These days, it’s easy to dismiss the EP as a purposeless format, or worse yet, a cheap money grab. Largely gone are the days when a 3 to 5 song outing served as a sneak peak of a band’s greater abilities (i.e. Queensrÿche’s self-titled, Sodom’s In the Sign of Evil, etc.), or foreshadowed a musical shift that would be expanded upon further on the next full length (i.e. Slayer’s Haunting the Chapel, Alice in Chains’ Jar of Flies). There are, however, exceptions to the rule, and I’d be shocked if Idol Throne’s latest release, Harbinger of Light, didn’t fall into the latter category.
For those keeping score at home, Idol Throne are our power/thrash neighbors from Northwest Indiana, featuring Wraith axe-slinger Jason Schultz doing something completely different than what he’s usually known for. We’ve reviewed both of their full lengths thus far, 2022’s The Sibylline Age and 2024’s A Clarion Call. So when it crossed our radar that a new EP was on the way, and considering December is a largely desolate wasteland when it comes to new music in the first place, we figured, “Sure, let’s see what these Hoosiers have up their sleeve this time around!” Well for a band full of surprises, I’m not sure if anything could’ve properly prepared me for what Harbinger of Light had in store.
In what can only be described as a shocking turn of events (or maybe not so shocking in hindsight), Harbinger of Light sees Idol Throne going full blown progressive metal. Granted, there’s always been a hint of prog in Idol Throne’s sound to begin with, what with the fixation on face-melting guitar solos and lengthier compositions. On Harbinger, these leanings take centerstage, rearing their hyper-precise head on the opening “Dream Theater goes thrash” attack of “Death and the Viper’s Tongue”. Admittedly, the thrashing portions of this song are as aggressive and unrelenting as cuts like “Petrified” and “The Last Voyage” on the last album, but the DT undertones are clear as day, especially in the phrasing of the riffs.
Equally as present as the guitars on this EP are keyboards, which are always a sign of loftier musical ambition. Their presence is made apparent on the opening “Death”, and plays an even greater role on my choice cut, “Spellbound Eyes”. Sounding like a lost Images and Words era Dream Theater tune, this melodic metal slab of excellence wouldn’t sound out of place on a rock radio playlist circa 1990, pre-Nirvanapocalypse, bravely fusing heady prog atmosphere with infectious arena metal hooks. If Idol Throne can concoct an entire album in this vein, 2026 might just be their year, though I can say the same thing for the exceptional closing title track. On past Idol Throne releases, the power metal references have largely been US in nature. “Harbinger of Light”, on the contrary, is a dead ringer for X Japan circa 1989: A perfect balance of uplifting power with prog-derived pomp.
As the old Meat Loaf song goes, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”, and that’s most certainly the case for Harbinger of Light. Granted, calling “Death and the Viper’s Tongue” a “bad” song is a stretch, especially in a landscape where many in Idol Throne’s prog/power/thrash playing field flat out suck, for a lack of better terminology. There’s just something about it that doesn’t resonate with me the way the melodic oriented “Spellbound Eyes” and grandiose title track does. That being said, there’s far more to talk about on Harbinger of Light than to ignore, and I mean that in a good way. If nothing else, it’ll keep us talking until Idol Throne full length #3!
7 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Progressive Metal
For fans of: Dream Theater, Nevermore, X Japan