Infinite Illumination
Infinite Illumination is a heavy goodbye. Spirit Adrift's final album moves back towards the slower doom sound that helped define the band, and Nate Garrett gives the songs enough feeling to make the farewell matter. There's no need for a long explanation when the opening title track gets its guitars going.
It begins with acoustic guitar before the full band brings the weight. The pace gives the riffs room to settle, and the melodies carry a real sense of sadness. Garrett has always understood the value of a good guitar harmony. Here, those harmonies do much of the emotional work.
You Will Never Hold the Key is another strong example. The playing is straightforward enough to follow, but the changes in the guitar parts keep the song moving. Spirit Adrift aren't trying to hide a thin idea behind a difficult arrangement. The appeal is in how well the pieces fit, and how much feeling the band can get out of them.
The album's slower pace won't suit every mood. Several songs stay in a similar dark space, and the first half can feel quite guarded. Anyone hoping for a run of bright, immediate heavy metal anthems will need to adjust. The material rewards more attention than that.
White Death puts some extra movement into the record, while I Am Sustained brings one of its clearest lifts. The guitar harmonies are excellent, and a guest solo from James Murphy adds another expressive voice without pulling the song away from its purpose.
Where Once There Was an Ocean makes a fitting closer. The gradual opening leads into strong, substantial riffs, and the changes in guitar tone help the longer arrangement keep its shape. It feels considered, with enough room for the ending to carry some weight of its own.
There's sadness throughout Infinite Illumination, but there is also determination in the playing. The production leaves enough human detail in place for that to come through. Spirit Adrift finish with an album that values strong songs and feeling over spectacle. That's a good way to leave things.
