ELUSION - BELGIUM

Singularity – 2019 – Art Gates

Elusion image
  
 
Members
Vocals
DOMINGO SMETS – Keltgar>>EVY VERBRUGGEN

Guitar
Stijn Van Peborgh – Agathocles, Renaissance, Gracefallen, Ancient Rites, Persephone's Blade, Lion’s Pride>>DOMINGO SMETS>>Persephone's Blade, Lion’s Pride

Bass
Aegrimonia, Axamenta, Gracefallen, Infernal Legion, The Reckoning, Plaag, Etherial Dawn, Demonic Empire, Ars Veneficium, Perthalgiz, Persephone's Blade>>Kristof Degreef>>Ars Veneficium, Perthalgiz, Persephone's Blade

Drum
Axamenta, Gracefallen, Fleshmould, Anwynn, Persephone's Blade>>FREDERIK VAN MIEGHEM>>Anwynn, Persephone's Blade




History & Biography
The Nightwish-influenced goth rock band was founded in 2015. Domingo Smets was the founder following his departure from Ancient Rites. Given this band’s style it is hard to fathom that the man used to be in Agathocles. Desert Of Enticement was the 2016 demo. Art Gates signed the band and out came Singularity in June 2019. The band played a number of festivals in late 2019. The band did cancel its show at Woundfest I however.

Guitarist Stijn Van Peborgh and bassist Kristof Degreef left and were not replaced. The Fundamental Paradox was a demo released in early 2023. The group booked gigs with Nocturnal Empire and Dance With Dragons. A gig opening for Alwaid to begin 2024 was called off when Domingo was declared ill. The band opened Vloed's free album release show in 2024.


Reviews

ELUSION – SINGULARITY – ART GATES  
There is not a way around it. The comparisons to Nightwish are inevitable. The operatic female vocals, the synthesizers, the upbeat tracks, the dark passages, the lamentations and female feelings and the male-female duets are all present.
It is that kind of a band. Unfortunately, it is all done before and there is nothing here that anyone can claim as marvellous. Barely, any metal fan will like this and barely anyone will claim this is better than the other dozen bands out there peddling their wares within the same sub-genre.
With that said, this is not a disaster. The band puts in a workmanlike showing. It is amazing how the guitarist and founder for Elusion was once in Agathocles and that from when they were truly grinding and mincing away. The vocalist does best when she goes into full opera mode. It is tribute to her vocals that she handles the high full-blown operatic passages best. The drum machine, however, has to go. The female growls have to go too. They are subpar. They are unemotional, ironic and lazy. – Ali “The Metallian”


Interviews







Elusion