The Italian outfit of Ivory has been in the musical forefront for over 15 years and “Alien Nation” is its fourth official release (if we count last year’s EP “Social Disease”). The truth is that over the years, the band has been plagued by countless line-up changes and of course the expected adversity that always comes with an up-and-coming act in any corner of the globe. And yet…they persevere! In fact, “Alien Nation” is easily the band’s best work and, I would say, the culmination of their years of effort.
So, here we have a set of melodic prog compositions, with catchy choruses and an overall well-crafted song structure. In fact, when Ivory approach their more rock side, the final result is even better and for this reason I consider the track “Liquid World Crunch” to be the absolute highlight of the album. That’s not to say that the rest of the tracks fall short and especially fans of the pure metal sound will find many favorite elements throughout the album. And for those looking for kindred references and influences, Ivory definitely have their roots in bands like Fates Warning and Dream Theater.
In conclusion, I would say that “Alien Nation” is a very worthy work that with the support of a bigger label and especially a bigger budget would allow even more people to get to know them. We wholeheartedly wish them every success…
Highlight: Just the title of the album, which refers to the Scorpions’ excellent track, gives you a positive predisposition for what you are going to listen to…
