Vital Remains
Icons of Evil

THE REVIEW

With their latest album "Icons Of Evil," "Vital Remains" rewrite the coordinates of extreme metal. An album devastating and full of an aggressive energy and absolute malevolence.

After the intro taken from Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ," the first track begins, following Benton's fierce scream, you are immediately hit by a deep and incredibly powerful sound blast. The drums move throughout the record at inhuman speeds with very fast blast beats. Benton's voice is profoundly cavernous with unprecedented savagery while Dave Suzuki on guitar accompanies everything with long melodic solos. In the track "Reborn...The Unpheaval Of Nihility" there's also room for the acoustic guitar, which makes the surrounding brutality even more evident.

The tracks are not short but almost all exceed 6 minutes without falling into monotony, maintaining the listener's attention thanks to excellent melodic openings. In fact, the album flows smoothly without any empty passage, without a mistake, everything is perfectly crafted. Erik Rutan's production helps make everything even more perfect. The only possible flaw is the lyrics, which, as is traditional for Vital Remains, do not stray from blasphemy and anti-Christian themes, eventually becoming monotonous.

In conclusion, a stunning album that all brutal death enthusiasts should have.