Origin:	Germany
Genres:	Progressive Metal

Disillusion

It's one thing for an established band to tinker with their sound for an album, or even branch out in a new direction. But it's quite another for a band to debut with a solid album, well-received by both fans and critics, and then do something quite different with their followup. But that's what Disillusion has done. After debuting with a little-known EP in 2001, the band burst on to the scene with Back To Times Of Splendor in 2004, an album that deservedly drew raves from all corners for its impressive and unique take on progressive metal. Miles from the ordinary melodic prog metal of the typical Dream Theater clone, Splendor has more in common with bands like Into Eternity (not a direct soundalike, mind you), combining aggressive yet progressive melodies with both clean and harsh vocals. By contrast, 2006's Gloria, is a different animal altogether, the band experimenting with stark rhythms and vocals that at times brought Rammstein of all bands to mind. This no longer simply progressive metal, but something altogether more experimental and different. This change clearly alienated some listeners, though others were pleased with the unexpectedness and progression that the band showed. In reality, perhaps it's not quite as dramatic a change as some claim -- after all, Splendor itself showed a willingness to play outside the normal boundaries, and there are several songs on Gloria where that mentality is simply taken one step farther. Regardless of one's opinion of the album itself, the band has to be admired for daring to make such a risky album.