
[Reviewed by: Iaha Crax]
The collective from USA named Iceburn had been active from 92 til 2000, then retired. They have always taken the experiment to wherever they wished delivering surprisingly conformations of rich melodies constructed on the basis of progressive rock and post-hardcore and evolving to compass many free-form styles.
“Asclepios” appears in 2021, almost 20 years after the projects reclusion, and it is released by the hungry American label Southern Lord. The album comprises of two long songs, you may let them flow with no fear of boredom or intestinal disagreements. You will instantly recon an excellent band offering the kind of metal everybody could accept as musically valuable.
“Healing the Ouroboros”, the snake might be ill of protecting a world where chaos reigns to fell into the primeval and principal chaos, but the melody is subtle, gentle and appealing taking forms out of the coiling of the reptile, twitching and looping the riffs and leading musical motifs to write a web of encircling moments. Densley is the only constant member of the band and he plays also in another Southern Lord signed project, Eagle Twin. “Dahlia Rides the Firebird” recaptures the fly of this goddess (if Densley portrayed her) of Aztec origins through the higher sky. More improvisational, the song enjoys in changing colours and provoking people to be lost in the rhythm.
Like a healing bet, this album taking name from the medicine god, repositions Iceburn on the map of metal bands.
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Iceburn – Asclepius
Southern Lord, LORD283
LP/Digital 2021