Review | Ivanhoe – Healed By The Sun

Massacre Records

Revisiting their previous releases German Ivanhoe encapsulates the ingredients of their discography on this strong new release `Healed by the Sun’. With new band members Matthias Biehl on drums and Chris Lorey on guitars, the band around founding member Giovanni Soulas (bass) together with Richie Seibel on keyboards and vocalist Alex Koch, maintains their melodic progressive capacity and pushes forward with a collection of 13 new progressive metal tracks.

DREAM THEATER

Often compared to Dream Theater, Germany’s answer to the progressive masters has remained honest and truthful in their delivery. `Healed by the Sun’ combines all of the previous and adds more luster as proven by the opening instrumental ,,Daybreak” and its following title track. There’s a wonderful power metal prowess unleashed atop the breaking glow of its melodic progression. 

Parading on a jagged riff Koch propels the song with scatting vocals into its towering chorus with Dickinson reminiscent persona. The pitching guitar and key interaction marks the glorious accolades of the song. The overall feeling of the album is downright exciting with tempo shifts and progressive time changes at the helm. Songs like ,,Headnut”, ,,Invictus” and the utterly ominous and daunting ,,War of Ages” showcase the band’s intense marksmanship and creativity. Not a dull moment, the songs pack serious poise and progressive wonder with the vocals delving deep to keep up with the changes, dosing the right amount of intensity and soaring laurels.

Blending all powerful ingredients into one driving vehicle of progressive power, ,,Awaiting Judgement Day” fires on all epic engines. The droning bass and colorful drum patterns match the subtle guitars breaking into their roaring riff ‘n roll offload. Contemplating into hammering power the keys rain into the front with heavy 70s momentum before coiling an intense interplay over its thunderous drums. Soaring vocals atop, the song propels with enormous progressive power. Ivanhoe proves their musical extravagance and meanwhile taps a different vein for valour.

IRON MAIDEN AND VANDEN PLAS

,,Moments in Time” whirls with intense keyboard melodies and Dream Theater and breaks into great harmonies on its chorus, frequently falling into a blend of Iron Maiden’s epic tracks and Vanden Plas’ soaring vocal offload. This motion of prog is also repeated on the great ,,One Ticket to Paradise” with its wonderful and memorable hooks and melodies. The chorus towering, the song packs great momentum and the guitars are executing wonderful melodies with drums switching tempo constantly.

,,10C” opens with storming bass shreds, harshly breaking to unload a gloomy low pace that builds into its soaring bridge and chorus. Powerful, the bass keeps slamming its low chords onto the creeping keyboard and drum patterns, the song evolves with epic grandeur amidst the chants. The brooding atmosphere is elongated with ,,Broken Illusions” ending at a more glorious pitch, breaking into heavy jagged riffs and welling keyboards propelling it’s with meandering progressive momentum. 

IVANHOE – THE CONCLUSION

Toning back Ivanhoe displays its wonderful compositional skills with the searing melodic ,,Small Path Home” and its intro ,,Goodbye”, or the epic ,,Picture in My Head”, that showcases great melodic interplay with powerful hooks and melodies thrown at the center of its compelling choruses. 

Ivanhoe’s `Healed by the Sun’ is a statement of the band’s career. It discharges with great stance and blends all their musical adeptness with searing choruses and melodies. Progressive to its core, the synergy of melody and German firing power metal finds way into these carefully constructed tracks, making them gain momentum with every spin. Perhaps their best album to date! 

Release date: 10 May 2024