Review: Ihlo – Legacy

Style: progressive metal, djent (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: TesseracT, Ions, Karmanjakah, Earthside
Country: UK
Release date: 29 August 2025

The press release we received for Legacy contained this bold line: “Where Union hinted at Ihlo’s influences, Legacy speaks in their own voice.” What seemed at the time like an overconfident marketing associate’s grandiose blurb has turned out to ring true. Whatever one may think of the quality of Ihlo’s music from then compared to now, the change in their creative confidence is drastic. Ihlo now sound like experienced artists enacting their vision rather than rookies still finding their footing. This very blog originally greeted 2019’s Union with a needlessly critical review, overlooking the album’s place as a simple and unrevolutionary but nonetheless emotionally compelling entry in the djent canon. While Ihlo’s debut dropped as an almost entirely unknown treat from the underground, they’ve developed a dedicated following since then (particularly in some circles like Reddit). Legacy releases to a much wider audience of eager ears awaiting—hopefully—an improvement upon that already strong foundation.

A common narrative among prog fans, which I’ve pushed back against before, is that artists who buy into a particular genre style wholesale are inherently less creative—their art inherently less valuable—than those who blaze more novel trails. If you’ve taken a peek at our review of Union, you’ll see that this sentiment formed the major thrust of Jonah’s dissatisfaction with the album. It’s true that Ihlo show no shame about the inspiration they draw from TesseracT and the rest of the djent sphere, but to paint them as wholly derivative doesn’t feel accurate. These relative newcomers (if we can even call them that after six years) offer a comparable experience at the surface level, but a more diverse presentation when it comes to the finer details, with additional pop and electronica lineage reminiscent of their alphabetical neighbors Ions. Despite its grandiose scope and aesthetics, Legacy is ultimately about a very personal feeling of being overwhelmed by the creeping advance of technology and the insidious way it has taken over our lives, even to the point of supplanting our individuality and organic desires. The joining of such an intense facade with a bright, uplifting combo of synths and vocals sets Ihlo’s work apart from their better-known peers even as the guitars and drums play out relatively standard chugging djent fare underneath.

Ihlo’s light sci-fi schtick isn’t as evident this time as it was in some of Union’s track titles, but it’s felt nonetheless in the sparkling futuristic aesthetics of their synth and keyboard arpeggios. At the risk of invoking a cliche, the entirety of Legacy sounds intensely electric and dynamic. It pulses and sparks like a brewing thunderstorm, charged with emotion and enthusiasm. Towering soundscapes conjure images of dark skyscrapers alight with the glow of modernity, surrounding the listener with their ominous majesty. Following in the TesseracT-inspired djent tradition, Ihlo’s rhythmic trickery takes shape more in syncopation and shifting stress within phrases than in crazy time signatures or rapid shifts thereof. And like Union, Legacy closes on two absolute bangers, the longest on the album and pristine examples of the band’s brilliant, moving songwriting. “Legacy” and “Signals” each ramp up continually and irresistibly until the tension breaks in the final segment, setting a high bar for quality which unfortunately the rest of the tracks can’t always meet.

Legacy isn’t exactly a short album—even if your baseline is Union’s fifty-three-minute bulk, Legacy tops that by a further fifteen. This is great news for fans of Union who wanted more of the same, but may be less appealing to any listeners who don’t quite gel with the style. One of Ihlo’s greatest attributes is their sense of scale: long, slow developments that lead to climactic conclusions like those of the aforementioned closing tracks. It’s tempting to suggest cutting out some of the less immaculate compositions from the first half of Legacy, and indeed that might make for a tighter, more consistent experience. Early tracks like “Replica” and “Source,” as well as the balladic middle section with “Storm” and “Mute,” sometimes feel like they’re just filling time with simple djenty riffs, merely waiting for the next triumphant chorus to ring out, because that’s what’s expected from a “great value brand TesseracT” band like this. That said, these missteps never last for too long, and it’s difficult to disentangle them from the deliberate, gentler moments necessary for Ihlo’s careful pacing and immaculate payoffs.

Across their first two albums, Ihlo’s legacy continues to be defined by contrast and tension. Long, indulgent instrumental sections show off the band’s sense of scale and dramatic effect, but may also try the listener’s patience if that particular presentation doesn’t land. Legacy’s weaker first half might distract some less dedicated listeners, but it’s entirely worth sticking around to the end and getting immersed in the atmosphere. Like a zoomed-out overview of a single slow-burn track, the slower start only deepens the contrast with the ending climax, given a bit of patience and willingness to stay focused on the steadily mounting tension. This isn’t an album that people will be hailing five years from now as a revolutionary turning point of the genre, but not every album needs to be that. Sometimes all you need is a bunch of great music that stirs your feelings. Legacy is hardly flawless, but you’ll forget all about those flaws by the time the final keyboard chord of “Signals” fades to nothing.

Recommended tracks: Empire, Cenotaph, Legacy, Signals
You may also like: TEMIC, Jack the Joker, Turbulence, Valis Ablaze
Final verdict: 8/10

Related links: Bandcamp | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Kscope Music – Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Website

Ihlo is:
– Andy Robison (vocals, keyboards)
– Phil Monro (guitars, bass, synths)
– Clark McMenemy (drums)
With guests:
– Liam McLaughlin (acoustic guitars)
– Connor Mackie (guitar solo, “Wraith”)
– Romain Jeuniaux (backing vocals on “Source,” “Empire,” “Storm,” and “Legacy”; guitar solo on “Legacy”)