Conquest Icon - Hellspire
Here we are again: another death metal band stringing together a tale of the apocalypse with all the brutality fans could ask for. It's a tale that has been done over so many different times that the story has become obsolete, and the music is the only thing that keeps fans from turning such a tale away. This time, the apocalypse and hell stories are created by Poland's Conquest Icon, a band that recently rose to power in 2009 and has quickly gotten themselves enough attention to have a debut album released in about a year. That debut album is Hellspire. As far as the band's sound goes, expect something like a serene scene of bunnies, people smiling, and for some reason dark clouds rolling on overhead... that's how the album begins. Then all of a sudden two freight trains, out of control and unmanned, come crashing onto the scene and run everything over. Blood flies everywhere, heads are decapitated, limbs are maimed and mauled, and cries of terror distort the air. That's the best way to describe the cacophony of guitars, deep growls, and assault and battery that Conquest Icon are going for.
Although lumped into the 'blackened death metal' vein, Hellspire is more of a brutal death metal album. "Icon Of Conquest" is a ferocious beast with buzzing riffs, drums that know no bounds of when to stop, and deep, evil growls that sound like they came from Satan herself. It's fun... for a little bit. After a while the aggression may start to wear out on fans because so many death metal bands use the formula that Conquest Icon does. Immolation, Incantation, Deicide... most likely those artists will come to mind while listening to Hellspire. Some tracks are catchier than others and have more rhythm, such as the chugging "Flesh Harvest." Who knows how many death metal tracks have involved those two words put together... but for Conquest Icon it does them justice to create some sort of melody that isn't all blast beasts or riffs and drumming so quick that it becomes sheer, sonic hell that is just as much a pain to try and play on the guitar for learners as it can be to listen to.
Fortunately, this quick debut isn't all about brutal death metal will little room for frills. The same foreboding, dark, ominous introductory elements make their way briefly onto tracks such as "Nonexistent" and "The End Of Times." While some may complain that 'symphonic' sections don't belong in death metal, one has to realize that this IS an apocalyptic story. And in particular, the screaming and wailing that is included on "The End Of Tiimes" illustrates that aspect perfectly. These short little introductions are a great tension builder for the band before they unleash their crushing death metal. And even the closer, "To Drift Away...." which is a ominous, piano driven symphony that is haunting, is a greater closer than any death metal song ever, because it makes a statement that the listener has finally made it to hell and there's no chance of escape. It's a one way ticket and once listened through, there's no going back from Conquest Icon's music.
Ultimately, fans are either going to enjoy this because they like death metal, or they are going to hate it because it sounds like more seasoned bands already out there. The good news is that even though this whole apocalypse story has been done over and over, Conquest Icon put their own spin on it, and we as listeners are always curious to see how that story turns out. It's like a good slasher flick; even though we know the ending, we still want to see it for the blood splatters. In Conquest Icon's case, fans will want to hear Hellspire for its brutal tone and gutteral driven voice.
Although lumped into the 'blackened death metal' vein, Hellspire is more of a brutal death metal album. "Icon Of Conquest" is a ferocious beast with buzzing riffs, drums that know no bounds of when to stop, and deep, evil growls that sound like they came from Satan herself. It's fun... for a little bit. After a while the aggression may start to wear out on fans because so many death metal bands use the formula that Conquest Icon does. Immolation, Incantation, Deicide... most likely those artists will come to mind while listening to Hellspire. Some tracks are catchier than others and have more rhythm, such as the chugging "Flesh Harvest." Who knows how many death metal tracks have involved those two words put together... but for Conquest Icon it does them justice to create some sort of melody that isn't all blast beasts or riffs and drumming so quick that it becomes sheer, sonic hell that is just as much a pain to try and play on the guitar for learners as it can be to listen to.
Fortunately, this quick debut isn't all about brutal death metal will little room for frills. The same foreboding, dark, ominous introductory elements make their way briefly onto tracks such as "Nonexistent" and "The End Of Times." While some may complain that 'symphonic' sections don't belong in death metal, one has to realize that this IS an apocalyptic story. And in particular, the screaming and wailing that is included on "The End Of Tiimes" illustrates that aspect perfectly. These short little introductions are a great tension builder for the band before they unleash their crushing death metal. And even the closer, "To Drift Away...." which is a ominous, piano driven symphony that is haunting, is a greater closer than any death metal song ever, because it makes a statement that the listener has finally made it to hell and there's no chance of escape. It's a one way ticket and once listened through, there's no going back from Conquest Icon's music.
Ultimately, fans are either going to enjoy this because they like death metal, or they are going to hate it because it sounds like more seasoned bands already out there. The good news is that even though this whole apocalypse story has been done over and over, Conquest Icon put their own spin on it, and we as listeners are always curious to see how that story turns out. It's like a good slasher flick; even though we know the ending, we still want to see it for the blood splatters. In Conquest Icon's case, fans will want to hear Hellspire for its brutal tone and gutteral driven voice.
- Hellspire (intro)
- Icon Of Conquest
- Flesh Harvest
- Nonexistent
- The End Of Times
- Multiverse Decay
- Misbegotten
- To Drift Away... (outro)
Necropulsar Productions
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Sep 19, 2010
Sep 19, 2010
Next review:
Immortal Rites - Beyond The Gates Of Pain
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