Illuminate Me “I Have Become a Corpse” Review
Review by Erik Ghint
I believe that record reviews are the collective response of the author’s objective opinion and taste on music in general, combined, however, with some undisputed facts. I have to point out that I’m far from a metalcore music fan and that if a gun were put to my head, metal would be banished forever first, metalcore second. That being said, this is what I think about Illuminate Me’s sophomore LP entitled “I Have Become a Corpse” released through Tragic Hero Records on July 15th 2014.
TRACKLISTING
VooDoo Blues (feat. Garett Rapp of The Color Morale)
The Porcelain God
No Sunshine In The Sunshine State
Ouija Board Taught Me Everything I Know
Lick Your Own Wounds
Funeral Friends
Apples To Whoranges (feat. Jerry Rush of Glass Cloud)
West Side Artgoon Craigslist Kills (feat. Landon Tewers of The Plot In You)
Circa Dia
I Have Become A Corpse
And I Will Never Die
I had never heard of Florida’s Illuminate Me before having to review their upcoming full length “I Have Become a Corpse”. Giving it a first listen I was not hooked one little bit. Like I mentioned metalcore music is not my cup of tea, but, again, I do think there are some subjective facts about every release, thus making any kind of review useful.
The Good Stuff
The band starts forming in 2012 and in the beginning it is set out to be just a studio project. Like it always happens with well kept underground secrets, at some point people show interest and it’s just a matter of time before the cat is out of the bag. As a trio Illuminate Me release the “Crawlspace” EP online in January of 2013 and from there on the band takes its full shape months later having gained recognition locally and nationally. Work on releasing a full length begins and the rest is history so far.
Compared to the “Crawlspace” EP Illuminate Me sounds almost like a different band on “I Have Become A Corpse”. The production is immaculate, riffs and song structures are thought out very well, singing is clearer and I assume as it should be, plus there are variations in vocal style. I’m all for variety.
The record kicks off with VooDoo Blues, featuring Garrett Rapp of The Color Morale on guest vocals. A great opener and probably my favorite track, the southern rock Kvelertak-esque riffs giving the song a nice touch. The guest vocals in the song are also a good turning point in the song.
There are times in the guitar work of the song “No Sunshine in the Sunshine State” where I am slightly reminded of the amazing, now sadly inactive, UK based hardcore band The Ghost of a Thousand. “Ouija Board Taught Me Everything I Know” is another stand out track of the record, music wise having a nice hardcore punk vibe. “Circa Dia” and the title track “I Have Become A Corpse” are two songs that distinguish from the rest for their energy and variety in structure. The latter one actually brings Run with the Haunted to mind; the only hardcore/metalcore band performance I have ever been impressed by.
It is more than evident that the band is very technical and that’s always a plus in my book. Pulling it off live is another more than honorable mention. In essence, finding some similarities between Illuminate Me and bands I have enjoyed in the past is a clear cut sign of attraction to this new sound. The one last thing I absolutely love about this record is the artwork. Really beautiful.
The Bad Stuff
I could rant on what bothers me about this genre of music and consequently this record but it is unimportant and surely not needed at this point. I do enjoy and can connect with anger vented through singing but I prefer it if the vocals have a more distinct pronunciation and everything is not just a round scream. After a little while I feel like I need to be voluntarily institutionalized.
Then there are the lyrics. Well thought out lines like “If everyone’s a fucking slut then who the fuck are you” in one song and “At the end of the day, I’ll always be judged by the amount I have in my wallet” in another is not something I would want to sing out loud at a show or even have stuck in my head for that matter. Clearly there have been some bad judgment calls when it comes to choosing a partner but for the love of everything that is not immature please revisit some of those lines when you write them. Unless this lyrical approach is typical with this style of music, in which case I must refer you to my initial statement on guns, my head and musical tyranny.
Lastly, there are a number of musical styles being embodied in a lot of parts of these songs. Thrash is definitely not one of them. Please erase that from any biographical entry of the band and all social media info to avoid confusion and possible disses.
Whatever the assessment though, it is obvious that Illuminate Me are on the right track. If you make a good sounding record, your first, and it gets picked up by a solid record label doors open and how you choose to progress is almost entirely up to you. For that I give Illuminate Me my respect and attention from now on.
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
Related Posts
Best of 2024: from Ricky Frankel →
PHOTOS: Mac Sabbath Celebrates 10 Years alongside Guttermouth and Angry Samoans →
State Champs Release Self-Titled Album Today →
