ILLUSION SUITE – The Iron Cemetery (2013)

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ILLUSION SUITE is a Norwegian Melodic Progressive Metal four-piece put together almost ten years ago and they have already released an album, but the band was completely unknown to me.
Until now… because after listening their second effort “The Iron Cemetery” to be released soon, these guys entered into my favorite Melodic Prog-Metal list without hesitation.

Seems Illusion Suite presents new guitarist here in Kim Jacobsen, a complete musician with a very modern sound set-up and clean style, but the musical conductor is the impressive Roger Bjorge, who not only owns an accomplished drum technique but also plays the keyboards (of which “The Iron Cemetery” has a great deal), does solid back up vocals and it’s the main composer.
But the star in Illusion Suite is amazing singer Bill Makatowicz, one of the best ‘new voices’ in Prog Metal I heard in a long time. He has one of those pipes that can go from like sheer strength to pacifying lullaby and back to a force to be reckoned with in the same song.
“The Iron Cemetery” revolves around a concept; Nicola Tesla’s Wardenclyffe tower, a never finished project to generate energy. In Illusion Suite’s alternative reality, the tower generates electricity that collides with the atmosphere of the earth causing an infectious disease that makes everything into iron to spread. But each track can be enjoyed separately, and all are around the 4-5 minute mark.

“The Iron Cemetery” is a rather short affair for this genre, especially with a band that is more melodically inclined as they are – the whole 9-track effort clocks in at a little over 38 minutes.
However, don’t get fooled with its brevity, as the music on display is really vibrant, shimmering with power-melodic elements amidst the obvious intricacy and technical prowess at hand. “If short and good, twice good”…

After the short instrumental “Intro”, flowing with energy is “Orpheus Quest” a powerful, technical yet full of emotion melodic track that is just so good, followed by the marvelous, heavy progressive overtones of “Uni-Twins” serving up a fine melodic chorus and solo section.
Title track “The Iron Cemetery” is packed with more adventurous twists and turns, Makatowicz soars on “When Love Fails” and “Nero” is simply a stellar Prog Metal composition that ticks every box, where drummer Roger Bjorge deftly speeds up and slows down his tempos with the changing mood and dynamic tides.
“Nostradamus First Prophecy” is another great band effort as this group likes to share the workload so no one really dominates creating a fitting balance.
Even when the band enter slight electronic/synth territory for an instrumental part in “The Ugly Duckling”, they follow up the next segment with some free form progressive bass moves out of Dag Erik Johnsen that will stun and stir their audience in the right direction.
The disc ends in upbeat mode for the pumping closer “Premonition” showcasing Makatowicz’s most complete vocal work on the entire recording; multi-faceted, expressive in a multitude of ranges, and hitting some serious high notes.

“The Iron Cemetery” is a terrific Melodic Progressive-Metal album, one of the best appeared recently.
One of the prime characteristics this genre should have – from a listener’s point of view – is the expectation and anticipation of what may come from song to song, but also within each song. That’s exactly what you get here, and shows both Illusion Suite’s depth of musicianship and maturity.
With captivating songs and ample variety, “The Iron Cemetery” has so many positives including sound wise as Jens Bogren (Paradise Lost, James LaBrie) took care of mixing and mastering. Bill Makatowicz is a superb, versatile and listenable vocalist, an example of how effectively blend heaviness, even sternness, with great melody.
While Erik Johnsen’s strong bass lines and guitarist Kim Jacobsen do a great job on the strings contributing to the overall tight sound, big kudos must go to drummer Roger Bjorge, who has more than a little Neil Peart inspiration and skill in his own toolbox.
Top class Melodic Progressive-Metal from Norway, appealing for hard rockers / melodic metal fans out there too.
Strongly Recommended.

01. Intro
02. Orpheus’ Quest
03. Uni-Twins
04. The Iron Cemetery
05. When Love Fails
06. Nero
07. Nostradamus’ First Prophecy
08. The Ugly Duckling
09. Premonition

Bill Makatowicz – Lead & Backing Vocals
Roger Bjorge – Drums, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Bag Erik Johnsen – Bass
Kim Jacobsen – Guitar

Pre-Order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Iron-Cemetery-Illusion-Suite/dp/B00DORVSNO
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