EP Review: Lost Souls

Illuminus have supplied a very distinctive EP to arouse your ear lobes, and while there is some surprising variety to the music it keeps to a homemade recipe of heavy grinding guitar licks and riffs contrasted with clear vocal tunes that are slightly muffled and not dominant like your usual made for radio mastering.

This unique mix generally places the drums clean and upfront while the guitars are slightly muffled with the vocals set more in the background with its heavy reverb and other effects. The one exception to this formula is the opening track Haven with its clean strummed acoustic guitar backing a very melodically sung megaphone effect vocal tune, providing a stirring intro indeed. From Track 2 the music shifts into another gear with Shards blasting you with a set of metal shearing electric guitars and a very robust rhythm that is potent and uplifting, the song doesn’t just plod along either, with its deft changes and a superb bridge that leads to a very uplifting tuneful finale.

Wept 2.0 provides stimulating symphonic flange guitar and string like keys which add another dimension to the dreamy mix very nicely. Each track with its different character and appeal provide you with an array of sensations to translate the meaning and significance of each songs subject matter which is a rare occurrence in a 5 track EP.

On repeated listening the power of the melodies and its unique resonance creates a Hymn like after taste, a kind of gospel set over Metal and it’s entrancing in a new, but all good way.