Chaos is at the core of every instrumental movement in Ignescent’s new single “Remnant,” but if you think this means the Chicago-based rock outfit is throwing intricacy to the wind in this performance, you’re in for quite the surprise this March. Rather than crushing us with volume and volatile grooves alone, this band is working some melodicism and pronounced tone into the mix here, showing us that it is possible to create metal-style hard rock with a sense of angst that was previously reserved for the punk scene exclusively. I get the idea this crew could care less for labels – they’ve got too much damage to do.
The music video for “Remnant” is a strobe-laden incarnation of its soundtrack that lights up as quickly as it comes into focus, but I wouldn’t say the flash of its cosmetic scheme overtakes the importance of the material it’s promoting. The music is still very much the bread and butter of this release, with the band’s play featured as the central theme of the video from start to finish. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ignescent’s live act looked and sounded like something similar to this presentation, because they’re seemingly bringing the same kind of heat one would to a proper concert.
Watch the video for “Remnant” below
You’re going to hear a lot of new rock coming out of the woodwork in 2022, but you’d be hard-pressed to find another act out of the Midwestern underground with the kind of moxie this unit is putting up heading into the summer. “Remnant” puts riffs and rhythm ahead of everything else but doesn’t sacrifice its melodic tonal presence for anything, which has become quite rare nowadays in and outside of the indie circuit. Ignescent earn a place on my watch list in this performance, and I think you’re likely to feel the same after hearing “Remnant” for yourself.
