Despised Icon The Healing Process
Century Media Records CD8220-2 April 5th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Its known around my house that, when I hear a good Canadian band such as Quo Vadis, Woods of Ypres, and now Despised Icon, I spontaneously break into a poorly-sung rendition of O Canada. Weirdness aside, The Healing Process is a formidable slab of deathcore that is both endearing and quite impressive considering that its only a sophomore release.
All the songs on The Healing Process shy away from anything that could be considered lengthy; the band is content to churn out three and half minutes (more or less) of heaviness nine times during the course of the record. As you may infer from the genre descriptor, Despised Icon are a speed-infused outfit that has a penchant for utilizing myriad vocal techniques. The proverbial, distorted vocals enter the mix often, and notable is the high-pitched, pig-getting-raped vocalizations that punctuate the compositions as well. Immaculate is slightly more focused on groove than its predecessors, namely Bulletproof Scales and Silver Plated Advocate. Double-bass rhythms intertwined with guitar riffs weave their way around the aural assault on the aforementioned tracks. The group isnt as chaotic as others in the genre, or so it seems because it feels as if the members are in complete control at all times. Retina is just a blazingly fast exemplification, whereas The Sunset Will Never Charm Us gets all Dillinger Escape Plan. Harvesting the Deceased is perhaps the most grindcore-like, and End This Day is a fitting end, indeed, to Despised Icons latest.
If anything, The Healing Process will do anything but provide healing for any wounds that may be inflicted while under the microscope of these deathcore-purveyors. Similarly, Despised Icon are going to be anything but despised once this solid effort hits stores.
8/10
Official Despised Icon website
Official Century Media Records website
Century Media Records CD8220-2 April 5th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Its known around my house that, when I hear a good Canadian band such as Quo Vadis, Woods of Ypres, and now Despised Icon, I spontaneously break into a poorly-sung rendition of O Canada. Weirdness aside, The Healing Process is a formidable slab of deathcore that is both endearing and quite impressive considering that its only a sophomore release.
All the songs on The Healing Process shy away from anything that could be considered lengthy; the band is content to churn out three and half minutes (more or less) of heaviness nine times during the course of the record. As you may infer from the genre descriptor, Despised Icon are a speed-infused outfit that has a penchant for utilizing myriad vocal techniques. The proverbial, distorted vocals enter the mix often, and notable is the high-pitched, pig-getting-raped vocalizations that punctuate the compositions as well. Immaculate is slightly more focused on groove than its predecessors, namely Bulletproof Scales and Silver Plated Advocate. Double-bass rhythms intertwined with guitar riffs weave their way around the aural assault on the aforementioned tracks. The group isnt as chaotic as others in the genre, or so it seems because it feels as if the members are in complete control at all times. Retina is just a blazingly fast exemplification, whereas The Sunset Will Never Charm Us gets all Dillinger Escape Plan. Harvesting the Deceased is perhaps the most grindcore-like, and End This Day is a fitting end, indeed, to Despised Icons latest.
If anything, The Healing Process will do anything but provide healing for any wounds that may be inflicted while under the microscope of these deathcore-purveyors. Similarly, Despised Icon are going to be anything but despised once this solid effort hits stores.
8/10
Official Despised Icon website
Official Century Media Records website
