Dew-Scented - Icarus

Upon first listen, I won't lie, Icarus made me want to punch old ladies and throw their dazed and broken bodies into heavy traffic. When Sworn to Obey kicks in with its incredibly pissed off thrash assault (that harkens back to Metallica's Four Horsemen), it's compelling. It's fast. It's angry. It's everything thrash should be these days. Yet, as the album wore on I found myself thinking, I've heard a lot of this before.

There are times when the Slayer influence is worn well on the sleeve. It's not off-putting but it's very noticeable, and for some that might take them out of it a bit. For me, it's not a bad thing at all. I rather enjoy it especially when it's given some melodic death metal upgrades. Honestly, outside of the obvious influences, there's nothing wrong with Icarus in the least.

Produced very well but not overdone, everything on this album is audible and balanced well. I particularly enjoy the drum production, the toms sound fucking great, the kick drum is punchy but not fake sounding. The execution of the rhythm section is the driving motor behind Dew-Scented, has always been despite numerous lineup changes. Whether it's chasing you down with fast thrash patterns or dropping into head-bobbing grooves, the compulsion is undeniable.

Leif Jensen, who is the only original member remaining in the band over their 20-year span, percusses his way through with an almost Roger Miret-like bark, maybe a little more screamy, but the near-hardcore style of vocal really works well with Dew-Scented's thrash attack, giving it almost a crossover appeal at times, but just a little. The music stays planted firmly in thrash metal with melodic death metal overtones, and it just works. It may not be the most original, but Icarus does what it needs to do convincingly.

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