Imminent Sonic Destruction may have an intimidating name, but through the years they have evolved and grown in endearing ways. The band is back with Floodgate, releasing April 25th, an album that is probably not only their most accessible and sing-able, but also their most Prog™.
ISD comes to us from Detroit, Michigan. I’ve seen them play several times and I’ve always been deeply impressed. One thing that stands out in their live shows is the pure love they have for what they do, and that is an important factor on this album, too. The lineup consists of Pat DeLeon on drums, Pete Hopersberger on keys and vocals, Bryan Paxton on bass and backing vocals, Tony Piccoli on guitars and lead vocals, and Scott David Thompson on guitars and backing vocals.
It’s been a pleasure to watch this band expand and evolve. At one time, they were loud and proud about the brash and overdriven nature of their progressive metal. Over the last few albums, the band has been injecting more subtlety and intricacy, emotion and melancholy, even beautiful space and hovering soul. Floodgate is the culmination of their growth, offering an album that is heavy with extremely attractive guitar work, but is also tender, moving, and full of wonderful choruses that just make you want to sing. It’s like a mask of technicality and metallic style has slowly been falling off their collective face, and what’s underneath is the most authentic version of the band.
I want to point out how difficult it would be to outdo their previous records. All of their albums are great, but 2022’s The Sun Will Always Set and 2016’s Triumphia are both incredibly good and memorable albums. I’d also add that 2022’s Live at the Token is one of my favorite live albums from any band. So, they’ve been incredibly successful at producing strong albums, but this one…this one is different.
The performances are so amazing here. Tony’s vocals are the best they’ve ever been, as are all the vocals from the other band mates. The guitar work has a nostalgic and familiar quality to it, especially in the soloing and phrasing of the licks, and the monster riffs are still here and as fantastic as ever. Pete’s keys play a major role, feeling quite retro Prog™ in many instances, adding character and texture that I noticed immediately. One of the most important aspects of their sound, though, is the terrific rhythm section, Bryan and Pat keeping themselves more reserved at times, but unleashing fury in others. I’m not sure why, but Bryan’s bass stands out to me—it feels strangely bubbly and happy, like he’s just closing his eyes and enjoying every single note. It adds so much to the album.
Floodgate has eight amazing songs, the album bookended by the titular, two-part song. I want to talk about that last. In between, we get the two singles, “Memento Mori”, a beautiful piece with an epic solo and such a cool and casual vibe—Pete sings the chorus on this one and it sounds so good; and “No One”, more of a rocking, driving song that will really pumps life into your veins. We also get “The Game”, a duet between Tony and Pete that really works. I love the soulful keys and ways the vocals buttress each other into higher emotional spaces. “Find Center” follows and is one of my favorites; I really like how low-key the vocals are, and in that style, they feel like they are helping us find center, I think? I hope that makes sense.
The next two tracks are also favorites. “The Light At The End of The Tunnel” transitions between acoustic reservation and an epic chorus, and I love how the song ends with cinematic flourish. When I first heard “The Weight”, I thought it was going to be pure ballad, as it is pretty laid back, letting Tony emote through some particularly powerful lyrics. It never really brings in the riffs, though, choosing to give us soaring guitar work and gorgeous piano instead, and it is truly a breathtaking track.
Now, the two-part “Floodgate” is my favorite song on the album. The opener is about seven minutes long and has this infectious confidence within it that I find so appealing. I love the warm bass on this one and how the song slowly gets heavier near the end. The second part closes the album and is about fourteen minutes long. This part has some of the most delicate and vulnerable segments on the album; Tony sounds fantastic and I love how slowly and quietly the song begins. It winds its way upwards, though, into mighty keys and quite nostalgic guitar rhythms that almost sound like something from the 90s. I love how golden and courageous the song feels, and how spacious and perfect the ending is.
Imminent Sonic Destruction are honing their craft into something truly special. Floodgate, amazing cover art and all, is an album that I’ll be listening to constantly. The songs are well-considered, self-edited down to meaningful and effective gems. They sound like no other band, yet there is warmth and familiarity in their style that reminds me of all the greats, like a celebration of rock and metal themselves. And Tony lays down some deep lyrics that make me feel some sort of way. This is definitely my favorite album from the band.
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The PROG Mind 