Album Review: Rainburn – Insignify

By Darryl Johnson on October 10, 2018

Indian masters of progressive rock, Rainburn, are returning this November 7th with the release of their full-length debut. Titled Insignify, a follow-up to 2014’s excellent Canvas of Sİlence, is a concept album “told from a musician’s point of view, that deals with issues of existentialism, the significance of human life, narcissism, craving importance, insecurity and the search for reason.”

Insignify is an amazing journey filled with passages of extreme high intensity, soft introspection, delicate acoustic transitions, and high exaltation. In places it will instantly take you from a powerful, relentless, drummer Praveen Kumar’s driven musical blitzkrieg to a soft and inspiring dreamy passage. Tons of ideas and melodies flow through the album, and even though the inspired instrumental parts and the odd time signatures are always there, the music and the melodies remain accessible for anyone. There’s just so much talent here.

It’s clearly a “larger than the sum of its parts” album, but still one can find plenty of highlights in it. Like “Merchant of Dreams” for example, or the Dream Theater inspired lead single “Suicide Note.”

“Someone New” is clearly one of many band moments on the album—the guys are delivering astounding instrumental work led by Vats Iyengar’s voice, who also handles guitar duties.

Closing “School of Atlantis” starts with lines of jazz chord progressions, but it’s not for too long until incredible odd signatures come in. Full of emotion and divine melodies, Rainburn pour their heart on this piece.

Insignify lives in that magical sweet spot where the listener doesn’t know what is coming next, but when it happens recognizes it couldn’t have gone any other way. It should go without saying that if you already know Rainburn you will absolutely love this album. It is well within the “typical” style of complex music enhanced with adequate lyrics.

The album is amped up into something unique. It is clear evidence that Rainburn is continuing to grow and elevate the quality of its music. Then again, it’s hard to imagine there is a ceiling to the quality of this band’s output. There simply are no weaknesses in this lineup and each member provides a powerful contribution that makes the whole even greater.

Insignify is out on November 7th. For more information about Rainburn visit their website here.