Only a year after the album Unfall, Chris Corner returned with the new record Alive In New Light. In some way, it wraps up the story started with Metonia, a confessional record where IAMX begun talking about the mental illness he had been struggling for a while.
All three of his last albums were marked by personal trauma and the therapeutic process of healing through music, which was felt through lyrics, sound and the style. Metanoia was certainly the darkest release; Unfall saw him carefully stepping out of his shadow, while Alive In New Light represents a breakthrough. IAMX is finally ready for a fresh and optimistic perspective.
Stylistically, this album does not differ from its predecessors, although there is a tendency to shout positive messages. In the promo, it was said that this is an album about reconnection, which is always a bumpy and long process, but also inevitable because Chris has to create. It is an impulse that is equally painful and freeing. When it comes to the sound, the album is a classic IAMX record. On the past two materials, he was experimenting with sound effects, and now the synths are back in the spotlight.
Chris' sensitive vocal opens the album in Stardust that starts slowly before transforming into an energy bomb. The title track is anthemic, and the synths emphasize positivity of the singer's interpretation. Personal narrative and the sound are at its most congruent here. Physical, melancholic and sensuality are the key ingredients of his music, and they are all in the highest dose on Alive In New Light.
Break The Chain invites the obscure IAMX back to the scene and it is clear that this is his confrontation with his own boundaries. The vocal sounds both vulnerable and angry, covering an emotional spectrum of the healing process. Body Politics, a funky number, adds up to the diversity of the record while in Mile Deep Hollow we hear IAMX expressing his gratitude to everyone who was supporting him on his journey out of the darkness.
Alive In New Light shows the artists in a new light, but with the old flame. IAMX was never afraid of oversharing.
