Band: Izegrim
Title: Code Of Consequences
Label: Listenable Records
Distribution: Listenable Records
Release date: February 2nd 2011
Review: CD

Izegrim once started as a symphonic Doom-Death Metal band (second half of the nineties), but throughout the years, the style evolved over a Death / Thrash-base into a more archaic Thrash-oriented one. The band recorded some excellent material in the past, amongst which two splendid minis and two excellent full lengths.
The Zutphen (Holland) based band, with new singer Marloes (formerly of Deluzion – she joined Izegrim after former vocalist Kristien left, and she did the vocals on the 2009-mini album Point Of No Return), recently signed to French Listenable Records, and the first mutual output is Code Of Consequences, Izegrim’s third full length studio album, which has duration of almost forty five minutes. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered at the Soundlodge Studio with Jörg Uken (Inhume, God Dethroned, The Seventh, Mephistopheles) and that why the sound is so colossal, I guess.
Musically, the Thrash-experience goes on and on, further and further. This album picks up where Izegrim’s Rusty Cage-era ended. Beware, because this stuff thrills.
The approach brings back the earliest days to mind. This is the kind of up-tempo, guitar-driven material that pleased the metallic worlds during the eighties. And all ingredients are included: sharp and fierce yet melodic guitar solos, guttural screams (damn, you can’t hear this is a nice lady gurgling out her throat – in a way comparable to Angela Gossow), a pounding and up-tempo rhythm section and uncomplicated yet technical and edgy riffs. The whole scene appears before my eyes: Kreator, Slayer, At The Gates, Arch Enemy, Legion Of The Damned, Pestilence (earliest years), Dead Head etc. The modern (!) sound (Soundlodge) strengthens the quality of performance and song writing, and this contrast (modern versus old school) comes close to perfection in this album’s case.
Code Of Consequences isn’t the strongest album within this back-to-the-roots genre. The band lacks any identity and that’s a turn-off. Besides, there’s not one single track that really stands out. On the other hand, there’s no fall-back either, no mistakes, no nonsense, no nothing to destruct. Written with pleasure, played with pleasure, and, in addition, to listen at with pleasure.

80/100

Ivan Tibos.