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Iluvatar - Ilúvatar CD (album) cover

ILÚVATAR

Iluvatar

 

Neo-Prog

3.22 | 82 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Hibou
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Upon hearing ILUVATAR for the first time, your first impression is 'Wow! This is mind-blowing stuff! Great sound, sweeping keyboards, awsome guitar play, tight drumming; and what a fine production!'.

Indeed, at first glance, ILUVATAR sound very much like PENDRAGON (musically) and RUSH (vocally), and their material is just as lively. After only a few listens, however, I got a little bored with them because despite the nice sound 'packaging', their music lacks a certain depth - although I never felt that way about PENDRAGON whom I absolutely adore.

Of the nine tracks that make up the album, you'll find some well-dressed, catchy pieces such as "New Found Key", the 10-minute epic "In the Eye", the melodious ballad "Eagle", the sweeping "Exodus". But none approach the craftsmanship and magnificence of the haunting 7:26-minute long "Marionette". This one starts with eerie circus sounds (like pipe organ notes from a merry-go-round), where children's voices in the background mingle with the introductory keyboards notes - very effective and potent stuff. It develops into a magnificent wall of sound, something solid, a veritable symphonic rocker you can actually sink your teeth into, complete with musical phrases that will sweep you along. I'm glad I have bought the album if only for this incredible tune. It is also the one which prompted me to buy all their other albums. Not bad, really...

Hibou | 3/5 |

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