Review of Disharmonia Mundi - The Isolation Game

Ive always championed Italy’s Disharmonia Mundi as one of the more underrated melodic death metal bands in the scene. Obviously overshadowed by the likes In Flames, Dark Tranquility and Soilwork, the band has still managed to hang around and are now on album number 4 (not including last years re-issue of Nebularium and The Restless Memoirs EP). And somehow they have still managed to enlist Soilwork’s own Bjorn Strid to provide vocals on the album (as well as Nightrage’s Olof Mörck to provide some solos).

The end result is a slick if safe modern melodic death metal album that’s par for the course for fans of newer In Flames and the other bands mentioned above. It’s not quite as invigorating or refreshing as 2006s Mind Tricks, as there seems to be more of a focus on more commercial, clean vocal filled numbers, but it’s still an energetic, well played and polished example of the genre that fans of any of the aforementioned bands should definitely check out.

With an expectedly pristine production from the band’s own (and label owner) Ettore Rigotti the albums running time of 50 minutes is a tad long, but there’s not much filler (“Glimmer”, “Beneath a Colder Sun”), so you get 11 full songs that are pleasing to the ear, if bereft of true standouts. From opener “Cypher Drone” through the likes of the urgent “Building an Empire of Dust” and “Blacklight Rush” , crunchy title track to “Digging the Grave of Silence”, the album covers all of melodic death metal’s territories with some mid paced numbers, some light keyboard tinkering, soaring choruses and tight precise riffing.

There’s isn’t a ballad or anything to awfully radio friendly on The Isolation Game but it treads that Clayman/Come Clarity line that In Flames tread expertly and is a melodic death metal album certainly worth your time if you still enjoy the genre- or at least hold you over till the new Dark Tranquility is released.