truly deliver a unique metal sound all of its own despite effortlessly creating an interesting hybrid album that works quite well. Add to that the album is a bit too long for its own good but despite these minor quips, it’s obvious from a single listen why this band was so revered from the moment this album was released. It easily stands on its own as one of those projects that was fueled by the pent up repression of living in a part of the world that was literally cut off from the free market developments of the West. While not perfect, DISILLUSION created a compelling debut which unfortunately were never able to follow.

voila_la_scorie This is the only album I have by Disillusion (they only ever released two) but my opinion of it and the band it really high thanks to this release. This is a band that combines many of the elements I enjoy in heavy metal and progressive rock. We have longer songs with complex and varied song structure, fast technical playing, an excellent rhythm section with a great drummer, awesome riffs and a good variety between high speed playing and slower riffs with melodic riffs as well, and softer parts with piano or strings added in as a welcome mood changer but without sounding superfluous. In the two longer tracks, "Back to Times of Splendor" and "The Sleep of Restless Hours" there are parts that stray from the heavier death metal side and wander determined into more progressive territory. There are no flambouyant instrumental sections of blatant exhibitionism. Instrumental passages can be technical but used with a purpose within the song structure.

As has been mentioned in other reviews, the album does an excellent job of combining the technical side of prog metal with the brutal side of death metal. I listened to the album again for the first time in a year or so and once again found myself impressed with the skill and song writing. In particular, the guitar sound is a winner for me. The production quality is also great and only in two parts where the music intentionally becomes chaotic and noisy does the clarity of the sound disappear.

There is only one thing that doesn't totally impress me and that is the clean vocals of Andy Schmidt (Vurtox). There's nothing wrong with them and they affect a certain theatrical sense that suits the music very well. But they make me think of a hardcore punk singer who has decided to sing cleanly with a hint of an operetic tone. The two-part harmoney vocals reduce this effect and the brutal vocals are just fine as they are. Those clean vocals are the only thing that doesn't sit exactly right with me. A minor detail really.

That being stated, once again I will emphasize what a terrific album this is musically. I'm not sure where Disillusion went after this. I think I listened a bit to their sophomore album when I considered which album to get but at the time was more impressed with this one. An easy four and a half stars!

Warthur Disillusion's debut album is a genius fusion of aggressive death metal and the prog metal sound of the 1990s. It's most impressive for the way the band manage to combine the best of both genres whilst avoiding their less appealing aspects; on the prog metal side, the band bring in all the technically complex and intricate playing and songwriting of the subgenre whilst the death metal aggression allow them to avoid the cheesiness prog metal can stumble into. At the same time, the progressive metal song structures prevent the death metal side of the band from running into a simplistic rut. On the whole, it's a recipe for success.

bonnek Disillusion hit the world with an exceptionally strong modern prog metal album, very eclectic in style and borrowing as much from classic 90’s prog metal as from melodic progressive death metal and symphonic black metal.

In a way they sound like an upgraded version of Green Carnation, maintaining a similar epic vibe, but adding more adventurous and varied songwriting. Unlike many prog metal acts, Disillusion won’t fish for your attention by daft or flashy musicianship but rathey by their eye-catching compositions, which remain dynamic, engaging for the entire 57 minute duration of the album. An exceptional achievement in a genre where 60 minute albums usually wear themselves out before they’re halfway through. It's quite the contrary here. The quality of the material even keeps getting better as the album goes along.

The band is usually put in the Extreme metal section but I wouldn't give too much weight to that. There are death metal elements but generally the music is very melodic and progressive. To a certain extent you could compare the music to Opeth but there are a lot of elements that set them apart from the Swedes. The vocals vary between death metal grunts and clean vocals, but the singing voice is more theatrical and anthemic then Opeth. It sits quite close to the melodic vocal moments of Borknagar and Dimmu Borgir. Also the keyboards add a decisive symphonic element. Luckily Disillusion avoids the clichés and cheese of most prog metal acts.

Highly recommended to fans of the new generation of progressive metal acts, in the vein of Green Carnation, Opeth and Edge Of Sanity/Nightingale.