CONQUEST ICON - Empire of the Worm - [2020] - Album Review by NPH - Rate 9/10

CONQUEST ICON
COUNTRY: POLAND
GENRE: BLACKENED DEATH METAL
LABEL: GODZ OV WAR PRODUCTIONS 


[Artwork and Logo Ihasan Art]

CONQUEST ICON - "EMPIRE OF THE WORM" - 2020 | Tracklist:
1. Vermin
2. Sacrifical Circle
3. Deathlike Shadows Rising
4. Unholy Death Metal
5. Empire of the Worm
6. Toward Darkness
7. Behold the Flames of Hell
8. Pilgrim of Doom
9. Crown the Beast
10. Here and Beyond

[Release Date: 2020-03-13]

PRE-ORDERS:
http://store.godzovwar.com
https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com


RECORDING LINEUP:
Ronve - Vocals
Andy Blakk - Guitars, Vocals
Major - Guitars
Blast! - Bass
Imp - Drums

PRODUCTION/RECORDING:
Drums and guitars recorded at JNS Studio. | Vocals recorded at NAD Studio. | Additional guitars and bass recorded at ABH.
Mixed and mastered by Andy Blakk.
All music and lyrics by CONQUEST ICON.



CONQUEST ICON - Empire of the Worm - 2020 - Godz ov War Productions
Genre: Blackened Death Metal

"(...)Open your eyes, nothing is as it seems
The world is rotten and we have died
We are in this realm, empire of the worm (...)" CONQUEST ICON | Empire of the Worm | Empire of the Worm

THE BAND AND THE ALBUM:

Polish old school blackened death metal tyrants CONQUEST ICON have unleashed their second full-length album entitled "Empire of the Worm". A monolith of unholy death metal brutality in a old-fashioned way! CONQUEST ICON has been founded in late 2009 by the veterans Andy Blakk (ex-Pyorrhoea, Suicide Circle, etc) and Empherion (Empheris), since the very beginning the band has been improving their blasphemous death metal art, creating with it their own identity and reputation, relentless and brutal the band unleashes hell in and outside stages!

It has been long time since I've got my first contact with the band. I was introduced at that time by Andy Blakk to some instrumental parts of what was to become their debut full length "Hellspire". Since then, I've been blown away with such crushing old fashioned extreme metal creations that don't stop impressing me.

The band has developed allot since their debut, through the years and at most since the incursion of Ronve devilish ass-kicking brutal voKills that have sure given CONQUEST ICON a newer and wider vocal dynamics (guttural, vociferated or clean). Remarkable to say the least are the drum work done by Imp, a brute force of nature leaving no retreat, no surrender on a total musical Armageddon! Blast! (ex-Hate, Pyorrhoea, etc) is another Polish extreme metal veteran causing impact at this piece with his awesome bass performance. Major does here an amazing and vicious guitar work together with Andy Blakk who without any doubts is the genius creative mind behind the band malevolent creations, he has actually contributed with some fearsome vocals for this piece too.

Within this last years CONQUEST ICON have achieved a new level of extremity and excellence, on "Empire of the Worm" the band is at it's peak level of aggression and power, all of this, with a mature rock-solid ravenous sound, never over-polished, keeping with it the best fitting old-school vibe!
This is an album that shouldn't be missed by any fans of bands such as Vader, Incantation, Deicide, Demonical, Belphegor or even Mayhem  etc... an Unholy death metal piece of art!


ALBUM DETAILS:
The recordings over JNS and NAD Studios as well as the astonishing Mix and mastering by the Polish extreme metal guru Andy Blakk are simply kicking ass big time a perfect blend of brutality and aggression, a kind of blackened death metal in it's purest form that never loses it's old fashioned essence... this is in the end, CONQUEST ICON's very own identity and way in extreme metal music! "Empire of the Worm" is an old school creation on modern times and it feels so good to hear such piece of untouched extreme metal sound.

The album cover art by Ihasan Art really couldn't illustrate better this old fashioned piece, it sure gets you gets back to that savage, rawer and decadent primordial death metal pieces of the old ages! Great going!

"Empire of the Worm" Lyrics are quite direct and deal with themes like human greed and decay, evil and dark powers, Satanism, anti-Christian, anti-religion, hatred, traditional death metal without makeup's, plagues and damnation, infernal allegiances of unholy demons from hell, death and the world beyond! In all... a great dose of good violent friendly themes for great and violent music!


TRACK-BY-TRACK:
"Empire of the Worm" is a total demolishing album from the beginning to it's end, a sonic blast of death and destruction that will make you captive since first listening. CONQUEST ICON conserve the old fashioned extreme metal vein and with it they provide a violent and brutal slap right in-your-face... expect no softness on this pure death metal Armageddon!

"Vermin" is the blasting opening track for "Empire of the Worm", a violent and direct death metal song with a special old-school vibe into, it shall take you right back to the 90's extreme metal sound!

The bloodshed continues with "Sacrifical Circle", which is another strong track with some slower moments like on its beginning which provide a greater balance to the whole song,  but still, it quickly embraces the blasphemous brutal sound that the band will get you used through this whole piece!

"Deathlike Shadows Rising" track follows, a song that starts with some doom metal vibe which enriches the album dynamics, but wait... there is more brutality ahead! Simply love the dynamics and addictive combo of death and slight black metal elements which the band blends in perfection!

"Unholy Death Metal" comes next... and this is without a doubt my favourite track of the whole piece. So damn addictive... such an unholy death metal hymn! A classic within it's genre... this is how underground extreme metal should sound like! Death metal done right and in the purest form if you ask me... this song has all the right proportions to become a true classic!

The title track "Empire of the Worm" follows, and this is another fast track with a decadent epic aura over it, this is another of my favourite tracks of the album, an authentic skull crusher where CONQUEST ICON unleash their heavy artillery upon your ears!

No retreat... no surrender, "Toward Darkness" is the track that follows leaving you no time to breathe before you are hit once again by CONQUEST ICON ravaging sonic destruction, a virulent fast song with some slight grind elements, love at first listening I say! Haha!

"Behold the Flames of Hell" is another excellent track, and one of my favourite ones, this scorching brutal song unleashes CONQUEST ICON fatal formula at best. Impressive fast and with the classical sound that you can trace back to the early band endeavours, an authentic blast from the past once it comes to the band own identity and influences... a kind of sound that shall take you back into a past of death / black metal glory!

"Pilgrim of Doom" steps forwards, this is probably the track with the darkest atmosphere around it, some stronger black metal influences are to be noticed which are great additions to the band already dynamic sound. The evil evocations and atmosphere may even remind you of some early Mayhem stuff! Damn it sure sounds good!

"Crown the Beast" is another of the strongest tracks of this whole piece, here a crescent tension ignites the bursting blackened death metal Armageddon. This song keeps the balance of heavy and slower parts in a elite level! Bang your head 'cause this is true unholy death metal!!!

"Here and Beyond" is the ending track of this classic headbanger album. Dark and sinister it shall make you travel back in time, back to the early 90's death extreme metal sound!
You simply can't get much better than this if you addicted to that old fashioned sound as I sure am! .... well, now it's time to give this album another spin... damn, this is good!


THE CONCLUSION:
CONQUEST ICON second full-length "Empire of the Worm" is a brutal piece of unholy death metal art and one of the best offers on it's genre for 2020! The crushing new album keeps an old-fashioned vibe that will hook it's listeners since the very first listening.
Hard to be indifferent to such a maelstrom of sheer brutality and aggression, a blasphemous piece that shall capture the attention of many of those disappointed with the evolution of some extreme metal bands who lost their dose of fierceness as the years pass by. "Empire of the Worm" is a good (un)clean piece of old-school extreme metal violence that shall be the delight of many die-hard death black metallers out there!
CONQUEST ICON have awaken a primordial Beast of death metal in it's purest form... an insatiable ravenous Worm who feeds only of chaos and destruction!
This is by far the best creation done to the date by Poland death metal veteran Andy Blakk. Viciously addictive the new CONQUEST ICON assault has all the right proportions to be a Polish underground extreme metal classic. You need to listen to it to know what I mean... pure old-school death metal gold that will make your head bang from the beginning to it's end!

RüPä - NeKronos Promotion HELL

RATE: 9/10


VIDEO:

"Empire of the Worm" : Lyric Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKCTU548CeM



"Vermin" : Audio Clip : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtCIFQbL7kM




MORE ABOUT THE BANDS @ LINKS:
OFFICIAL SITE: HTTP://WWW.CONQUESTICON.ORG 
FACEBOOK PROFILE: HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CONQUESTICON
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/CONQUESTICON 

BOOKING / CONTACT: BAND@CONQUESTICON.ORG