Artist: Divine Illusion
Label: Self-released
Release: 2010
Running time: 27:43
Rating: 4/5
The EP “Genetic” is a rock-solid foundation from Postojna symphonic power metal band Divine Illusion! With it, they’ve taken exactly the spot that the coastal band Heat was promisingly fighting for about two years ago with their hugely encouraging demo recordings. And that’s not all. With “Genetic,” Divine Illusion have claimed the top spot in this genre in Slovenia, outpacing every single band that was kicking in this direction. That’s a fact. Simply because Slovenia has never had a band like Divine Illusion. Not even with a manifesto like this record. Sure, Divine Illusion aren’t bringing a revolution to the world music map with “Genetic.” But the arrival of this band is an extraordinary gain for the Slovenian scene. It carries the weight to open the door for the band to march onto European stages. The ones united under the common denominator that today’s reach of symphonic epic power metal can understand.
The band cultivates melodies of epic, bombastic allure, sworn to the basics of power metal that follows classic songwriting levers. So it’s not hard to guess that the power metal Divine Illusion play could, at any moment, have a symphonic orchestra playing alongside it. An orchestra? Fear not. The missing orchestra is made up for by lively, inventive keyboards with clever arrangements that fill out the sound and stretch the very dimensions of the production’s sonic spectrum.
Fans of Scandi power metal bands like Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica (pay special attention to the fiery cross-soloing between guitars and keyboards) will recognize themselves right away in a track like Promised Land. Divine Illusion push the riffing even further. The riffs sound warmer, fuller and more aggressive (there’s a lot of “palm muting” riffing) than on the outings of those two Finnish bands. It’s not hard to find some similarities with bands like Kamelot either, especially thanks to the more complexly structured and branching arrangements. In select one-dimensional, production-forward rolling rhythms driven by the double bass drum pedal, we meet the tricks typical of bands of the Rhapsody (of Fire) mold, as well as the findings of German power metal a la Gamma Ray or early Edguy.
The vocals are authoritative, commanding, confident, explosive, clean and highly melodic. With that range, the singer carries power in every register and glides from one register to the next without breaking a sweat. The vocals give the songs tremendous variety and enrich their melodic reach. It’s a compatible timbre, close to the range of singers in typical Italian bands of this genre, or to the voice of Tobias Sammet (Edguy). For anyone who knows the voice of Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), that’s another good reference point to get a feel for what I’m talking about. Just a bit more attention to the correct stress of the English lines in some parts of the songs, and the thing will be 100% nailed in the future!
The solos pick up the Scandinavian school of ultra-fast, effortless racing up and down the guitar neck, fully subordinate to the beat of a neoclassical approach. Even Yngwie J. Malmsteen would prick up his ears.
Divine Illusion aren’t your typical “oompah” power metallers who’d be satisfied with trivial motifs. They often liven up their lead motifs with frequent tempo changes and shifts of the lead melodies. They also fend off the danger of trivial predictability and repetition by having different instruments (transitional guitar or keyboard embellishments) take the lead at certain points in the structure of the main motifs. They do this with a fine feel for keeping the red thread and high listenability. At the same time, these contrasts, together with the exemplary production (to be honest, the only thing you might miss is a bit more of the low, bass tonalities), achieve a real effect of dramatic theater atmosphere (the excellent dark keyboard intro of The Moment Before… and its continuation into Clarity Of Mind), which keeps the EP pulsing with life throughout its running time. Such high variety in song structure, combined with the clearly demonstrated virtuosic flavor of the individual building blocks, occasionally comes close to the vibe of progressive metal acts like Symphony X or Angra. Multilayered songwriting that balances the instruments with a centrally placed vocal is the key that Divine Illusion understand and master.
Divine Illusion are a band with a clear focal point! Not just musically, but in general. The EP’s booklet is gorgeously designed. That includes the cover as well as the band’s logo. The cover in particular is enviable. The motif is striking and deeply meaningful, yet it’s treated in a way that has nothing to do with computer “scribbling.” Instead, you flinch when you look at it, not quite sure what to expect from the EP musically. A smart move, because it makes the EP even more enticing by raising the question of what its content hides.
I can say that with their arrival and the EP “Genetic,” Divine Illusion fill the missing link on the Slovenian metal scene, one we’ve been waiting on for more than ten years after the worldwide “revival” of the melodic approach in heavy metal. Given that interest in Slovenia is currently focused on more extreme forms of metal, especially technical death and thrash metal, “Genetic” brings a new ray of light that hints at a possible short-term turn in this cycle. So, welcome to the scene, guys! With such a mature approach, you’re already opening the door right from the start to landing under the wing of a well-established foreign label that looks after melodic approaches in the realm of heavy metal! “Genetic” is thus a solid foundational step aimed in the right direction, proving that Divine Illusion are a band developing along a natural path, independent and self-reliant. Based on these facts, we can eagerly await the release of the band’s first true studio debut!
Lineup
Simon Simčič – vocals
Borut Radivojevič – guitar
Peter Smrdel – keyboards
Martin Valič – bass guitar
Dejan Šantelj – drums
Production
Divine Illusion
Track list
1. The Moment Before…
2. Clarity Of Mind
3. Gray
4. Genetic
5. Promised Land
6. Words In Motion: Part I.
7. Words In Motion: Part II.
