Short Reviews [Issun - 2019 - "Dark Green Glow"]

I have been writing about music for more than 30 years now, and there are often times when I look at the amount of albums on my outstanding list and think that maybe it is time to just stop doing it and handover the reins to others, as I just don’t have the time I seemed to have before and to be honest there are times when I don’t have the enthusiasm either. Then I get sent albums like this. It isn’t hard to track me down through the many places my scribblings appear, and I am on the lists of many labels and PR companies and am well-known by other writers, so it isn’t unusual for me to hear from a band with whom I have never had any contact whatsoever, and such was the case with Issun. This is actually their second album, but the debut wasn’t properly released so towards the end of last year they made it available as a cheap price on bandcamp – they have called it ‘Roots! Bloody Roots’ but they sound nothing like Sepultura or Soulfly, and that song isn’t featured, thankfully, as if that is anything like the follow-up then it would be more than a little out of place. What we have here is a German progressive metal band who veer towards the very melodic area of that genre. When they move into softer territory they show they have a strong links towards classic power metal, with many of their songs underpinned with delicate piano yet they can still crunch when they want to. They would never be linked in with the likes of Threshold or Dream Theater, as for the most part they are much lighter and gentler in approach, although they can rock out when they need to. This is concept album, a horror story set within a mysterious glowing forest, which allows them to bring in jungle rhythms when they need to and “Tempest of Laughter” moves from Africa to America, lush and powerful, with drums setting the pace, and that all-encompassing piano and keyboards bringing it all together. This doesn’t sound like an album which took three years to record from an (at least to me) unknown act, as this is polished, professional, with great performances and production. Simply, this is the type of album which energises me to keep doing this week after week, year after year. On the basis of this, Issun are a great band with wonderful ideas who need to be discovered by more people, and if you are reading this then you are one of them. If you enjoy prog metal, prog rock, melodic rock, or just damn good music whatever the genre, then this is for you.