DEFACED

DEFACED     “Icon”

By Dr. Abner Mality

It seems crazy that anything as angry as “Icon” could be so dull, but here we are. This Swiss band…hailing from a country with a proud tradition of forward-thinking acts…winds up being a very boilerplate example of modern death metal. The cover art for “Icon” is absolutely spectacular. And that’s the best thing about it.

If DEFACED reminds me of anyone, it’s the current version of KATAKLYSM. That’s not a great endorsement these days. The production is so shiny you can see your reflection in it. Death metal needs grit and filth. Only the best bands can clean up their sound and retain that bestial feel. The drums don’t sound real, the vocal roars of Thomas Gertsch are virtually anonymous and have no quirks to  make them distinct while much of the riffing just seems by the book.

At a couple of points, DEFACED almost get it right. “Anthem of Vermin” is a well-written track with a little melody mixed amid the mayhem and sticks in the head a bit longer. The beginning of “The Initiation” has some cool sci-fi sounding riffs, but the song can’t sustain this interest. “Culling The Herd” brings enough aggression to get some notice. But even these tracks are not exceptional enough to save “Icon” from its own mediocrity.

This is death metal that will pass through your brain and out the other side leaving barely a mark. We deserve better these days.

MASSACRE RECORDS 

DEFACED