ILLUCIA

ILLUCIA "A New Reign"

By Dr. Abner Mality

The explosion of Indian metal continues with ILLUCIA. It seems true to state that the Indians seem to prefer classic metal and hard rock to the more extreme forms of music. Or so it seems to me. AGAINST EVIL and GIRISH & THE CHRONICLES are two traditional rockers from the land of the cobra and now there is ILLUCIA, who claim inspiration from DIO, BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST and QUEENSRYCHE.

"A New Reign" shows they are headed in the right direction but have a little way to go yet.. The heart is there for sure. "Fateful Night" and "Clap of Thunder" start the album with songs that are OK but not knockouts. Then, with "Trauma of the Sea:, things start to heat up. The riffs seem stronger and the songwriting tighter. "Slaves Of The Land" reminds me of SABBATH's "Children of the Sea" and with "Fortress of Gold" and "Walls of Desire", we have two outstanding metal anthems with speed and power. The vocals are generally OK, but there are occasionally some awkward moments, most notably on "The Chosen One".

The lead guitar solos are a strong point as well and Mr. Nitin Charles Martin can crank on the axe when called for. ILLUCIA has made a good debut with "A New Reign" and have constructed a strong foundation to build on.

ILLUCIA