illuminatus

Artist Information

Biography

With the release of ‘Glasnost’, their second full length studio album, illuminatus have established themselves as THE up-and-coming band of 2011. Recorded in Hannover, Germany, in June 2010 by producer Willi Dammeier (Apoptygma Berzerk, Fony, Symphony Cult) and released via Headroom Records in February 2011, the press reactions for the album were again extremely positive – “A fusion of explosive but controlled heaviness, melody and nerve-jangling emotion” (Metalteam UK), “Such an organic, rounded and great album is rarely heard” (Legacy Magazine, Germany), “An absolute highlight, and not just for this year” (Big Five Magazine, Germany).

The band’s unique brand of melodic and powerful music continues to find them airplay on many of the UK’s and European rock radio shows – Bruce Dickinson's Rock Show (BBC6, UK), A-listed on Total Rock Radio (UK), Aardschok Radio (Kink FM, Netherlands), Metal Zone Radio (Belgium), Symphonium Radio (Radio 5, Norway). And a club promo campaign run in March and April 2011 consistently returned a 90% approval rate from both DJ’s and clubbers.

Building on the success of their touring experiences with Ministry (C-U-LaTour 2008), My Ruin (Religiosi Tour 2008), Breed77 & Susperia (Insects & Attitude Tour 2009) and Rise To Addiction (Co-Headline Tour 2009), and previous festival appearances at the Bloodstock Festival, the Fordham Music Fest, the Bulldog Bash and Denmark’s Midwinter Meltdown Festival, the band performed for the first time at the infamous Download Festival at Castle Donington, the home of British heavy metal, in June 2011. And having just returned from a successful tour of Belgium, Holland and Germany in support of Hawklords (ex-Hawkwind), the band is now gearing up for their main stage support of metal legend Devin Townsend at the Damnation Festival later on 5 November.

Join the revolution at www.illuminatus.uk.com and www.facebook.com/weareilluminatus

Instrumentation

Julio Taylor - Vocals, Guitar
Jonathan Martin - Guitar
Leo Giovazzini - Bass
Felix Rullhusen - Drums

Discography

GLASNOST
2011 / Headroom Records
AVAILABLE in all good record stores and online via all digital retailers

THE RISING TIDE EP
2009 / Pork Neck Records
Digital Download and Limited Edition CD

THE WRATH OF THE LAMBS
2008 / Headroom Records.
AVAILABLE ONLINE through Play.com, Amazon & HMV
and as DIGITAL DOWNLOAD through iTunes, Napster, HMV, Tesco & Play.com

ABORTED REVOLUTIONS EP
2004 / self-release
SOLD OUT
Still available as DIGITAL DOWNLOAD through iTunes

SUBURBAN SYMMETRY EP
2002 / self-release
SOLD OUT

Links

• Last.fm
• Twitter
• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• MySpace

Audio

• illuminatus_Murdocracy_Corporate_Radio_Friendly_Mix_2010
  Listen  
• Cave In
  Listen  
• The Rising Tide
  Listen  
• Red
  Listen  
• Wargasm Acoustic
  Listen  
• Captive State
  Listen  
• The Wrath Of The Lambs
  Listen  
• Black
  Listen  
• Wargasm
  Listen  
• White Lies
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Wait
• Black
• Fear Control
• Suburban Symmetry
• Emotion Sickness
• Wargasm
• White Lies
• Cave In
• The Rising Tide
• Red

Video

illuminatus - Captive State (2009)

Photo Gallery

Press

• Radio & TV Appearances [+ Show ]
  

  18 November 2009 - 'La Colere Du Peuple' show / Radio Campus, Besancon 102.4FM, France 1 November...18 November 2009 - 'La Colere Du Peuple' show / Radio Campus, Besancon 102.4FM, France
  
  1 November 2009 - Darkwave Radio, France
  
  29 October 2009 - Radio Quarz, Belgium
  27 October 2009 - Aardschok Radio / Kink FM, The Netherlands
  22 October 2009 - Radio Quarz, Belgium
  18 October 2009 - Darkwave Radio, France
  
  September & October 2009 (playlists # 326, 327 & 329) - Starship Overlow, UK
  
  26 September 2009 - Rock Show / XFM, UK
  25 September 2009 - T.N.T. / Radio Hoeksche Waard, The Netherlands
  8 September 2009 - Aardschok Radio / Kink FM, The Netherlands
  4 September 2009 - Bruce Dickinson / 6 Music BBC Radio, UK
  4 September 2009 - Chapel Of Ghouls / SOL FM 100.7, France
  
  August to October 2009 - The Rising Tide EP A-listed on Total Rock Radio, UK
  
  28 August 2009 - The KILR Show / Preston FM, UK
  26 August 2009 - BD's Rock Show & Thrashmans Mosh / Express FM 93.7, UK
  25 August 2009 - The Metal Factory / Radio Air Libre 87.7, Belgium
  22 August 2009 - In-studio interview with DJ Greenz / Total Rock Radio, UK
  18 August 2009 - The Metal Factory / Radio Air Libre 87.7, Belgium
  4 August 2009 - Chapel Of Ghouls / SOL FM 100.7, France
  
  

• The Rising Tide EP [+ Show ]
  

  Wenn vier Mann aus Spanien, Grossbritannien und Deutschland gemeinsam Musik machen sollen, entstehen...Wenn vier Mann aus Spanien, Grossbritannien und Deutschland gemeinsam Musik machen sollen, entstehen schon aufgrund der europaeischen Dimensionen kleinere Schwierigkeiten in der Produktivitaet. ILLUMINATUS haben seid 2002 drei EP’s und ein Album veroeffentlicht; “The Rising Tide” markiert die dritte EP und ihre neuesten 22 Minuten. Apostrophiert als Heavy Metal, tun die vier Musiker alles um das Klischee vom gut gefoenten und kajalbemalten Spandextraeger zu verwischen; gleichzeitig aber auch das vom Progressive Metal, der zur Zeit so im Schwange ist, dass ILLUMINATUS wohl nur eine Band unter vielen waeren.
  
  Stattdessen gibt es vier Mal sehr rifforientierte, in Midtempo gehaltene, balladeske Song-Strukturen, deren Leadgitarren-Laeufe seah an arrivierte Bands wie Agaloch erinnern, deren Vocals aber gleichzeitig durchgaengig clean sind, auf klassische Strophen- und Refrain-Abfolgen aufbauen, allesamt bis zur absoluten Ohrwurmigkeit auf Catchiness getrimmt sind und “The Rising Tide” eine sehr massentaugliche Note verpassen.
  
  Von der Glaubwuerdigkeit ILLUMINATUS’ nehem diese Hooklines trotzdem nichts. Und nich zufaellig erwaehnt das Promoblatt die Beteiligung des Therapy?-Produzenten Adam Sinclair an den Aufnahmen; wer das “Infernal Love”-Album daheim stehen hat und verehrt, wird ILLUMINATUS lieben. [14 Punkte]

• The Rising Tide EP [+ Show ]
  

  Ich liebe diese Momente: Man bekommt seit Monaten nette Durchschnittsware oder auch Schrott. Nur gan...Ich liebe diese Momente: Man bekommt seit Monaten nette Durchschnittsware oder auch Schrott. Nur ganz selten finden sich positive Überraschungen in der MR Post, so wie jetzt. Da flattert mir ohne jegliche Vorwarnung eine bescheiden aufgemachte CD-R ins Haus, die zudem noch von einer Band namens Illuminatus stammt (Nerdalarm!) und überzeugt mich mal gerade im Handumdrehen.
  
  Dummerweise habe ich den Promozettel verschlampt und muss mich jetzt mit den Infos der Homepage zufrieden geben. Ein Spanier, ein Deutscher, ein Engländer und ein Italiener zelebrieren auf "The Rising Tide" ganz großes, melodisches Kino. Illuminatus wollen in keine Schublade (wer schon?!) und das schaffen sie auf dieser EP recht eindrucksvoll. So vielfältig die Herkunft der Bandmitglieder ist, so mannigfaltig ist auch ihr Sound. Basis ist zwar eindeutig moderner Postrock, doch die Zutaten die das Quartett zusätzlich in ihre Soundsuppe schmeißt lassen die Jungs aus der breiten Masse hervor stechen.
  
  Da wäre zum einen die Stimme von Sänger / Gitarrist Julio Taylor, die eben nicht typisch anklagend, verzweifelt oder extrem angepisst klingt sondern neben aller durchaus vorhandenen Härte auch massig Gefühl mitbringt. Dass er dabei auch schon mal ein wenig schräg klingt macht die Musik nur sympathischer. Die Riffs wummern wuchtig und dennoch zerbrechlich und nicht selten klingt man fast schon alternativ poppig. Jeder Song ist ein kleiner Volltreffer und ich bin sehr auf das nächste vollständige Album gespannt.
  
  Mein Geheimtipp des Monats! [12/15]

• The Rising Tide EP [+ Show ]
  

  If such a thing is even possible, illuminatus just made their already shadowy, brooding sound even d...If such a thing is even possible, illuminatus just made their already shadowy, brooding sound even darker. Their progressive and socially conscious menace gets another airing on this follow-up to 2008’s debut impressive debut, The Wrath Of The Lambs.
  
  It may be an EP between albums – and in fact one of the tracks here is an acoustic version of an old song – but there’s still enough here to intrigue and perplex in equal measure. All of the new tracks are ambitious in scope; heavy on guitars and full on cynical vocal gnashing and angry political polemic.
  
  Clearly, illuminatus are always going to be a band that will never progress further into the mainstream than its fringes. But their poetic and melancholic oddity proudly rejoices in being different. [KKK]
  

• The Rising Tide EP [+ Show ]
  

  There's a lot to be said for the hard work ethic. Gone are the days when record labels could invest ...There's a lot to be said for the hard work ethic. Gone are the days when record labels could invest in countless bands, and in these times of economic downturn, bands are having to fight tooth and nail for everything they can get. This is where illuminatus' story of endless touring, festival appearances and US television appearances should be making everyone sit up and take notice.
  
  'The Rising Tide', produced by Therapy? producer Adam Sinclair, isn't just a fine release. It's a statement to the rock & metal fraternity that here is a band unafraid to work hard or write music with real, genuine substance.
  
  The opening verse to 'Cave In' has a haunting, ambient quality that gets right under your skin before the chorus detonates into a cascade of anguish as vocalist Julio Taylor bellows "Another happy ending lost, you feel your heart cave in", while 'Red' is a soaring journey of colossal, expansive hooks and laid-bare emotion, rightly drawing comparisons to 'White Pony'-era Deftones. It's powerful, dynamic and downright excellent - testament to hard work paying off. [4/5]

• The Wrath Of The Lambs [+ Show ]
  

  Darkly Ambitious Post-Rock Debut From Deep Underground This one should have a 'not for children' ...Darkly Ambitious Post-Rock Debut From Deep Underground
  
  This one should have a 'not for children' sticker on it. Not because it's full of bad language - quite the opposite. This is serious music for serious people. It's progressive rock but comparable more to the likes of Anathema or even, at a stretch, Oceansize.
  
  Illuminatus have built these ominous and grand movements slowly, developing their art on the road over many years. The result is seething alt rock with a creative soul. Nothing about it is immediate, however. White Lies and the fierce Black offer no quick fixes, just lots of interesting questions.
  
  Proudly underground, this novel Midlands collective have done their music justice here. [KKK]

• The Wrath Of The Lambs [+ Show ]
  

  The first full-length effort from this multi-national Nottingham-based quartet is an absolute necess...The first full-length effort from this multi-national Nottingham-based quartet is an absolute necessity for anyone looking for a new band who invoke the same kind of soul-shaking dynamics that the likes of Paradise Lost and Anathema produced for British rock and metal in the mid-90s.
  
  From the expansive beauty of opener Captive State and the beautiful piano-led Fear/Control to the menacing instrumental title track, every note of The Wrath Of The Lambs is delivered with such conviction that you can't help but be caught up in the thrall.
  
  Some of the vocals do - on occasion - grate against the soaring choruses, but this a minor quibble on what is essentially as fine a debut album as you're likely to hear from a bunch of metallic upstarts all year.

• The Wrath Of The Lambs [+ Show ]
  

  Creating emotional soundscapes of slashing cymbals, fat skins, massive slabs of rolling heavy riffer...Creating emotional soundscapes of slashing cymbals, fat skins, massive slabs of rolling heavy riffery woven with uplifting and weeping guitar work Illuminatus fully deserve their illustrious name and to top it off they have a geezer who's vocals can change from silken cream to hard grizzly emotion.
  
  Playing a heavy as fuck sound punctuated with idealisms and intellectual observations Illuminatus have recorded and mastered nine outstanding songs for their debut album 'The Wrath Of The Lambs'.
  
  Written with street wise experience and the sharp perspective's of a street poet the band have produced some stunning lines that articulate the truths of the corporate society we live in. Where politicians threaten to dismantle the human rights of the people and the food industry grow fat on the obesity of the poor, while the education of our children are hyped by marketing men. [5/5]

• The Wrath Of The Lambs [+ Show ]
  

  illuminatus: alternative metal aka post-metal aka bloody brilliant metal The band illuminatus con...illuminatus: alternative metal aka post-metal aka bloody brilliant metal
  
  The band illuminatus consists of one Spaniard, one German, one Italian and one English gentleman, which is an almost magical feat on its own. But what makes this band truly stand out is the almost out worldly emotional & bombastic sound & the razor-sharp lyrics in which society is dissected under a microscope to reveal its truly gory warts and all reality.
  
  Do yourself a favour and give this combo the ear test, you will for sure not be disappointed.

• Bloodstock Festival (Live Review) [+ Show ]
  

  Illuminatus were the highlight of the weekend for me, no mean feat given the calibre of the other Br...Illuminatus were the highlight of the weekend for me, no mean feat given the calibre of the other British acts I'd seen already.
  
  With no-one opting to review the young Nottingham outfit just prior to their allotted time, I jumped in at the deep end, subsequently immersing myself in some of the most beautiful, moving music I've heard since last witnessing Anathema live.
  
  With a slight air of politics drifting into their stage banter, Illuminatus also offered the perfect antidote to the heavy metal excesses of the main stage. [9/10]

Setlist

1) Cave In
2) Captive State
3) The Wrath Of The Lambs
4) Black
5) Red
6) White Lies
7) The Rising Tide
8) Glasnost (new song)
9) Wargasm

Set length is usually 30 to 60 mins.

Basic Requirements

Calendar