What a surprise to find this band, Archillusion from Chicago,IL. As it was just by chance, I was online researching and looking for new bands to review. With a sound that is heavily influenced by Nevermore and heavier progressive metal. Archillusion at no point sound like a clone of any other band. That being said, you can hear their influences in the vocals, and the fast and furious guitar riffs.

After the intro track, Descension we get the song Ashes of Apathy. Featuring heavy technical riffs, a melodic section, and a few death growls thrown into the mix, Archillusion throws everything into the mix on the first song. A very heavy yet melodic Lost My Way is next, featuring vocals that remind me of Harry Conklin of Jag Panzer, especially the Mechanized Warfare era. This song features a very cool slower melodic section, where bassist Chris Meller can be heard over the drums, as the guitars play in the background. A stand out track,at nearly seven minutes and twenty five seconds is The Lost Worlds, reminiscent of Nevermore's Dreaming Neon Black era, with multiple layers and melodic yet technical guitar riffs from guitarist and principal songwriter Todd Scow. The song picks up pace, a little more than halfway through, and like the songs before it, it features all the same elements, great musicianship and vocals.

Order of Hate and Heal, both have a heavy solid groove to the music. Heal features some very cool technical guitar riffs in between the verses, that really caught my attention. The solo in that song is also melodic, technical, and flawlessly played. Beginning of the End is a short and slow piece, featuring Scow's guitar work and Aaron Broderick's solid vocals. For some reason this song kind of reminds me of Nevermore's The Sorrowed Man, off their 1996 EP In Memory. A Kingdoms Fall is a mammoth almost nine minute piece of music that starts off, with Scow's technical riffing over a mid-tempo beat. It has almost a melodic thrash mid tempo feel, and the opening solo is one of the most melodic on the entire disc. Like most songs in progressive music, the song features many tempo changes, riffs, and melodic passages. Not once did I think, the band was trying to show off, or saying “Look at me, I can play this.” Every solo, every riff, even every drum fill, fits the songs they are in, and that is a huge compliment I can give to a band who plays this style of music. Several listens later, I can't get the main riff in this song out of my head. A Constellation of Dreams is a very solid instrumental, I am not sure if making it the last track was the best idea. The previous A Kingdom's Fall would have given the disc a grand ending. This is more or less, nitpicking on what is actually a very strong album.

Great musicianship, great vocals, and heavy yet melodic music, is the recipe for Archillusion's music. I am glad I came across their music, and I hope they find their place in the progressive music scene. If you live near and around the Chicago, IL area, make the time to come out and see these guys.