Review: Rainburn - Insignify

Bangalore prog rockers Rainburn return in November this year with their new studio album titled Insignify. The 10-track record comes with a focused story-telling, remarkable songwriting and with an offer of something that separates them from the bigger part of the prog gang. The band is not shy to explore and fuse these elements with sound-defining progressive rock and metal influences.

Insignify is a concept album, what’s described by the band as: “denoting the quest for purpose in the overarching meaninglessness of life.” The classic rock bits in “Elusive Light” strip down the sound from the progressive quirkiness of the predecessor “Merchant of Dreams.” Vocal performance of Vats Iyengar, who also plays guitar, is one of the many highlights Insignify hides in its anatomy.

With a guitar-rich sound it falls upon the songwriting and small nuances of personality to distinguish Insignify. For what it’s worth, this album is a release full of interesting melodies and rhythms. Although the first half of the record is very attention-grabbing, it’s the second half where Rainburn really hit their mark.

“Suicide Note” heats up the atmosphere; being, arguably, the most prog track on the record. Fans of jazz rock will certainly something to appreciate in the closing “School of Atlantis” which is a pleasant shift and speaks a lot about how much Insignify is a heterogenous release.

Rainburn still have space to explore before an ultimate rocker is unleashed, and it would be interesting to see them hardening their sound (perhaps on upcoming releases?).

Insignify possesses great balance between the up-beat rock tunes polished with rock’s progressive and alternative subgenres, but what this album shows is talent of the band which certainly can bring something epic. Until then, let Insignify shows itself in its full brilliance.

Stay in touch with Rainburn on Facebook.