IRIS - Goliath's Throne (2019)

After releasing one of the most personal albums I've ever listened to, the magnificent Heart of an Artist, comes Goliath's Throne, the second studio album by YouTuber Will Ryan, once again under the moniker "IRIS". This album was first announced back in September 2018, with several singles being released between then and when it was released. On Ryan's YouTube community page, he details Goliath's Throne as thus:

The album is about the world, specifically the 21st century and it’s corporate mediums, social media toxicity, the offset effects of becoming addicted to it, and so much more.

I find this interesting, because no-one I've listened to before has decided to use internet based topics to base their album around.

Goliath's Throne is not like its predecessor. It features 14 tracks, no intro or outro, and it lasts for just over an hour. However, it does share some similarities. One of them is the fact they are both set in a fictional universe, of sorts, called the Iris. This gives the 2 albums lore and backstory, which is incredible. I love the idea of albums being stories, in which the songs detail each aspect of it. Speaking of songs, the majority of the songs featured on this album were released several months, even over a year, beforehand. Before release, Ryan went all out and essentially remastered them solely for the album. The best remakes are, in my opinion, are "I'm the Animal" and "Trojan". There are also new tracks which weren't released before the album's release, such as "Bloody Ether", which has a really cool chorus, and "You're Better Off", a song with a lot of similarities to "As The Lights Go Out".

Now, not everything is perfect in life, and this is especially true for this album. While it is the most minor thing, I'm not the biggest fan of the songs "Testify the Modern Eye" and "Goliath's Throne". This does not mean they are bad. Quality of things is relative. Others might love these songs with all their heart. I just find these particular songs a bit lacklustre in comparison to songs like "Cold Man". I would still happily listen to these songs, but it just sucks that they don't have the same impact the other songs do.

I love this album. I've been awaiting it for so long and I am so glad it's here. The performance is incredible and the instruments set the tone so well. Goliath's Throne has most definitely usurped Heart of an Artist. To conclude, Goliath's Throne is a amazing story-driven album with a message, which is conveyed so eloquently through the performance of the songs. I am so looking forward to more IRIS material in the future.

Favourite Tracks: All

Rating: 10 / 10