IHLO

Progressive metal has been on a curious journey over the last 20 years. Symptomatic of a fervently modern approach to the genre, bands like IHLO are carefully redefining it for a more sophisticated future. These UK-based direct descendants of djent generation are among the most highly rated bands around since their debut full-length "Union" emerged to great acclaim in 2019, but unlike many of their esoteric, artful peers, they seem to have struck upon a formula that chimes harmoniously with both old- and new- school musical ethics. Superficially, "Legacy" owes plenty to the latter-day likes of TESSERACT, LEPROUS and VOYAGER, and much less to prog as it was in its original, 1970s heyday. But thanks to a combination of refined, pop-friendly melodies and dramatic, quasi-cinematic atmosphere, these ten songs are unquestionably linked to progressive rock's original, commercial sensibilities. There may not be any Mellotrons, Moogs or florid, freeform guitar solos to satisfy ageing PINK FLOYD fans, but "Legacy" is full of beautifully crafted songwriting that just happens to be underpinned by dizzying, polymetric riffs and gently peculiar electronics.

IHLO are a slick and sophisticated outfit. Vocalist Andy Robison has one of those androgynous tenor voices that have dominated this end of the prog metal spectrum for the best part of 20 years, but on the likes of opener "Wraith" and recent single "Replica", he reveals an uncanny gift for switching from featherweight to ferocious, and from emotionally grueling to intense and euphoric. Meanwhile, guitarist Phil Monro and drummer Clark McMenemy weave formidable, detailed webs of strident sound, wherein those lurching, tricksy riffs are perpetually offset by kaleidoscopic arrangements and breathtakingly delicate melodies. "Legacy" is the unquestionably gifted stepchild of the djent generation, but one with little respect for borrowing anyone else's blueprint.

A somewhat nebulous concept lurks behind these eminently pretty and clever songs. "Legacy" speaks of a future where technological progress has lost its initial, blinding sheen and become a burden on mankind instead. As a result, Robison's voice is laced with melancholy throughout: the human element in a grandiose, multi-faceted machine that could otherwise seem a little clinical and over-egged. "Empire" is a particular high point, with its emotive crescendos and hazy, futuristic bombast; while IHLO's dynamic mastery is at its most effective on quieter, more poignant tracks like simply stunning "Mute" and the synth-soaked, somnambulant title track. Most impressively, the album's climactic epic "Signals" showcases the Brits' intuitive brilliance with ten minutes of evolutionary verve and melodious finesse, with faint echoes of KATATONIA's subversive essence and even the occasional nod towards DREAM THEATER's softer side.

In its immaculate entirety, "Legacy" seems deeper and more substantial than any comparable album, TESSERACT aside, in recent memory. The tunes are uniformly stunning. The musicianship is flawless, wonderfully restrained when it needs to be, and surprisingly heavy and hard-edged when it doesn't. Robison is a rare talent with a voice fit to soundtrack humanity's tears. And for all its modernist vigor, "Legacy" has a traditional, melodic streak so wide that it often transcends any and all notions of some post-djent scene. Great songs are great songs, regardless of their component parts, and IHLO are a great band with a very bright future ahead of them.