Media Meditation #2: A Splendid Time Indeed

Disillusion
Back to Times of Splendor (2004)

Tracklist:
1. …And The Mirror Cracked (8:28)
2. Fall (4:54)
3. Alone I Stand In Fires (6:53)
4. Back To Times Of Splendor (14:39)
5. A Day By The Lake (4:54)
6. The Sleep Of Restless Hours (17:03)

The best thing to compare Back to Times of Splendor to is Lord of the Rings. Lyrically the album is straight high fantasy, with a healthy dosage of cheesiness. That isn’t the real reason it is similar to LotR, however. The epic scope, the interlocking of so many pieces, all of this is found in both the books and in Disillusion’s debut album.

The album, though a mere six songs, is nearly an hour in length, and if it weren‘t for the interesting arrangements and structures it would be a chore to sit through. Isolating a single best thing about it is a chore, because all of it is on such a high level. The two guitarists frequently play different riffs layered over one another, with one playing a rhythm line and the other playing a melodic lead or a harmonization of the original riff. The guitar riffs are unusual in that many of them stretch on for several bars, only resolving and repeating at the end of the entire phrase. Usually, riffs will repeat two or four times within a single phrase. The bass is almost inaudible, however, and follows the guitars exclusively. The drums are fantastic here, and accent the music well without becoming too excessive. The beats are mostly standard, though a bit souped up with faster bass drum or snare work, aside from some nice work here and there. Melodically, the album stays almost exclusively in a safe minor key. This isn’t to say that the melodies are simple, however. The two guitars, keyboards, and intermittent piano all make counterpoint a very strong portion of their sound, particularly in the dueling guitar riffs. The arrangements and melodies also have a classical feel about them, particularly in the complex passages when all four of these melodic voices play at once.

Back to Times of Splendor is such a complex piece of music that it almost comes as a surprise that one man did so much of it. Andy Schmidt, who uses the stage name Vurtox, is the primary songwriter and only lyric writer of Disillusion, and plays guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals, and keyboards on this album, as well as programming the symphonic elements. He is a very accomplished vocalist, and though he doesn’t have a very wide range he uses a lot of different deliveries. In addition to all the musical strength he contributed to the album, he produced it himself. It’s a fantastic production job, which keeps the guitars heavy and powerful as well as all the other instruments audible (besides the bass). Since Back to Times of Splendor Disillusion has grown to a four piece, adding Matthias Becker on bass duties. Before that, many other musicians have been hired for Disillusion’s live tours.

Disillusion’s debut album is a mighty one indeed, rich in melody and energy. Their sound has since changed dramatically, and their second album Gloria in 2006 sounds completely different to the degree that it seems like a different band, but with the same vocalist. Still, Back to Times of Splendor is a fantastic album, certainly worth a listen by anyone with a taste for heavier music.