State of Illusion – Pluto’s Ghost

State of Illusion
Pluto’s Ghost
Label: 212 Records
Out: 17^th April 2026
Playing time: 01:04:41

Once again, we are faced with the question: project or band? The press release describes State of Illusion as ‘a Progressive Rock and Metal project characterised by atmosphere, emotion and complexity, founded in Greenville, South Carolina, in 2005’. Shortly afterwards, the word ‘band’ appears. The mastermind behind the band is songwriter, singer and producer Jacob Porter. Anyway. The debut album ‘Aphelion’ was released in 2014. ‘Pluto’s Ghost’ followed in September 2021. The songs were written during the coronavirus pandemic, a time of isolation. Now, a re-release is scheduled for April this year.

The intro lasts one minute and is a countdown before the rocket launch. ‘Deja Vu’ is then introduced by calm guitars before hard but gentle riffs kick in. The vocals are also calm and melodic. But singer Jacob Porter can also sing powerfully. The calm is over for now with ‘Yet So Far’. Despite everything, the mid-tempo range is not abandoned. The synths in the background sound a little hectic. ‘Starlight’, on the other hand, is a contemplative ballad with very melodic vocals. In ‘Wasted Life’, the riffs are much more powerful. Even in the following tracks, the mid-tempo range is not abandoned, despite some hard riffs. On the contrary, balladic sections can be heard again and again, with a lot of emotion. ‘Along The Way’ is also impressive in terms of sound. There are slight changes in tempo and rhythm again and again, so I can definitely agree with the classification as Progressive Rock. A small exception in terms of calmness is the lively ‘Crashing Down’ and ‘Artificial Paradise’. Especially during the guitar solos. However, no speed records are set here either. ‘Rain’ is the next ballad. Only during the solo in the second half does the tempo pick up a little. The album ends with the ballad “Home” and the somewhat contemplative ‘Death Is Not The End’.

Pluto’s Ghost is clearly dominated by quiet, contemplative moments. Even the various guitar solos do little to change that. However, the individual songs themselves, as well as the album as a whole, are very complex and exude a great amount of emotion. You have to listen very closely to hear all the nuances. The standout features are the many beautiful melodies, both instrumental and vocal.

State of Illusion – Starlight: https://youtu.be/F0MT7sbzcyI?si=2nA_0nnutiZDNPWf

Lineup:

Jacob Porter – Vocals
Shandon Fair – Guitar
Cody Dabbs – Guitar
Gunnar VanWingerden – Bass
Bryce Chism – Drums

Track list:

• Intro
• Deja Vu
• Yet So Far
• Starlight
• Wasted Life
• Heal The Heartache
• Along The Way
• Enough
• Crashing Down
• Artificial Paradise
• Rain
• Home
• Death Is Not The End