Originally written by Chris Chellis.
More than almost any other band melding technical death metal and hardcore, Despised Icon has been remarkably consistent. Sure, plenty in the much-maligned sub-genre haven’t been around long enough or released enough material for anyone to form a rational basis for comparison, but that doesn’t discount the fact that this band has delivered time and time again. So it should come as no surprise that Day of Mourning, the group’s fourth full-length and first with guitarist Ben Landreville and bassist Max Lavelle, absolutely rips from start to finish.
Finding a few songs buried in the muck of most albums of this ilk is often a wasted effort. Somehow, someway, this band continues its creative streak and defies the deathcore stereotype. There are some damn fine songs here. From the stringy, sinewy riffs and powerful, almost doom-like breakdowns in “Black Lungs” to the punishing, almost boastful bellows in single “MVP,” Day of Mourning is loaded from front to back with recognizable, often hook-laden tracks.
The sheer energy of some of these songs is astounding. The aforementioned “Black Lungs” is a great example of what this band can bring to the table when they just let things fly. A simple word like “fun” seems most appropriate. “Entre Le Bien Et Le Mal,” aside from giving away the band’s origins, proves that a band doesn’t have to veer too far from its established sound to remain creative and interesting. The crawling feel to it exudes an almost threatening vibe. And at just under 35 minutes the album doesn’t overstay its welcome.
If you’re looking for a departure of sound, you’re not going to find it here. Think of this release as a logical continuation of the band’s discography. To a good number of fans, The Healing Process will forever remain their magnum opus. I am not among those fans. There’s something to be said for age and maturation. The Ills of Modern Man was Despised Icon finding its bearings, channeling its collective firepower and blowing the lid off any and all genre trappings. Day of Mourning is an unsupervised Despised Icon doing backflips in the deep end of the community pool, splashing the green suckers foolish enough to think they’re able to keep up.
