Icarus Witch – Goodbye Cruel World

by

I’ll start this review differently. Let’s begin with track six “The Flood” just because it is instrumental. It was a tradition among Metal bands in the 1980s to have at least an instrumental track for album. Great bands did that as a way to try other forms to express themselves and an instrumental is a great one. I say that because you have express your feeling without vocals, and that’s not so easy as it may seem. You change emotions you express on a scream or in a shout for musical notes. It’s challenging, but rewarding. Guitar tones in “The Flood” are very well-chosen. They are simple, but well-done.

Icarus Witch are a band that emulate the so called good old 1980s traditional Heavy Metal. And they do it well. Though the intro to title track “Goodbye Cruel World” sounds a bit thrashy. Only the first notes, okay? But then, the song goes in a Queenrÿche way, the good Queenrÿche from “The Warning” era. Anyway, I find them more similar to Pretty Maids’ “Future World” era. The strong guitar riffing interweaven with some fingered guitar licks. By the way, guitar riffing is a highlight in “Goodbye Cruel World” exactly because they sound clear and strong. It makes a great difference to listen clearly what the band is performing. Icarus Witch dig a couple of great guitar licks and riffs to “Goodbye Cruel World.” “Misfortune Teller” tells me so. “Until the Bitter End” too.

But the real deal that attracts me most to Icarus Witch are their view of the world as we can notice by the titles of the album and some songs. Life is cruel, this world is miserable. Icarus Witch and me don’t buy the stupid happiness mass media try to sell us. That’s exactly the way I feel. This world is cruel and full of misfortune and Metal is here to remind us all. Heavy Metal are responsible for warning the world about what is unfair not to happily jump into the abyss. “Goodbye Cruel World” made happy in an Icarus Witch way.

Icarus Witch “Goodbye Cruel World” is to be released today October 26th via Cleopatra Records.

Track Listing:

  1. Goodbye Cruel World
  2. Misfortune Teller
  3. Lightning Strikes
  4. Mirage
  5. Through Your Eyes
  6. The Flood
  7. Silence of the Siren
  8. Possessed by You
  9. Antivenom
  10. Until the Bitter End