Label(s):

Pure Steel Records

Released Year:

2022

Type:

Full-length

Tracklist:

1. State Of Disphoria2. All This Fear3. Silence Of The Night4. Ov Wormwood5. Thus Astray6. Let Wisdom Speak7. Shadow Maker8. As Reality Dies9. Follow Your Light10. Beautifully Drowned11. Our Last Poetry

Second album, called “A Complex Divinity” for INFIDEL RISING, the power/progressive metal band from Dallas, Texas. The band of Travis Wills (vocals) and Wayne Stokely (drums) made a promising debut in 2015 with the “The Torn Wings of Illusion” LP, and the new album doesn’t deviate from that direction.

The band had, and still has, an original sound in the kind of progressive metal which it performs; the songs are not revolved around meaningless technicality and difficult playing, but are full of melodies and beautiful choruses. For example, those who liked the self-titled track of “The Torn Wings of Illusion” will like the new album a lot, as this kind of structure is dominant in the new record.

INFIDEL RISING took the strongest parts of their debut and made a very good album of power/progressive metal with many neoclassical touches. From ELEGY  (“Manifestation of Fear” era), to ROYAL HUNT, POWER OF OMENS, ARTENTION, mid-era FATES WARNING, ION VEIN, and early SYMPHONY X, the band has created a mixture that combines the most epic and melodic aspect of progressive metal. Beautiful rhythm changes within the songs that seem natural, nice combinations of guitar and keyboard solos, and always great vocals by Travis Wills who avoids exaggerations and remains very melodic and sentimental.

“A Complex Divinity” has everything that a trained power/progressive/neo-classical fan wants to hear; mid-tempo power/progressive at its finest (“Silence of the Night”, “Thus Astray”), speedy anthemic tracks (like the amazing “Shadow Maker”) and magnificent piano-based ballads (“Follow Your Light”). In general, the key-words for the albums’ compositions are “progressive melodies”. Those who seek for melody and emotion in their progressive metal will enjoy the new album very much.

INFIDEL RISING continue its successful trip that started seven years ago with the beautiful debut, and make an even nicer contribution to the power/progressive metal edifice with its second album.  The 80s and 90s fans of progressive metal will be very happy with this release, as it shows that their favorite music is still alive and very active.