Instrumental music.. I like it, I really do, but sometimes I find it hard to remain engaged for an entire albums worth.  With the latest opus, The Zenith Rise, from I Built The Sky, that wasn’t the case at all.  I remained enthralled for the entire duration, and this might sound silly to some, but I felt as though the music I was hearing was a little secret between the band and I.  Together we embarked on a journey, and nobody else was privy to our epic adventure.

From the opening number, Up into the Ether, right through to closing notes of Moonbow, I Built The Sky deliver instrumental metal music that is inventive and maybe even more importantly, interesting.

It’s very guitar driven, but there is no “wankery” about it.  Every element is there to serve the overall piece of music.  When the song requires it, the guitar will take a back seat and let the pulsating rhythms take the lead – this really is perfectly crafted music, and I can’t speak highly enough of it.

Often vibrant and uplifting, occasionally somber, but always unique and engaging, and completely open to the listeners interpretation.  Sit back and let your imagination do the heavy lifting – this music will take you anywhere your mind wishes to go.

Each track is first and foremost, it’s own piece.  With an instrumental album, the tracks can run together and begin to sound the same.  On The Zenith Rise, each track has its own identity, and is given sufficient room to breathe and stand on its own merits.  In saying that, each new track also compliments the last, and works together to give us one cohesive album worth of material.

Having witnessed the band perform in the live setting a few weeks back, I can also say that it translates extremely well, which is not always the case.

I Built The Sky are certainly a band to watch, because I’m sure the best is yet to come.

9/10

Shayne McGowan.