If someone ever told me that a Swiss-based Death Grind band ICARE would one day come up with a Post-Black Metal record that would extremely appropriately combine CELESTE-like Sludge grooves with Post-rock motives; solely consist of a single, very long track and pay tributes to the French writer Charles Baudelaire; I probably would say that that would have been one hell of a record. Combine the brutal energy of Grindcore with the subtle beauty of Post-everything and heaviness of Sludge? Well, here it is. And it's quite good. Perhaps, with a few "buts."

"Charogne" becomes ICARE's second extended play. Their first record, "KHAOS," was a relatively straightforward but virtuous fusion of Blackened Death and Grindcore. However, it had some interesting little additions here and there that were signaling that the band is capable of transcending beyond being a mere Grind band, but it was just not quite there yet. The development took place with "Charogne" released two years after its debut. It is quite evident that this new record, powered by Hummus Records, is a very different kind of beast from its predecessor. There's still a light touch of that blind rage peculiar to Grindcore working somewhere inside, but the experience that this album has to offer is way too far from its predecessor's origins. Throughout the entire 43 minutes long journey, this record will get you through the sea of beautiful soundscapes, creative riffs, dynamic variations, and some emotional moments that might make you stop and rewind right back to them after first listening. However, these records aren't solely made of such moments; sometimes, it takes ICARE too long to get to the point.

"Charogne" is a 43-min long record with a single track. This approach is fascinating from a conceptual point of view but has certain disadvantages that one has to face. Such a track should sound diverse but at the same time not fall apart. It must entertain but remain somewhat limited in tools to stay stylistically consequent. Otherwise, what's the point of making a single track when you can cut it into several different ones using its most successful parts? Everyone can remember one or two great examples of such undertakings. I often think of SLEEP's "Dopesmoker" as a highly successful example of a one-track album with impeccable flow. It tends to return to some moments it played earlier, consequently reconsidering its creativity within the same song. It makes perfect sense why this record consists of a single track because that track from the beginning till the end sounds like a complete audio essay. Perhaps, this is where "Charogne" does not fully succeed. While containing plenty of beautiful catharses and breathtaking moments, the gray zone between each payoff is watered down with pretty standard writing. At times ICARE sounds like CULT OF LUNA with bland Post-Black tremolos and blast beats instead of impressive keyboard performance. The significant payoffs are there, but you're unlikely to go throughout the entire thing once more just to enjoy them again. With that being said, the overall flow of this record would only benefit if it was at least two times shorter.

I'm a little confused about what to think about this one. The fans of Grind and Death Metal, who might have enjoyed ICARE's first record, have all chances to find this record being not quite what they expected. Many Grind fans find Post-Black Metal boring because it tends to slow down its pace too often. The fans of Post-Metal and Post-Black are unlikely to see any revelations there either. These genres are currently experiencing a subsequent creative stagnation -the aftermath of its last peak at the beginning of the 2010s, and "Charogne" is unlikely to change the situation. Still, it's a well-crafted and thematically enjoyable record with hits that often hits the right spot. However, it probably overstays its welcome a little and, for a Grind band entering the Post-Black zone (!!!), plays it too safe, too often.