### Insision: Ikon

#### 24/10/07 || The Duff

I reckon I’m in the minority here, but I believe Insision to be one of the most talented death metal outfits of today. “Beneath the Folds of Flesh” is a modern, reasonably technical death metal masterpiece taking influences from the usual suspects Morbid Angel and Suffocation, yet manages to bare some relevance to the currently over-saturated metal scene due to its sharp, vicious attack to the scrote; in 2004, the album was followed up with a very strong sophomore in the form of “Revealed and Worshipped”.

So how does this little death metal nugget compare to what preceded it? To give the short, “Ikon” is the best album since the debut, as the band has reverted to only using its finest material for the album, as opposed to maybe spreading out quality stuff over eleven tracks-worth of music, resultantly giving a couple of uninspired moments. Nine tracks seem to suit Insision just fine, and the only reason this falls shy of the majesty of “Beneath the Folds of Flesh” is due to re-recorded track “Entangled in Thorns” and track “Breathing the Black Dust” not being quite up to scratch with the rest.

“Ikon” improves in many ways over the two other albums of the Insision discography. The arrangements seem to the have been perfected, displaying a very mature band that knows exactly what’s what in the realm of death metal. The production also makes the band sound better than ever (not the toughest thing) – I may prefer the dry, sharp production of “Beneath the Folds of Flesh”, but on “Ikon” the band has lost the almost muffled sound of “Revealed and Worshipped” while retaining the heaviness, and so on the whole it would appear as though the band has achieved what is has been striving towards all this time – clarity, crunch and the ability to propel a small household pet through a window.

The new drummer is damn fine; not as inventive as Thomas Daun from “Beneath the Folds of Flesh” but probably more disciplined, Marcus Jonsson has upped his performance since “Revealed and Worshipped”, which suffered from too regular a playing style – it looks as though Insision have recruited a true talent for the position behind the kit, and someone who is comfortably settling into his role for the band. The guitars shred as always, except the rhythm playing has been bumped up a notch or two; at times I get a little tired of the over-used “insane double kicks + heavy guitars = lots of cum” mentality, but then at others it rearranges my face, so it all depends on my mood.

My recent distaste for death metal is well documented, and as much as I dig this band, I wasn’t holding my breath for even being slightly impressed with “Ikon”. Well, this album has floored me, as well as revitalized my interest in the scene, even though this is about as regular as death metal gets; once more, Insision have shown that great songwriting prevails when wanting to release a quality album, and that when at the top of their game, they can defeat a whole bunch of the competition trying to drown out otherwise decent riffs with a plethora of technical wankery.

8 doubts they still had it in ‘em proven wrong out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2007
- Label: Dental Records
- Website: www.insision.com
- Band
- Carl Birath: vocals
- Roger Johansson: guitars
- Daniel Ekeroth: bass
- Mac Jonsson: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. A ravenous discharge
- 02. Unbind my hands
- 03. By habit
- 04. Depleting the non-being
- 05. Into the cold
- 06. Breathing the black dust
- 07. Doubt denied
- 08. Entangled in thorns
- 09. The magnet soul