Album Review: A Sonic Journey Through Heavy Grooves, Crushing Riffs, and Muddled Mixes
The latest album from this rising metal Dead Icarus act is a rollercoaster of heavy riffs, intense breakdowns, and atmospheric moments, but its impact is somewhat hindered by a series of mix issues that keep it from fully reaching its potential. The band offers a blend of symphonic, thrashy, and power-metal influences, creating a sound that's heavy, menacing, and at times, unpredictable. Let’s dive into the individual tracks and explore what works and what doesn't.
The Unconquerable
The album kicks off with "The Unconquerable", a track that immediately establishes the band's symphonic metal influence with its epic, orchestral-style intro. The bass is strong and prominent, but unfortunately, it's mixed a bit too high, overpowering the other elements. The drums are solid, providing a steady foundation, but the vocals sound strained, struggling to cut through the mix. The heavy riffs are menacing, but they too are loud enough to drown out the vocals and drums. Still, the track has a groove to it that keeps the energy flowing, with a killer breakdown that showcases the band's ability to create truly heavy, punishing moments.
Bearing Burdens and Saving Skin
Next up, "Bearing Burdens and Saving Skin" sees the bass sounding massive, creating a deep, resonant presence throughout the track. The drums are fast and loose, giving the song a loose, almost chaotic feel at times. While the catchy chorus keeps things engaging, the vocals tend to get muddled in the mix, especially during the verses. The riffs are heavy but not as memorable as they could be, and although there's a catchy vibe, the overall sound could use some refining. The standout moment is the impressive breakdown, where the dissonant guitars add a touch of evil to the atmosphere. By the track's backend, the band dives into some seriously dark, sinister riffs that show off their potential for creating menacing moods.
Zealot
On "Zealot", the riffs are dense and powerful, with drums that sit well in the mix without being drowned out. The song follows a simple structure, but it works, with the vocals sitting nicely over the instrumentation. The track takes on a slower, more deliberate pace, with a few thrashy riffs thrown in for variety. While there are moments of coolness, the song can feel a bit dull at times, especially when it drags in its slower segments. The heavy section toward the end feels generic and doesn't live up to the build-up. However, the crunchy riffs toward the finish manage to bring some much-needed bite to the track.
1 Million Days
"1 Million Days" begins with clean vocals, which transition smoothly into a heavy and fast section that gives the drums and riffs more room to breathe. This track has a better balance than some of the earlier cuts, with the catchy clean vocals standing out more clearly. There's a thrashy solo toward the middle, paired with deep bass and drums that form a solid backbone for the track. However, it’s a shame that the clean vocals aren't pushed a bit more in the mix, as they would have further elevated the song's catchiness.
Temptation's Kiss
The intro to "Temptation's Kiss" is slow and desolate, creating an ominous atmosphere right from the start. The heavy, dark sound is complemented by great vocals, but the drums still feel a bit washed out, lacking the punch they need to match the intensity of the riffs. As the song progresses, the riffs pick up speed and dissonance, and a power metal-like solo adds an interesting twist. The song is perhaps a little too long, feeling like it overstays its welcome in the later sections. Additionally, there’s a lot of reverb on the bass or guitars, which detracts from the clarity of the mix.
Fountains of Death
"Fountains of Death" opens with more traditional metal-style riffs, but once again, the drums are nearly buried beneath the intensity of the guitars. The riffs themselves are impressive but sometimes too prominent in the mix, overwhelming the other elements of the track. Blast beats make an appearance, but the vocals are hard to discern in this chaotic section. Despite the heaviness and groove, the track struggles with a lack of balance in its production, leaving it feeling a bit hollow by the end.
Casting Spell
Fast and power metal-like riffs dominate "Casting Spell", but the vocals once again suffer from being too low in the mix. The track is driven by fast blast beats and quick riffs, which are paired with some slower, groovy parts that break up the intensity. The riffs are undeniably interesting, keeping the listener engaged during the chorus. However, the overall mix continues to be a problem, especially as the vocals fail to stand out as they should. The track's intense solo, however, provides a welcome burst of energy.
Hell Opens Its Mouth
"Hell Opens Its Mouth" brings a creepy, slow buildup with working drums and heavy riffs. The vocals here sound fantastic, though they're a bit hard to hear at times due to the overwhelming instrumentation. This track feels like it could be the album's dark centerpiece, with impressive drumming and a shreddy guitar solo toward the end. However, once again, the vocals get lost in the mix during the breakdown, which detracts from the song's overall impact.
Vada Retro Satana
"Vada Retro Satana" is one of the more dense tracks on the album, but unfortunately, the unclean vocals are a major weak point here. They sound strained and don't mesh well with the rest of the instrumentation. On the other hand, the clean vocals are excellent, mixed in well with the guitars to create a more balanced track. This song has some cool, witch-like eerie breaks, but the unclean vocals feel like a major misstep. If the vocals were more consistent, this track could have been one of the album's highlights.
Secrets in the Dark
This track starts as a slow, dark interlude, with vocals that have a hollow, eerie feel to them. The backing guitars create an unsettling atmosphere, and when the track kicks into gear, we get some high-flying riffs and slow drumming. It serves as a good transition between more intense tracks, and though it doesn't feature any major breakthroughs, it does its job well enough to set the stage for what's to come.
Betrayal Shaped Daggers
The final track, "Betrayal Shaped Daggers", delivers on some much-needed bass presence, a welcome change from the previous tracks where the bass felt a bit absent. The riffs are simple but tough, and the drums are tight and hard, providing a solid foundation. The clean vocals are great, though, as usual, they feel poorly mixed in with the rest of the instrumentation. The transitions from fast to slow sections are handled well, and the track features some haunting, catchy choruses that will likely stick with you after the song ends.
Conclusion
This album has a lot of potential and showcases a band with a strong grasp on heavy grooves, intense riffs, and atmospheric elements. However, the overall production holds it back. The mixing issues—particularly with the vocals being drowned out by the guitars and bass—prevent the album from achieving its full impact. While there are certainly moments of brilliance, with some impressive breakdowns, killer solos, and strong grooves, the album ultimately struggles with balance. That said, the band’s ability to craft dark, heavy, and catchy moments shines through, and with a bit more attention to production, their future could be even brighter.
RATING:6/10
NOTABLE TRACKS:
Bearing Burdens and Saving Skin
1 Million Days
Hell Opens Its Mouth