Insolvency – Illusional Gates
Release Date: 21st February 2022
Label: Self-Released
Pre-Order
Genre: Metalcore, Screamo, Post-Hardcore.
FFO: Asking Alexandria (early), Saving Vice, If I Were You, Jamie’s Elsewhere.
Review By: Mike Leighton
French metal quartet, Insolvency, are set to release their new, sophomore album, Illusional Gates, on February 18th, 2022! The band comprises of Valentin Gondouin on guitar/vocals, Pierre Challouet on bass/vocals, Bruno Blackstard on guitar/backing vocals, and Prosper Duffours on drums. This album was crafted in collaboration with Jim Pinder who worked with bands such as Bullet For My Valentine, Machine Head and While She Sleeps. With that, let’s jump into this album!
Illusional Gates starts with the track Blindness, which also happens to be the band’s first single. Blindness begins with ambient tones, and distant background vocals, as well as some awesome guitar riffs and haunting electronic notes. Once we really get to the meat of the track, we are presented with the singing vocals for the first time. Lead vocalist, Valentin Gondouin, showcases his almost gritty yet very melodic singing vocals. Later in the track, the guitarist introduces some nice pinch harmonics side-by-side a very punchy riff. As we near the end of Blindness, you can hear some refreshing synth notes, which gives the listener feelings of floating through the clouds or traversing the ocean depths. Insolvency enters again, full force, to end the song quite abruptly.
Torn Away Inside starts much more vibey, much bouncier than the first track. I really enjoy the guitar composition and tones they are able to achieve. The screams are clear but menacing all the same. Around the three-minute mark, Insolvency drops a really heavy breakdown alongside some equally menacing electronic elements that just ooze mid – late 2000’s metalcore. Asking Alexandria and their first album, Stand Up and Scream, is just one that comes to my mind.
Endless Maze opens with an awesome and eerie intro. This song features the crushing guest vocals of Fit For A King’s Ryan Kirby, and he absolutely nails it, but there really is no need for surprise there. Not only is this song a standout track for me, but it mixes up the formula Insolvency has shown on the first two tracks. The juxtaposition between vocal styles and the almost Djent-style guitar riff in the middle really adds to the textures present within the track. One thing is for sure at this point, Insolvency knows how to craft a breakdown that everyone is sure to love, and Endless Maze is no different.
Mirage is the first solely instrumental track, presenting the listener with some lovely, almost fairy-like chimes as well as the sound of light string instruments. After that, we are given some electronic bass beats behind a cool, symphonic riff. Lastly, before the track ends, we are given a building orchestral crescendo that unfortunately abruptly ends. Although a more seamless transition would have been nice, this track did give me strong Alerion vibes from, again, Asking Alexandria.
Illusional Gates has everything you’d want to hear from this style of metalcore; lots of quick guitar riffs, fast drums and electronic elements. Personally, the sound presented by Insolvency on this release is very reminiscent of a lot of bands that helped the scene grow in the early to late 2000s. Illusional Gates (title track) as well as Last Call, and Another Fate bring with them a similar soundscape to those presented on the first three tracks. There are some nicely done drum fills, hard and chunky guitar riffs alongside electronic elements and harsh vocals. I quite enjoyed the break in the middle of the Illusional Gates, the title track, where the listener is presented a very anthemic building choir of voices before given a well-placed and fluid guitar solo.
Stranger World broke the monotony that was presented on the last few tracks. Starting with clean vocals layered behind a nice, crisp drum fill as well as another fantastic guitar hook. What got me were not only the awesome symphonic elements behind the guitar, nor the entrance of almost spoken word vocals, but the very raw and emotion harsh vocals; almost like Valentin is letting out a lot of emotions. Not only was the vocal presentation quite enjoyable, but it was also the lack of other instruments that really lets you hear, a perceived level of pain in the vocalist’s voice. It is definitely a standout track for me, not only because of the emotion presented, but also the composition as a whole makes it feel like a song about redemption; about finding yourself in an all but familiar world.
Smother The Candle begins with a refreshing and technical guitar riff. Easily the heaviest song on the record as far as music composition goes. Vocals are dark, almost evil, but that is to be expected when you become aware of who the guest vocalist is. Very cool, again djent-y guitar line runs through the core of the song. Once Thy Art Is Murder’s very own CJ McMahon enters, you know you’re in for a brutal ride. His vocals along with Insolvency’s own vocalist pair very well together and are only elevated by the drum and guitar composition. The listener is suddenly brought to an abrupt halt, and we get a haunting yet beautiful choir. This darkness and light juxtaposition is quite a nice touch on this track. The title may be Smother the Candle, but Insolvency is sure to light a few fires with this track whenever it is played live.
Oversight presents one of only a few guitar solos on this album, and that’s a good thing because it drew me, the listener, back in. Oversight also showcases one of only a few times lead vocalist, Valentin, shows us how low he can go with his growls, and he does not disappoint. Afterlight, much like Mirage but less symphonic and more instrumental, helps to not only tie the songs together but give the listener a nice reprieve in order to digest previous tracks. Lastly, we get Fade and Flow, starting off with some very impressive synth elements. Several instances of group vocals are present throughout the song, and quite a nice touch by the band; helping to add more elements not heard a lot on the rest of the album. Again, reminiscent of early scene bands who utilized this style a lot, Insolvency does not disappoint. This track brings out a little of every element heard previously on Illusional Gates, which in my opinion, is a great way to bring this album to a close. Insolvency brought their A game on this track, and it shows.
Overall, Illusional Gates is a fun, and enjoyable listen. The guitars and electronic elements are what really help bring the album together! Illusional Gates only falls short, in some respects, with its slight repetitiveness. Not to say that is a bad thing at all; and some fans of the genre might see it as the exact opposite. 
(4 / 5)
