Conquest Icon - Empire of the Worm

CONQUEST ICON - Empire of the Worm (GODZ OV WAR Productions CD 2020)

Conquest Icon is not the most productive band on the planet, which for me is not a problem at all, as long as they can keep deliver quality stuff. It's been now ten years since "Hellspire" was released, but if there's anything to catch up, the second album "Empire of the Worm" does that fully, striking with fury and vengeance. I'm really pleased to hear it and to know that the band - despite its full line up change (when compared to the debut) - is stronger than ever before and crushing with such a killer death metal album. There's nothing else I want from them. 

Thing, which I think I like the most about "Empire of the Worm" is its brutal, vicious and savage feeling. There's really not much time to take breath, contemplate or whatever, and from start to finish the listener can feel like he's under a fierce attack. There's plenty of blasting parts, severe riffage, the attitude is very uncompromising and atmosphere is bleak and dark. Of course, there are also some slower parts like the brilliant opening theme of "Deathlike Shadows Rising", but often they work as a prelude to another furious, intense cannonade. But there’s enough variety and dynamics to keep the listener interested and hooked for the whole time. And believe me, the riffs here can really be punishing and crushing. I don’t find even a slight boredom or weakness on "Empire of the Worm" nor songs or parts, which would be useless. 

Another important thing about this album is that it doesn't have that typical death metal style. It's more old school, but I think you could also easily find here some traces of thrash or black metal, for instance Ronve's vocals remind me Baal from Hell-Born and Les from Damnation / Hell-Born, so they alone are able to set the mood for something more uncommon and darker. Rather harsh, but energetic enough production also works very well for this sort of music, so in the end I have to say that "Empire of the Worm" turned out to be a very enjoyable and welcome album. I span it at least a dozen of times and still it doesn’t feel like I have enough. Definitely this is an album, which I intent to come back to often. 

Standout tracks: “Sacrificial Circle”, ”Deathlike Shadows Rising”, “Empire of the Worm” 

Verdict: 80/100