Review | Jelusick – Apolitical Ecstasy

Lion's Pride Music

Dino Jelusick is a force of nature. From his earliest steps on stage in Croatia to commanding stages with giants like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Whitesnake, he has carried a gift that sets him apart: a voice that is equal parts power and storytelling. With `Apolitical Ecstasy’, he turns that gift into a banner, raising it high over an album that feels crafted with intent and fire. This is not a collection of songs stitched together; it is a craftefully forged powerhouse release from a singer and a band that know exactly what they target.

MUSCLE AND PRECISION

The record opens with ,,Jaws of Life”, a song that bursts from the speakers with muscle and precision, immediately making it clear where the spotlight belongs. All lights zoom in on Jelusick’s soaring and commanding vocals. Growling with fierce bliss, he greases the song’s gears, to raise the bar in the nesting bridge and chorus. His phrasing is instinctive, his range astonishing. One moment he delivers a velvet-toned verse laced with restraint, the next he ignites a chorus with rasp and grit that feel lived-in and true. That dynamic energy powers the album front to back, turning every track into a miniature drama.

UNIQUE EDGE

What gives `Apolitical Ecstasy’ its unique edge is the way the music breathes around the voice. The riffs are sharp and concise, the rhythm section locked in with purpose, and the choruses hit with that rare immediacy that lodges them deep into memory. As the opener proves, the drums add to Jelusick’s commanding rawness, with the guitars sitting around his vocal delivery in the centre of the mix. Songs like modern grooving ,,Power to the People” and the soaring and beautiful ,,Torn” deliver the kind of hooks you can’t shake off, yet never at the expense of finesse. In line with the intensity of power ballad ,,Torn”, ,,Seasons” and ,,Fool in the Rain” show a different face altogether: intimate, fragile, and unexpectedly tender, more subtle.

Written later in the process, both feels like the record’s emotional heart, proving Jelusick doesn’t just impress with volume and range, but with the honesty of silence and space. He draws together styles like the bluesy registers of David Coverdale and Brian Howe, while also tearing it up heavier bordering with Dio and leaning into Robert Plant on the extension of the notes. There’s a lot of power and passion in this delivery, and Jelusick truly shines brightly.

DARKER EDGE

The jagged appeal of ,,Hangman” bites a tad harder, bringing a darker edge, while the breaks are intense; hooks drop like bombs. The metallic fire it breathes throughout is keenly mixed up with melodic finesse, while the tempo changes drop in progressive manner. Every guitar flourish is deliberate, every drum accent purposeful, leaving space for Dino to paint the emotional colors. Blending styles, keeping their focus on output rather than enigmatic release, enhance the songs gripping discharge. In between the metallic stride, Jelusick experiments freely, like on the strumming ,,What the Hell is Going On”, where acoustic guitars support the layered vocals and Dino switching gruff to growling.

The laid-back intensity has a Spaghetti western feel, with darker burlesque edge, stomping. It is equally impressive how the band transcend an epic keyboard float into a rifting and menacing metal song like ,,How Many Times”, with its steep twists and turns, and commanding down tuned guitars attacking the melody to flourish on the melodic vocal lines and sudden drama injected in the melody.

THE SENSE OF BALANCE

When he takes the gears to shift metallic, prog-breaked tracks like ,,Groove Central” The title track stands tall as the album’s rallying call. It is a true at heart hymn of defiance with a chorus that begs to be shouted back from the front in packed arena. The song blends soaring melodies and vocals, in the vein of Evergrey, with classic rock and metal accolades, breathing drama into the song. It’s drums pulse with double kicks and the bass growls low while reverting guitar licks and short solos. The centre solo is absolutely wonderful, fluently transition into a duel of keys and guitars. The song is a smart constructed epic track over which Dino brings his vocal prowess forward. His range fully deployed, he shifts shape accordingly, highlighting the song’s pour of melancholy.

The band itself deserves full credit for the musical cohesion on display here. Guitars, bass, and drums don’t compete for attention, but truly serve the songs with discipline, building structures that highlight the vocal lines rather than crowd them. This sense of balance makes the record shine. You can hear the hours of thought in the sequencing, the way each track flows into the next, building momentum without ever tipping into excess. All coming together in a powerful production with a transparency highlighting every track of the reel.

JELUSICK – THE CONCLUSION

`Apolitical Ecstasy’ is an album of conviction. It doesn’t lean on nostalgia, nor does it chase trends. Instead, it celebrates the essence of melodic hard rock and heavy metal. Jam packed with tight songwriting, razor-sharp hooks, and a frontman who sings like his life depends on it. Dino Jelusick has already proven his worth on the world stage, but here he proves something even more valuable: that his voice, his vision, and his band can craft a body of work that stands proudly on its own.

With this re-release, the record is given a second chance to storm ears and hearts — and it deserves every spin. Play it loud, sing along, and let yourself be reminded that in the right hands, melody and power can still spark electricity.

Release date: 19 September 2025