Greenville, SC based State of Illusion have been hard at work on their new studio album Pluto’s Ghost, and the end result pays off big. The follow up to their previous studio album, Aphelion, Pluto’s Ghost is a next-level State of Illusion. One very notable aspect to this album is that each song contains actual audio from various planets and moons throughout the solar system with the successful intent to take us on an epic journey.
Pluto’s Ghost starts off with a short intro track, an ignition sequence to begin the journey, then flows smoothly into the melodic heaviness of “Deja Vu” and “Yet So Far”. Then comes “Starlight”, the first single from Pluto’s Ghost, showcasing vocalist Porter’s dynamic range with a chorus you can’t help but scream along with (What if this illusion is not what it seems, what if we’re trapped inside this dream, If only I could find the will to breathe, please open my eyes so I can see!). Up next is riff-heavy “Wasted Life” and emotionally charged “Heal the Heartache” followed by the solid track “Along the Way”. “Enough” is a seven plus minute beautifully written heart wrenching song of loss, moving on, and being the best person you can be. “Crashing Down” is another solid, heavy song.
The next song, “Artificial Paradise” (my personal favorite song on the album lyrically and instrumentally), is probably the heaviest on the album, comfortably moving back and forth between technical guitar and crushing riffs with another strongly written extremely catchy chorus (The soul is such a heavy price, for artificial paradise!). “Rain”, another seven plus minute song, feels beautifully ethereal yet heavy at the same time. The 12th track, “Home”, is an emotional and haunting piano and strings driven piece, and the final track, “Death is Not the End” is another heavy, wonderfully written song that guides us home, closing out the journey through Pluto’s Ghost perfectly.
The album as a whole is an awesome landscape of technical guitar, crushing riffs, powerful bass, catchy choruses, and extremely well written emotionally captivating lyrics.
Pluto’s Ghost will be released Sept 3 and was self produced but mixed by Nick Coyle of Cold and Brandon Hart of The Hartbeat Studios.
You can find more about State of Illusion and Pluto’s Ghost at their website: https://www.stateofillusionmusic.com/
Watch the video for the first single, Starlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0MT7sbzcyI
And be sure to check out State of Illusion at Blue Ridge Rock Fest Sept 12!
State of Illusion is:
Jacob Porter – Vocals/Guitar
Chase Medlin – Bass
Shandon Fair – Guitar
Photo by Jarod Phillips, provided by State of Illusion
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