ICECROSS - SELF-TITLED (1973)

An album that has been blogged about extensively in other places at other times, but is deserving of every ounce of praise heaped upon it. I believe my own digital copy originally came from Brother Todd at Primitive Future, but who can ever be sure? Icecross (or MUTHAFUKKIN ICECROSS!!!, as I like to call them) bubbled to the surface in the frozen wastes of Iceland (where else?) in the early 1970's, producing only this one brilliant album in 1973 before returning to a state of cryogenic stasis. They are a mystery enshrouded within a secret wrapped up in an enigma, a morbid yeti that crept only once from its cave to slaughter the townsfolk and ravage their women -- never to be seen or heard from again.
And what have we here? Hypnotic, proto-metal/hard prog riffs, trippy effects on the vocals, caveman-on-meth drumming, and lyrics about "disgusting Christians"? A cover depicting what appears to be a morbid skeleton exhuming one of his decrepit kinfolk from a hoary grave? Did black metal exist in 1973? Hmmm...
Icecross, to me, seems like a companion piece to that Cromagnon album that Peter posted awhile back. Both bands are early forerunners to the Norwegian black metal phenomenon, but Cromagnon in more of an artsy, experimental way. Consider Icecross the Christ-hating Watain to their avant-garde Summoning or Ulver.
Of course, you won't find any tremolo picking or blastbeats on this album. But when Icecross chants "They believe in Jesus / We believe in us / They believe in Jesus / We believe in ourselves", there is no denying that the banner has been raised. ONWARD TO ANNIHILATION!

Download HERE
Purchase HERE

Best song ever?



Website / Myspace / Last.FM