Spirit Adrift – Infinite Illumination
Spirit Adrift is a heavy metal band formed in Messa, Arizona by Nate Garret. The multi-instrumentalist performs and records all the instruments in the studio (vocals, guitar, bass, drums, piano, and synth). The live line up also features Tom Draper on guitar, Sonny DeCarlo on bass, and Michael Arellano on drums. Formed in 2015 and now residing in Austin, Texas, their full length albums include: 2016’s Chained to Oblivion, 2017’s Curse of Conception, 2019’s Divided by Darkness, 2020’s Enlightened in Eternity, 2023’s Ghost at the Gallows, and their latest, 2026’s Infinite Illumination. The sixth and final album in the Spirit Adrift collection, Infinite Illumination was released on April 10th 2026, on 20 Buck Spin Records. It contains eight tracks at forty six minutes long.
Spirit Adrift have been a band that I have heard about for several years now but have not had the chance to actually listen to. Since starting this blog over a year and a half ago, I am very in tune with new releases and this latest one from Spirit Adrift was an almost in the category of “too late to bother”. Being the band’s sixth and final release, I could have easily just moved along and dismissed it altogether but, it’s too good to ignore! Infinite Illumination is a true heavy metal album in every sense of the word. The opening acoustic guitar strumming beginning of the title track that cranks into the epic metal tones of “Infinite Illumination”, Spirit Adrift are true flag bearers of classic heavy metal. Heavy and distorted guitar riffs and thunderous drumming are complemented with excellent and powerful vocals. “Window Within” has a fantastic mix of heavy metal, traditional doom, and hard driven riff rock. The music is never in a hurry and just rips! Whether Spirit Adrift is beginning with clean guitars, like the third track, “You Will Never Hold The Key”, they articulate the heavy rhythms and beautiful melodies throughout every song on Infinite Illumination.
“Born In A Bad Way” brings me back to when heavy metal was not pretentious and just delivered big heavy riffs with dynamic harmonies and melody rounding it out. Nate Garrett’s voice is perfect for these songs and his ability to craft such masterful compositions like “Buried In The Shadow Of The Cross” is no accident. He’s a true talent that stays true to the music. “White Death” is a chugging metal delight with excellent guitar harmonies and catchy vocal melodies. “I Am Sustained” has an alluring doom metal vibe, switching between light and heavy transitions and features some interesting leads with soaring harmonies too.
The final swan song on this excellent album is called “Where Once There Was An Ocean”. It’s a slow burner of eerie doom, cathartic rhythms, and massive metal precision. Musically technical without sounding complicated, Spirit Adrift has the ability to construct a dense and layered song but with a welcoming simplicity that’s been lost in recent years. This band holds true to a classic metal sound that is still relevant today, without at all sounding outdated. I wish I would have discovered this band sooner but it’s never too late for exceptional music. Most heavy metal music doesn’t hold my interest like it used to but Spirit Adrift is a breath of fresh air in executing an all around classic, and engaging sound.
https://20buckspin.bandcamp.com/music
