Band:	Ilium
Album:	Permian Dusk
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	2005
A review by:	wrathchild

01. Vacuous
02. An Odyssey Through Time
03. Chloroform Divinity
04. Permian Dusk
05. Jaundiced With Fear
06. Dark Breed
07. Subconscious Reality
08. Zeroid-Mechanical Pestilence
09. All Control Lost
10. Zygo Maze

From what I've heard of the Australian metal scene, they're not very original... but damn efficient! Ilium is no exception and their new album, "Permian Dusk" will appeal to power metallers who may feel like their genre is drifting away from what it's supposed to be.

Just having a look at the drawings on the cover and in the booklet will bring memories from the past, back when we were all excited about the newest artwork from Derek Riggs, for example.
Here you'll discover a sort of fantasy world mixing prehistory, science, evolution and life manipulation themes that also inspired the songs (for your knowledge, the Permian era ended with the largest mass extinction ever).

Power chords and assorted riffs, along with melodic leads and guitar harmonies a la Helloween guided by well-balanced vocals (not too high, sometimes raging but never growling), here's the main recipe used by Ilium. I wish a more decisive role was given to the bass, the drums and the keyboards; some songs could be better by being more varied and less linear. If I had one song to pick as a favorite from "Permian Dusk", it would be "Zeroid-Mechanical Pestilence", mostly because I find it more original. Nevertheless, this album already offers the essential: Good music!
The overall production could benefit from more recent tools, though it's more than decent and contributes to that "vintage" feel.

In my opinion, what we have here is a very good and entertaining power metal album that is not trying to be "faster", "louder", "more technical", etc. If you're a real power metal fan, you'll sure love "Permian Dusk". Others shouldn't be afraid of seeing them live for their music is certified "headbanging" material.