ALBUM REVIEW: Icon – Liar Thief Bandit
Everything has led up to this moment for Swedish rock trio LIAR THIEF BANDIT. Their fourth album Icon is a culmination of over 200 live shows, blood, sweat and tears, and an incredible DIY ethic. Formed in 2014, the band released their debut album Gun Shovel Alibi in 2016 after a couple of years of touring and getting their name out there. Since the release of their third album Deadlights back in 2021, they’ve also put out a mini-album called Diamonds, its seven songs recorded in seven days a testament to just how hardworking this band is, but Icon is where they really show off their talent.
Across 11 songs, the trio take you on a journey like no other. With the grunge-rock of opener The Ultimate Sign, which hits you in the face its ferocity – especially when it comes to the drumming – the power-rock of Death Pioneer, which is notably less ferocious, and the bass-heavy Dying Efforts, the first three songs on Icon set the tone for a record that offers brilliant mix of various styles of rock.
It All Goes Away In The End wouldn’t sound out of place on a modern rock album with its large arena-ready chorus, Recoil is a mid-paced rock song, and Retaliation is more fast-paced. But this is also where things start to muddle a bit for the band. Whilst the songs in the middle are great individually, they don’t stand out when played one after another, aside perhaps from a nice guitar solo during Retaliation that helps break things up.
Fortunately the differentiation between songs improves in the latter half of the album. Traces Of Use is a fast-paced guitar-driven rock song, whereas Can’t Slow Me Down is a medium-paced 70s-esque rock song. The penultimate track Residence Sorrow is an in-your-face number that is reminiscent of the opener, but it’s the title track that is the standout of the album. It is a culmination of all that’s gone before, with everything from a guitar solo to a singalong chorus, and it makes for a fantastic closing song that brings everything together.
Overall, although it has a few issues, LIAR THIEF BANDIT‘s fourth album deserves to be called Icon. It showcases the hard work and talent of a rock band with an impressive work ethic. Even during a somewhat weaker middle section, the album feels cohesive and well-paced, and even if you don’t know who LIAR THIEF BANDIT are there is no denying that this album is a must-listen.
Rating: 8/10
Icon is set for release on May 24th via The Sign Records.
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