Japanese power metal quintet Illusion Force appear ready to conquer the global marketplace as they issue their third studio album Halfana for a worldwide release. Previously performing and recording for the Japanese scene with the debut album The World Soul in 2019 and the follow-up Illusion Paradise in 2021, these musicians mix a lot of bombastic / cinematic qualities into their brand of uplifting power metal that takes on numerous European melodic and neoclassical influences. After a few passes, expect all senses to be taken on a physical, mental, and emotional journey that will not be forgotten – the maze of treasures waiting to be heard again and again.
Properly positioning proficient tracks next to much calmer yet no less intoxicating cuts allows these musicians to explore all facets under the power metal umbrella. While the record starts with some Dragonforce-esque meets Far Eastern or Disney-like atmosphere within speed/culturally driven efforts like the title track and “Miracle Superior”, elegant clean guitars next to swaths of sweeping keyboard orchestration give “The Serene Valley” that reflective mood shift to keep listeners attentive. A thoughtful ballad executed at the right time on the record where vocalist Jinn Jeon uses lower register melodies that build into dramatic, theatrical highlights in the chorus, its something you would expect from Edguy in their prime. Visions of grandeur set sail when taking in “Protector of the Stars”, while the contrasts between commercial keyboard/guitar riffs next to more bullet-train BPM sixteenth-note action keeps “Serendipitous” a favorite on the back half of the album. Heroic shredding, intricate syncopation musically in tandem with challenging multi-octave register passages on the vocal front makes this 63-minute effort feel like the proceedings fly by in no time at all.
The left field elements when you hear aspects of 50’s/60’s American rock n’ roll or jazzy/scat-like interludes prove Illusion Force aren’t a one-trick band of musicians even if extreme power metal is the main thing in play. Those who love Dragonforce, Twilight Force, and others in that breed should add Halfana into their regular rotation of albums to spin.