Swiss modern metal veterans ILLUMISHADE present their magical second album and Napalm Records debut “Another Side of You”, which will be released on February 16, 2024! The new single is called “Here We Are”!
With singer Fabienne Erni and guitarist Jonas Wolf (both from Eluveitie) at the forefront and with orchestration and synthesizers by film composer Mirjam Skal, bass by Yannick Urbanczik and drums by Marc Friedrich, ILLUMISHADE skillfully hold their own on Another Side of You Balance between light and darkness.
On the new single “Here We Are,” Erni’s radiant charisma and her crystal-clear voice shine brighter than ever before. Wolf’s guitar work is as fiery and soulful as ever, while a fresh dose of modern prog brings a new flavor to the band’s sophisticated songwriting. The song impresses with a pounding chorus and an exciting change in the middle section and is accompanied by a breathtaking music video.
ILLUMISHADE about “Here We Are”:
“‘Here We Are’ is an anthem to the essence of being in the here and now. It tells about accepting the legacy of history, acknowledging our current standing as a foundation from which we can move forward.”
Another Side of You is the follow-up to ILLUMISHADE’s highly acclaimed debut album ECLYPTIC: Wake Of Shadows. The second coup shows a more modern approach, both lyrically and musically, while still transporting the listener into an immersive world full of hypnotic soundscapes (even enhanced in some places by the Budapest Art Orchestra) and massive, dreamlike vocal lines that are the perfect beginning of a new one chapter for this promising band.
The band adds:
“Marking the beginning of a new era, our album Another Side Of You bridges the tangible and the ethereal. It’s an odyssey to the many facets of human emotion but also the challenges we all face in this ever-changing world. Another Side of You is about grounding in reality, yet also letting the music carry you to places unknown.”
The opener “Elegy” darkens the sound sky with heavy riffs, threatening soundscapes and a calming chorus. Even a theremin appears, showcasing the band’s experimental palette right from the start. Skal’s ethereal tapestry of cinematic grandeur lies heavy over the pounding rhythm section, but even more so on the heavier “CYCLONE”. The track expands on this approach and is the album’s progressive crowning achievement with its cinematic swathes of sound, Meshuggah-esque lead guitar attacks and even a majestic finale reminiscent of Pink Floyd combined with Tesseract. Drummer Marc Friedrich shines here with a variety of ballistic fills and complex grooves.
On the other hand, there is “Cloudreader”, a very accessible, uplifting anthem that settles on the listener’s heart like a warm autumn sun. The highly dynamic and complex drum work gives the song a welcome twist, while modern metal powerhouse “Here We Are” impresses with a pounding chorus and an exciting change in the middle section. ILLUMISHADE is no stranger to ballads, as “Fairytale” is bursting with emotion and proves that Fabienne Erni is without a doubt one of the most talented singers in the current metal scene, reminiscent of her magnificent performance on ECLYPTIC’s “Rise”. Jonas Wolf’s guitar playing shines on “Another Side of You” with huge riffs and searing leads like on “Fairytale” and the power metal homage “In The Darkness”. He artfully combines fretboard pyrotechnics, soulful melodies that often accompany Erni’s singing, and a healthy dose of blues, making him a truly exciting player in the scene.
While the rhythm section shows one of its strongest performances on the modern metal hit “Riptide”, the yearning atmosphere of “TWILY” takes the listener on a completely different journey with sparkling melodies and probably the catchiest riff on the album, which again has more modern influences brings to the plate. A big surprise awaits the listener in the form of the album closer “Verliebt”. Accompanied by beautiful piano melodies contributed by Coen Jannsen from Epica, the final song is sung in Erni’s Swiss German and, as with all songs, has soulful lyrics written by bassist Yannick Urbanczik.
„Another Side of You“ Tracklisting:
1 Enter the Void
2 ELEGY
3 ENEMY
4 In the Darkness
5 Cloudreader
6 Here We Are
7 CYCLONE
8 Fairytale
9 The Horizon Awaits
10 HYMN
11 TWILY
12 Riptides
13 Hummingbird
14 In Love (feat. Coen Janssen)
ILLUMISHADE are:
Fabienne Erni – Voice, Piano
Jonas Wolf – Guitars
Mirjam Skal – Orchestration / Synths
Yannick Urbanczik – Bass
Marc Friedrich – Drums
Band-Links:
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