Shockwave

Well, this is certainly refreshing. I found myself at something of an impasse concerning Illidiance's 2013 EP Deformity. It seemed like the band were intentionally side-stepping the whole cyber metal aesthetic and trying to restructure their sound around Shkurin's clean vocals via some sort of modern/alternative metal template. Although this was undoubtedly part of their approach going back as far as Damage Theory, the thought of Illidiance without garish, attention-demanding electronics doesn't exactly spark much excitement to my ears. As such, the material obviously suffered as a result, with "Urbanized" being the only true takeaway number from the EP. The band is clearly trying to open the doors to more comprehensive lyrical and stylistic influences, moving away from the earlier conceptual fare that primarily addressed technology and extraterrestrials ("I Want to Believe," "New Millennium Crushers").

That on its own is definitely fine, and thankfully "Shockwave" proves that the band is still in grand form, embodying yet another killer single just about on par with "Neon Rebels." The one consistent improvement that continues to gain momentum are the clean vocals, and fans of bands like Soilwork and Scar Symmetry will definitely find value in Illidiance's current output. Shkurin is definitely one of the stronger presences in this field, and the recent aesthetic decisions hardly lack poignancy when melded with electronica that sounds straight out of Damage Theory. Structured in a predictably mainstream manner, "Shockwave" opens with a babble of fluttering double bass and electronics, cramming in the refrain as much as possible and featuring a synth-infused breakdown near the end. Structurally almost identical to "Neon Rebels," and a marked improvement over anything on Deformity. I'm guessing that the band received some backlash as a result of the recent shift in style, and felt the need to clear the air. Mission accomplished.

Not much to say otherwise, save for the cover of that Guano Apes tune "Open Your Eyes" nobody remembers from the '90s. The band pulls it off (song always had a great chorus) and interjects a fair bit of their own style, so I can't say it isn't done well for what it is; but if Illidiance can rattle off winners like the title track at will, I would have much preferred another original tune. Endowed with a poignant reminder that the band is still alive and kicking, "Shockwave" is pretty killer shit for those pining for cyber metal with an alternative edge. That's about all I have on Illidiance for now, but I'm definitely hopeful that the next full length encapsulates what the band does best as opposed to watering the formula down.