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Ikuinen Kaamos - Fall Of Icons review



Reviewer:
7.8

57 users:
7.88
Band: Ikuinen Kaamos
Album: Fall Of Icons
Release date: March 2010


01. Indoctrination Of The Lost
02. Statues
03. In Ruins
04. Condemned
05. Apart

The first thing that comes to mind to anyone putting this CD on, is something along the lines of "hey, is that an Opeth album or what?"? Yes, on this Fall Of Icons, Ikuinen Kaamos do sound a lot like Mikael Åkerfeldt's band, to a point they could be called a copycat.

But are they, really? Well, this album is all about five long, drawn-out songs that meander between harsh parts and soft, melancholic moments. Yes, that does sound familiar. Especially when you can sometimes almost predict when the song will calm down, or start being aggressive again.
Then you've also got to admit that playing some Opeth-related stuff is not given to everyone. It supposes a great skill level, and serious songwriting skills to boot. And frankly, our Finnish dudes do deliver in both areas. No mere feat!

Now, shall we talk a bit about the differences? If the first two songs could have featured on any of their influence's albums, the three others develop more personal atmospheres and moods. It's a bit more somber and melancholic than Opeth to begin with. More hypnotic and entrancing (or, well, boring, for some) too. I guess the Finns have a knack with these?
Also, let's speak about the vocal work. In addition to the soft, clean vocals and death grunts, you can find throughout the album some black metal ones, some others more raspy (a bit like a harsh whisper at times)? In short, there's a huge range here, and it's used to great effect.

While it could and should be more original, this is top-notch musicianship, and a great progressive death album. It is, at times, really beautiful. Clearly an album to check for everyone. Enjoy!


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 8





Written on 06.06.2010 by Once your regular Hellfest reporter, now retired. I (strangely enough) listen to a lot of metal. And enjoy good beers, comics, novels and role-playing games.


Comments

Comments: 6   Visited by: 158 users
07.06.2010 - 08:25
Rating: 5
InnerSelf
proofread free
I do agree that the performance is top notch , and the song writing is somehow good yet still some riffs sound unbelievably similar to Opeth , the use of certain chords and the transition between sections is all not just inspired but to a certain point ripped off
I still don't enjoy the vocals and even though it is ranged it is still raw "not in a very good way"
I didn't give up on this album and though I know there is nothing more after 4 listens I will find some other time to let it soak
a very light but nice review
get harsher dude !
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He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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07.06.2010 - 14:59
Rating: 10
atrox

I do like the vocals, especially if we compare it to Opeth - Ikuinen Kaamos seems to prefer growls while Opeth seems to prefer clean vocals lately.
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14.06.2010 - 23:25
Passenger
Lost To Apathy
It's pretty good, but, yeah, can't compete with Opeth, whom they try heavily to copy.
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You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it ~ Mean Streets
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21.06.2010 - 20:31
Rating: 8
advent

Songwriting is a highlight in this album , also musicianship and this is not a thing u see in a lot of bands if we put aside lack of originality.

lets say they ripped off Opeth in a good way ,,and of course they hardly can be compered with Opeth .
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21.07.2010 - 21:11
rob904

I'm not sure it's an Opeth ripoff. The same vein of progressive music though, drawing heavily on jazz. Ikuinen Kaamos mixes in the diminished 7th, and augmented runs, sticking to a black metal sound, whereas Opeth will stick to major/minor tonalities, they use the dom 7 chord a lot too, and then bring in the jazz influence using a linear approach to the modes, or scales that have little to no relation to the overall key of the song.
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24.12.2014 - 10:30
Rating: 8
qlacs
"The Quaker"
Now since last 2 OPeth albums sucked, we can say IK are the new Opeth! lol
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