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Lake of Tears: Illwill

Heavy Rock/Metal

4.75/5.0

AFM Records
Website Facebook MySpace
by Craig Hartranft,  06.06.2011

Illwill is my first experience with Sweden's Lake of Tears, although they've been around since the early Nineties. It's been a good one: both interesting and entertaining. From the beginning LoT has been called gothic metal with doom and progressive elements, but also an ever evolving band. The gothic thing is nebulous encompassing some many bands and doom suggests a slower forbidding pace. If that's enough generalization, then any listener will find both elements within Illwill, and they are there.

Yet listening to The Hating or Parasites, it sounds like Lake of Tears is taking on some punk persona mixed with heavy rock. The former move briskly, but has a doomish segue. The latter almost smacks of a re-enegized Motorhead. Go figure. But Floating in Darkness sounds like basic heavy rock or metal. It's nearly old school: good pace, very catchy with a nice guitar rip. Then, also, the title cut is heavy rock/metal with humongous riffs. Nice. House of the Setting Sun is both ambiguous and progressive. It's slow, heavy, and steady, but contains elements of goth, doom, and the psychedelic. Out of Control returns to that heavy rock and roll feel, and it's fast, short, and catchy.

Go on listening. Whatever Lake of Tears have gotten themselves into is quite good.

Lake of Tears' Illwill has to be one of the most interesting and unexpected listens in the last six months. It's as much indefinable as it is significantly entertaining. Perhaps may favorable attitude comes from a lack of experience with the band. Whatever. Illwill is cool!

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Lake of Tears' Illwill has to be one of the most interesting and unexpected listens in the last six months. It's as much indefinable as it is significantly entertaining. Illwill is cool!

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]