Rock and Blood

The third full-length album by Bologna-based band Disease Illusion is a blend of cutting-edge metalcore, melodic death metal, and electronic temptations reminiscent of the synthwave and darkwave schools of the 1980s. Each song has the power of melodic death metal, but the drums are never too fast, revealing a different influence, one we might call groove/nu metal.

At first glance, and reading the accompanying biographical notes, this album is a bit disorientating. We’d expected a melodic death metal album in the vein of bands like Drak Tranquility or At The Gates, but those bands are far removed from what Disease Illusion offers. Is all this a male? No, because this “Plastic Ocean” is a well-crafted, highly professional album that has the courage to dare and, at least in part, subvert melodic death metal. Certainly, other bands have attempted to integrate new elements into melodic death metal. Bands like In Flames and Soilwork have often flirted with styles seemingly distant from this genre, as have Dark Tranquillity themselves. All have, to varying degrees, incorporated electronics, synths, loops, and keyboards into some of their albums, demonstrating that melodic death metal is anything but a closed-off genre.

Disease Illusion continues the experimental approach initiated by these bands, but they have the added benefit of a highly distinctive sound. Their reinterpretation of the genre’s stylistic elements is highly personal, and songs like “Glass and Still,” “Displaced,” and “Inject Me” demonstrate their determination even when trying to evolve their sound. Especially on “Our Lady of Self-Defense,” the band continues to experiment, offering something that may be far removed from extreme music, but is nonetheless intriguing and well-structured.

Our advice is that if you’re open-minded about extreme music, then you can give this album a listen. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for pure melodic death metal, you might be disappointed or taken aback by this album, but it’s never too late to appreciate new interpretations of extreme genres. A good album, no matter your personal taste.

Tracklist:

1. Plastic Ocean
2. Reborn
3. Our Lady of Self-Defense
4. Inject Me
5. No Ground
6. Glass and Steel
7. I Am the Enemy
8. Eventide
9. Invisible
10. Displaced

Line-up:

• Federico Venturi – Guitars, Songwriting
• Alessandro Turco – Guitars, Songwriting
• Alessio Chierici – Drums, Songwriting
• Joy Lazari – Vocals, Lyrics
• Giacomo Laurenti – Bass