DespisedIconBack in 2010 Canadian trailblazers Despised Icon called it quits after their final show in Montreal and it was a major blow for fans of the deathcore scene as arguably the band was at the heart of the genres formation over a decade ago. Reforming four years later for a raft of reunion gigs it was hoped that the band would release a new album. Some two years later and that new album sees the light of day under the simple title of “Beast”. Competition from other major players this year is fierce as the new albums by Carnifex and Whitechapel have set the benchmark and whilst not as immediate as those albums Despised Icon are the masters of ultra-brutal technical deathcore.

Conceptually the album follows humankinds self-propelled path to Armageddon as no warning is given when “The Aftermath” explodes as the trademark dual vocals are as virulent as ever accompanied by an insane blast beat before reining in the pace. The riff has ear slashing ferocity balanced by the inhuman drum work when required as the breakdown sections puncture the tune effectively enabling the tune to gather momentum again and sharpen the riff ready for its assaulting finale. Unlike a lot of deathcore bands Despised Icon incorporate the hardcore elements smoothly allowing the vocals to exude spittle laden malice on “Inner Demons”. Those hardcore sections are delivered in a Hatebreed style context as the duelling vocals nestle in the breakdown riff and accompanying double kick rhythm.

Pumping violence into the album “Drapeua Noir” begins with a skull shattering tech riff and subsequent incendiary blast beat as the drums veer uncontrollably and inhuman quarters and allow the death metal credentials to scar the listener. Contrasting with the all-out hyper speed blasting is “Bad Vibes” which uses a groove based riff similar to Obituary to power through before the hyper blast bursts in. I’ve never been a fan of the snorting pig grunt vocals as the tune drops into a slam like riff.

Pausing the album is the interlude “Dedicated To Extinction” that leads into “Grind Forever” which is uncompromising sonic terrorism and flows nicely into “Time Bomb” with its slaughterous Slayer like riff
raining down like a storm of razor sharp knives. The drumming on this album veers for all out sonic butchery to more technical styled fills and punctuator like stop-starts but no less cranium smashing in their delivery, as the album pauses again for “Doomed” a tranquil piece initially that transforms steadily with sampled vocals before the title track closes the album in an array of blasted drums and slamming brutality. Will this album mark the next phase of Despised Icon’s career who knows, but on the strength of this album the band has lost nothing of their outright aural massacring.

(8/10 Martin Harris)

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