Ihlo 'Union' Review

Updated: Dec 26, 2019

A review of the debut Ihlo album ‘Union’ which will be released on May 31st 2019

Ihlo has been a band in the making for over two years now. They were originally formed as an electronic/ambient music project in Spring of 2016 by Phil Monro and Andy Robison (drums for Orynthia). Ihlo took its current shape when Andy heard Phil's solo EP, and they decided to take things in a different direction. Further along in mid-2017, Clark McMenemy (of Nassau) joined, it was at this point the production of the album took a step up. The trio have been working on their first album 'Union' ever since and on November 19th of 2018 they released their first single 'Reanimate' which was followed by a second single in February of 2019 'Parhelion'. Ihlo are: Andy Robison (keys, vocals, and sound design), Phil Monro (guitars and production), and Clark McMenemy (drums), (Michael Roberts will be the live bassist, and Rob Mair will be the live guitarist). The album was mastered by Lucas de la Rosa (of Archætype and Delsey Hill). Ihlo have definitely found their own sound and secured a loyal fanbase at a quick rate, which is well deserved - with sounds akin to Haken and TesseracT, they are definitely a band to watch out for.

The album is extremely emotional, it really takes you on a journey of ups and downs, charged with moving vocals and intense riffs, accompanied by heavy-hitting drums that encapsulate you within the music.

The title track opens the album with static that creates a massively atmospheric build and introduces us to some repeated riffs and melodies of the rest of the album. We’re then thrown into the heavier side that Ihlo seems to weave so elegantly into their immersive tracks. What strikes me first about this song is (compared with the two singles I had previously heard), there was so much continuity - I knew it was Ihlo I was listening to. The fact that within only two songs they had established such a strong and unique sound is incredible. The next thing I noticed was that this album sounds like it’s been produced better than most recent professional albums; the layering and effects are flawless, which perhaps is the main reason for its ambience and intense atmosphere. There are some really effective layered vocals here, and harmonies that make the song so much more ‘pleasing’ to listen to, and give it its edge. The title track features amazing performances from all members of the band, and also features a guitar solo by Connor Mackie. The captivating drumming from Clark and seemingly effortless vocals from Andy manage to convey a sense of distress and anger, while a passage towards the end shows a delicate side with just Andy and a haunting piano. ‘Union’ is the perfect introduction to the album, flexing a capable djent side of the band while also exploiting their melodies, harmonies and synthy ambience. It actually reminds me of ‘Parhelion’ because the intros of both songs seem to parallel each other, and also has a similar sound to ‘Endless Knot’ by Haken.

'Reanimate' was the first single released by Ihlo and is the second song on 'Union'. It begins with a hypnotic opening, and the heavy rhythm manages to create a surprisingly subtle introduction to the song. The drums here really draw you into the track and trap you in there. Reanimate maintains this heavy yet catchy rhythm throughout its entirety without becoming boring. The song opens up towards the end of the first verse and has a stunningly captivating chorus that seems to ‘power up’ the song as a whole. The dynamic guitars in this song in particular seem to go from haunting to energetic between bridge and chorus which gives the whole thing an interesting contrast. The synth solo around the 3:30 mark is a great lead into the final two minutes of Reanimate, and fits really well with the tone and pace of the song. After first hearing Reanimate when it was released as a single, I knew Ihlo had something great with the sound they had managed to create, the mix of synth and djent goes really well with Andy's recognizable voice and in the case of Reanimate, creates an interesting contrast between a haunting and hypnotic introduction to an exciting and powerful chorus. In many ways, this song reminds me of ‘Phoenix’ by TesseracT, because of both the audio production and effects and how both have slower paced verses between a more powerful and even uplifting chorus. Overall, I think Reanimate was a good single to release first, it was a good introduction to their sound, and while setting the bar high, still left room for growth.

‘Starseeker’ is a great show of diversity for Ihlo, in the beginning minute they combine the sounds of Haken, with a Leprous-sounding bass, and Karnivool-like layered vocals; the pure anger and vengeance that’s given off by Andy also reminds me of some Voyager songs. It feels different to the other tracks (more gritty) mainly because it isn’t as ‘synthy’ as the rest (but still has some nice secondary synth effects), which gives it a really honest ‘on-my-knees’ quality. The combination of the instrumental chaos and the accusing vocals leaves us with a sense of guilt, like the subject of the song has been betrayed. ‘Starseeker’ is really driven forward by the drums and bass that lead the chaos throughout the song, contrasting with more upbeat instrumentals in the chorus, and finishes with a finale that feels like a heart attack.

‘Hollow’ begins as a melancholic ballad, it seems to have some cool lyrical callbacks to other songs, and the whole thing feels like someone trying to overcome self-doubt and ‘regaining control’. The song builds gradually, like you’re gaining strength and confidence, but the thought-provoking strumming seems to follow you until an instant and hard-hitting chorus snaps you out of your low mood into a more hyper-emotional state, going through every feeling at once. The bipolar highs of Hollow bring a lump to my throat every time. All 3 of the guys have done an epic job at writing these intense heart-breaking bits of the album. Because the ‘highs’ are sprung on you quite quickly, you get a catharsis that you’re not really ready for, catching you off guard. The last minute of the song is unbelievably empowering, it’s a fight against all your struggles, and it gives you hope for a light at the end of the tunnel. I had tears not just in my eyes, but streaming down my face the first time I listened to this. Bring tissues, everybody.

‘Triumph’ does what it says on the tin, it’s an uplifting and energetic track that sparks the flame of revolution. It’s probably the most aptly named song to ever have been named, a feeling of victory and confidence comes over me every time I hear it, determination racing through my mind and veins. In many ways, it reminds me of ‘Spirits Will Collide’ from the recent Devin Townsend album, mainly because of its majesty and ability to lift my spirits no matter what. There are some amazing synth solo and djent combo passages in this song, it really never stops with the high-intensity solos and orchestral greatness that puts a cape on your back. Towards the end, we get taken to a softer, more ambient end that cools you down after the intensity of such a powerful track. Have an essay due tomorrow? Put ‘Triumph’ on. 10 times.

'Parhelion' was the second single and is the sixth song on Union. This incredibly moving track is lead by Phil’s memorable riffs (calling back to the title track). It’s actually incredible how many amazing hooks and enchanting melodies Ihlo managed to fit into this song. The ending of ‘Parhelion’ is probably the most powerful and emotive thing that I have heard in a long time - the build to the final chorus has some impressive drum work from Clark, Andy’s synth and Phil’s guitars seem to be in perfect parallel and the vocals are truly moving, one of the best performances in a long time. The entire song, all the incredible harmonies and melodies create an emotional masterpiece that forms an epic climax towards the end - it’s one of those perfect moments in a song: everything comes together, and everything works in perfect harmony. There is an untamed essence to ‘Parhelion’, a chaotic, uncontrolled feeling that heightens how majestic and emotive it is. Parhelion really shows just how talented the band is, not just individually, but how they all seem to play so well off each other. My favourite part of the song is the ‘power-up’ at 1:06, it feels like you’re literally being flung into the song with no warning.

‘Coalescence’ begins with some dirty guitar effects, putting us in a desolate emotional wasteland. The intro is slow and ambient, which builds up the tension for this 15-minute mammoth. The song continues with a mellow vibe, but develops with more positive, hopeful tones. Coalescence keeps switching between faster-paced passages, and slower, depressive tones. Throughout the entirety, the mix of synth and metal is really well balanced, and the signature harmonies are still present. Similar to Hollow, Coalescence springs certain emotions on you, though in this case, they feel angry compared to the desperate feeling that Hollow conveys. The main body of the song is really effective, the rhythm of Phil’s guitar takes over your body, and the synth contrasts the bleak sound with a sign of hope and happiness. It’s a perfect closing song for a perfect album, taking us back to Triumph with the victorious riffs that continuously build in an orchestral fashion, with a crescendo that takes us to the end of the song.

‘Union’, despite being Ihlo’s first album, is a true landmark for releases in 2019 and is probably the strongest debut release of a band that I have come across. It’s an awesome mix of djent, electronic leads and synth solos. The vocals are intense and powerful at times, while moody and soft at others. The album feels really energetic and uplifting, with emotional (and frequently saddening) undertones. There is certainly a good, dynamic range between the different paces this album takes you through, and while having an electronic quality to it, all the emotion you face (and there is a lot of it) seems so raw and natural. 10/10 for this haunting masterpiece - make sure to support Ihlo for their 3 years of hard work which have definitely paid off. Thanks for reading!

- James Carstairs