Icons of Filth Time of the Signs LP
To look objectively at new material by a legendary band is indeed an arduous task, and one that I have had to accomplish by reviewing ICONS OF FILTH’s new album, Time of the Signs. The band absolutely belongs to “classic ’80s punk bands,” and you will find their iconic logo on many an anarcho-punk fan’s jacket. Being harsh with a record from such a band feels almost like betrayal, even if the lineup has, of course and for sometimes tragic reasons, changed a lot since 1985. All this circumlocution to say that I don’t enjoy this album. There are some songs that I find pretty decent, but otherwise, it sounds very plodding and lacks the aggression and intensity you would associate with both band and genre. The clean production clearly does the band a disservice here, which goes to prove how the sound can affect the feeling of the songs, and I don’t like the vocals at all, which are very reminiscent of American hardcore and very loud in the mix—they completely distract me from the music. On the bright side, the lyrics are very political and relevant, genuinely angry as they should be, and the artwork, courtesy of Squeal, looks great. I think this would appeal to people looking for clean-sounding hardcore punk, but I am not one of them.