Similarly, Iluvatar's songs are stories spun into rich and warm melodic textures through generous application of synths, liquid guitar leads, bass pedals, even a little Mellotron here and there. Making good use of dynamics, their tunes typically build from a single theme into grand passages overflowing with multiple layers of lush keyboards. Drummer Gary Chambers and bassist Dean Morekas are no slackers either, as they prove on the harder rocking Cracker . The album takes about three songs to get off the ground, but with Late of Conscience picks up a spirited momentum that continues through the end of the disc, closing with The Final Stroke , which may well be the best tune on the disc. Well performed, excellent production, and a beautiful cover.
All clips are excerpts.
The downloadable versions require the entire file to be downloaded first but can be saved to disk. The streaming versions will begin to play after a few seconds. In this regard, Iluvatar's compositions resemble classic Genesis more than anything else. Virtually every track has a long instrumental excursion. Yet like Genesis of the late seventies, the songs remain accessible and full of energy.