As a tried-and-true Midwesterner, I love reading about and listening to new bands from so-called “flyover country.” Idol Thone hails from northwest Indiana and makes plenty of heady noise on its prog-power metal debut, the curiously titled The Sibylline Age. Warm production gives these 10 songs added punch and electricity, and the band’s affinity for old-school thrash, neoclassical metal and traditional heavy metal is apparent throughout. The result is an epic debut that deserves your attention.
Vocalist Jake Quintanilla delivers a powerhouse performance, singing from deep within his lungs, and muscular guitar solos from chief songwriters Martin Bowman and Jason Schultz (especially on “The Labyrinth” and the mid-album instrumental “Last Full Measure”) suggest a take-no-prisoners mindset. The album’s 11-and-a-half-minute finale -- the delicate and heavy, searing and soaring title track -- sounds like the work of a seasoned band with multiple albums already to its credit.
Idol Throne is a U.S. metal band to watch. And the fact that these guys are from the Midwest only boosts their blistering appeal…
Track Listing:
1. A Tale Untold
2. Unholy Warrior
3. The Labyrinth
4. Sacred Fire
5. White Wolf
6. Last Full Measure
7. Crown of Fools
8. Ravens’ Blade
9. Power and Control
10. The Sibylline Age