ILLS – Mark of Man 7”

I don’t hear about Finnish Hardcore bands too often, but when it happens it rarely disappoints. ILLS have been around for a couple of years now, and this new EP shows us a band with undeniable songwriting skills. These 4 songs stroke me as very complete & well thought-out; and I have to say I’m surprised by the quality of the record. I guess I would describe their music as Hardcore with a dark vibe, and tinted with a metal touch. But they actually don’t sound really aggressive.

The singer seems to master his vocal cords really well, his singing style is quite diverse throughout the record. The vocals, although mostly screamed, are sometimes sung or whispered, which adds a certain atmosphere to the songs.

The record itself is beautiful. They went for a high-quality packaging with a strong Joy Division-vibe in the layout, and the abstract painting they used as a cover definitely matches the music. The way I see it, ILLS would fit really well on a bill with Goldust or Ritual (with whom they did some extensive touring already). This is another quality release by Cobra x Records, I don’t see how anyone wouldn’t be into this!

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