The Blacklist
I.C.O.N
•
May 27, 2015

For anyone wanting to put together a Heavy Metal band and don't know where to begin, take note. Stay true to yourself and follow this plan that's as simple as 1-2-3:
1. Take *four talented musicians: a lead singer, a guitar player (*A second guitarist is optional, but not required), a bass player, and a drummer.
2. Write music from your soul.
3. Play it heavy as hell.
Every now and then, a band comes along that seems to have found the right formula, have put it all together perfectly, and are just waiting to explode. Case in point; the UK based band, I.C.O.N. If you haven't heard of them yet, you should, as they are the epitome of what a Heavy Metal band should be, and by the sound of their brand new album, "The Blacklist", a lot more people will know of them, sooner than later.
Consisting of Mark Sagar on vocals, Scott Knowles on guitar, Reece Bevan on bass, and Larry Paterson on drums, I.C.O.N play Metal the way Metal was meant to be played. There are no gimmicks or surprises, just straightforward, guitar-driven Heavy Metal. The best way to describe their sound in layman's terms is GODSMACK meets METALLICA, and with Sagar, at times, sounding eerily similar to James Hetfield's gruff vocal tone and lyrical phrasing, these guys should be connecting as much with the American Metal population as well as they do with the UK masses. All they need is a little break here and there, and the sky is the limit.
After releasing their powerful debut album, "New Born Lie", in 2009, I.C.O.N immediately started turning heads in the Heavy Metal genre as one of the better new bands to come around in recent memory. With all of the attention they've garnered over the past few years, primarily in the UK, the pressure mounted to deliver another great record, and as most artists will tell you, the most important album, is the next one. Well, let me tell you, their "next one" is really, really good.
"The Blacklist" is 11 songs chock full of pure, unadulterated infectious rock n' roll, and picks up right where their debut left off. I.C.O.N has an uncanny ability to write great songs, an asset that a lot of their peers lack, and their songwriting has grown even stronger on the new record. After the opening instrumental track, "A Room In Hell", the album kicks into to overdrive with the chunky, power riff of "Feeding the Negative" and seldom lets off the gas until you get to the 9th track, the mood altering, down-tempo instrumental, "Man Of The North". While there are no weak moments to be found, some of the "heavy hitters" on this monster release are, "Grindin' Wheel", "I'm The Venom", "Deconverted", and "Drowning in the Screams". "Devil's Blacklist" has a sludgy, almost doom sound that really grooves and is my favorite song on the record.
I've listened to this album non-stop for a week and it just doesn't get old. The bulk of newer generation bands should take a hard look, and listen, to I.C.O.N, and instead of trying to trend like every other wannabe these days, they should follow the simple 1-2-3 formula. "The Blacklist" easily ranks as one of my favorite albums of 2015, so far, and no pressure guys, but I can't wait for the next album.
<
10 / 10
Masterpiece

"The Blacklist" Track-listing:
1. A Room In Hell
2. Feeding The Negative
3. Grindin' Wheel
4. I'm The Venom
5. Welcome To My War
6. Speak To Your God
7. Devil's Blacklist
8. Wrong Way Back
9. Man of the North
10. Deconverted
11. Drowning in the Screams
I.C.O.N Lineup:
Mark Sagar - Vocals
Scott Knowles - Guitar
Reece Bevan - Bass
Larry Paterson - Drums
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