Benighted Icon
Osmose Productions OPCD 199 October 15, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Wow. And I thought Identisick was excellent. The fifth full-length from Frances genre-blenders Benighted, Icon is a potent mixture of brutal death and grindcore, along with several vocal styles that also intermittently nod at hardcore and thrash, and is undoubtedly one of the finest albums of 2007 death metal or otherwise.
Overall, Icon is a faster, more aggressive grind-oriented affair than its predecessor. Right out of the gate, the 26-second introduction Complete Exsanguination delivers a quick blast of grind, preceding the equally devastating Slut, which unveils its brand of speedy brutal death replete with guitar leads, gurgling growls, and scratchy hardcore shouts. Though theres a new drummer in the fold, Benighted sound as tight as they ever have, if not more so. Grind Wit lives up to its name, scattering unintelligible pig-like grunts among a slew of catchy, groove-ridden sections for good measure, while brethren such as Saw It All, Forsaken (tech death anyone?), and Smile Then Bleed continue the trend. Also, contrary to many albums, the last half of the disc is up to par with the first, and Disbelief fans will recognize Jaggers contributions to Human Circles. Almost every song of the 12 clocks in between three and four minutes, and, amazingly, has a unique memorable personality to boot. In fact, youd be hard-pressed to pinpoint a track that doesnt work well on a variety of levels because each selection is the result of adept songwriters who thankfully choose to repeatedly vary their gimmick-free approach.
At approximately 39 minutes total, the only perceivable flaw is Icons short-livedness. However, considering Benighted unleash new studio albums on a regular basis, expect to see a follow-up in a year or two, hopefully. As for now, Benighted can be grouped in with the likes of Deathspell Omega, Gojira, and a few other bands that are the cream of Frances crop. In the end, Icon is superb. Suck it, Poland.
Official Benighted Website
Official Osmose Productions Website
Osmose Productions OPCD 199 October 15, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Wow. And I thought Identisick was excellent. The fifth full-length from Frances genre-blenders Benighted, Icon is a potent mixture of brutal death and grindcore, along with several vocal styles that also intermittently nod at hardcore and thrash, and is undoubtedly one of the finest albums of 2007 death metal or otherwise.
Overall, Icon is a faster, more aggressive grind-oriented affair than its predecessor. Right out of the gate, the 26-second introduction Complete Exsanguination delivers a quick blast of grind, preceding the equally devastating Slut, which unveils its brand of speedy brutal death replete with guitar leads, gurgling growls, and scratchy hardcore shouts. Though theres a new drummer in the fold, Benighted sound as tight as they ever have, if not more so. Grind Wit lives up to its name, scattering unintelligible pig-like grunts among a slew of catchy, groove-ridden sections for good measure, while brethren such as Saw It All, Forsaken (tech death anyone?), and Smile Then Bleed continue the trend. Also, contrary to many albums, the last half of the disc is up to par with the first, and Disbelief fans will recognize Jaggers contributions to Human Circles. Almost every song of the 12 clocks in between three and four minutes, and, amazingly, has a unique memorable personality to boot. In fact, youd be hard-pressed to pinpoint a track that doesnt work well on a variety of levels because each selection is the result of adept songwriters who thankfully choose to repeatedly vary their gimmick-free approach.
At approximately 39 minutes total, the only perceivable flaw is Icons short-livedness. However, considering Benighted unleash new studio albums on a regular basis, expect to see a follow-up in a year or two, hopefully. As for now, Benighted can be grouped in with the likes of Deathspell Omega, Gojira, and a few other bands that are the cream of Frances crop. In the end, Icon is superb. Suck it, Poland.
Official Benighted Website
Official Osmose Productions Website
