2021 was a surprisingly hot year for alternative rock all things considered, and last November, things got particularly interesting for fans of the genre’s more progressive side thanks to a new self-titled offering from buzz-worthy duo Illuminaut. Illuminaut doesn’t waste any time getting into the guts of a complicated approach to heavy music majesty with songs like “The Grey” and “Native Alien,” both of which borrow rather liberally from the stoner rock aesthetic as well as traditional progressive sources, and while it’s true that this kind of music tends to have a more insular audience than most would, theirs is a sound that could be appealing to just about anyone with a taste in rock that hasn’t been saddled with a lot of filler.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/Illuminauttheband/
Chad Carlisle and singer Ben Taylor are in command of the master mix here, and although I always prefer a member of the band to be on the other side of the board guiding the final process, this is an example of exceptional detail coming to fruition without a hitch. There’s not a spot of murky melodicism in tracks like “Dead Messenger,” even though the song is quite literally dripping with the kind of sonic brutishness that could make any metalhead a fan of this band. We’re treated to a clear definition of what every instrument is doing from one track to the next, which isn’t something that I get treated to in the majority of the new rock records that I review, indie or mainstream the same.
The brooding elements in Illuminaut are hardly limited to the lyricism of the songs but instead extended to everything from a drumbeat to the patterned layering of vocal harmonies in “Native Alien,” instead of trying to impress us with a lot of additional componentry that just would have obstructed our view of their natural sound, this is a duo intent on putting all of their eggs in one clean, unfanciful basket as to give us an idea of what their live performances would likely sound like. If they have even a tenth of the presence they have in the studio on the stage, I have a strong feeling they’re going to be fine when it comes to developing a reputation on the road post-COVID.
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/illuminaut-ep/1593481569
If progressive music is your thing, you have no business ignoring the works of Illuminaut this coming spring, as what they’ve got cooking in and out of the studio in this record is definitely worth paying attention to. They’ve got a lot in common with the British progressive rockers of the mid-2000s and northeastern retro metal acts like Dead Meadow specifically, but with one major caveat – they’re not trying to follow the rulebook of an antiquated rock band in history. This is very physical music, very personal lyrics, and there’s really nothing within this EP that I would classify as coming from a place outside of the intimate relationship these musicians have with the product they’re presenting. All in all, this is a smart, must-listen rock release for sure.
Chadwick Easton