UK prog metallers Ihlo released their sophomore album, “Legacy,” in August, 6 years after their very well-received debut “Union” (which also received a handsome remastering treatment in 2024). Imagine the big melodies and synth infused atmosphere of Vola melded with the melodic and crushing instrumental genius of Wheel, and you might get some idea of what is in store. To be clear, Ihlo is not a copy of either of these bands and does a fabulous job forging their own path, crafting big melodies with fabulous song compositions that take their time building, delivering powerful riffs that inject chaos into beauty. The songs are enrapturing, sucking you into their flow and impressing as much with their pulchritude as they do with their heft. This album feels ambitious in all the right ways, and I find myself getting lost in it while also discovering new wrinkles on repeated listens. The vocals have a melancholic feel at times, matching the synth-filled atmosphere and almost dystopian subject matter, while still conveying a pop sensibility. The guitars do a great job balancing silky smooth with djenty aggression, the keys add an ethereal touch, the bass holds the bottom end excellently, and the drums effortlessly navigate softer and heavier passages. Nothing is overly flashy, driven by excellent song writing, great use of dynamic shifts, and wonderful transitions. The slightly longer than 1 hour run time across 10 songs is immersive without feeling overbearing, and I would love to experience this in a live setting.

“Wraith” opens things up in cinematic fashion, building atmosphere out of the gate with a synth laden opening, layering in vocals and slowly building to a heavier polyrhythmic section that leans into the guitars while allowing the synths to continue to engird the rest of the instruments. Things really hit around 3 minutes in, with big vocals, fabulous melodies, a killer guitar solo, and plenty of bombast. The band winds it back down temporarily, before roaring back with emotion into a big finish.

“Replica” starts out melancholic with a simple guitar and keyboard melody and emotive vocals. It slowly builds, layering as it goes, and then punches you with a Wheel-like crushing djent attack that is impossible not to headbang to. After a very brief chance to catch your breath, they deliver a massive finish with an incredible vocal melody.

“Source” takes a more restrained approach for the first half, biasing toward an electronics vibe, before hitting a heavier stride halfway. The chorus has big soaring vocals that get stuck in your head, and the extended outro features an atmospheric synth lead over hefty polyrhythmic riffing and drumming.

“Empire” starts slower and quite melodic, utilizing off beat rhythms and time signatures throughout, such as the 4/4 and 3/4 alternation in the chorus. This is a good showcase for how the band can write a song that seems to identify as a mild rocker, but weave in myriad layers to create a prog metal tapestry.

“Storm,” at just over 2 minutes, is the album’s shortest, acting like an interlude track while serving up a heartfelt melody and cinematic feel. This sets up “Mute” nicely, as it bleeds heartfelt emotion with fabulous melodies and atmosphere, giving me vibes of the slower side of Vola or even Soen. Halfway through it briefly amps things up, and then does the same for the final minute, but the band remains content keeping it on the slower, more reserved side, shying away from the chaos found in previous tracks. The song is very immersive, making great use of dynamics shifts.

“Cenotaph” shifts back to a heavier opening, utilizes a nice bass-driven riff with a heavy synth overlay, and doesn’t shy away from musical mayhem in its polyrhythmic approach. The chorus is huge, vocals soaring and packing plenty of passion. Ihlo does a great job keeping you on your toes here, with lots of twists and turns that do not follow a standard path, making use of dynamic and rhythmic shifts to great effect. This may be the “proggiest” song on the album, an absolute standout. The atmospheric outro segueways perfectly into “Haar,” making it feel like Part 2 of a very long opus. I don’t know if that was the intent of the band, but even lyrically, I at least interpret it that way. It also makes use of a nice bass-driven riff and emotive vocals while taking a bit of a more straightforward approach musically. I love the hefty instrumental outro!

The title track takes the listener on an introspective journey, reflecting on what has happened earlier in the album while doing a fantastic job creating this feel musically. Though definitely not one of the heavier songs, it is absolutely bombastic, expertly building atmosphere and emotion as the song progresses, flirting with chaos and navigating a variety of layers. Honestly the first time I heard the album, I thought this was the closing track, as it has that feel and energy, including the way it ends. I wonder if it was ever considered for that role?

“Signals” is the closer, the album’s longest at around 10 minutes, a melancholic emotional journey that continues the introspection from “Legacy” and creates a sense of longing and desire. The instruments convey the sense of melancholy and emotion well, blending melody and atmosphere while mostly holding back and avoiding aggression. My personal preference would have been to flip flop these last 2 songs from a flow perspective, but “Signals” punctuates things lyrically and hence works perfectly as the closer.

I find myself constantly revisiting “Legacy,” getting lost in its musical tapestry and emotional lyrics. It is a fantastic prog metal album, and I hope for the day when I can see Ihlo perform this material live!

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