One Step Beyond
Imicus are a British five-piece rock band, 'Inveigle' is their latest four-track E.P. The band is in the throes of developing their own identity and sound, which is obvious when you listen to this new release. On their website they say they don't follow any particular trend, which is the best attitude to have when creating music. But it's a fine line between developing your own identity and sounding a bit like everyone and anyone. That's not to Imicus are directionless, I think from this offering they're just a few steps away from being an excellent band with their own sound.
Opener 'Inveigle' is perhaps the weakest song on this disc because it sounds so nu-metally generic. It's the type of tune Linkin Park and Soil were bashing out several years ago, but the chorus does give you an indication of the band's potential as Millar's vocals soar and put the rest of the track to shame. 'An Isolation Dawn' is a cracker of tune and the best here. I love the darkness that can become of rock music sometimes, and Imicus have nailed it on this track. It's heavy without being sludgy or too doomy, and the vocals again impress with their overall subtleties. On a personal note, I think the up tempo bridge section weakens the mood of the song and would have sounded even better being backed by the beat played under the guitar solo, but this is just my musical preference.
The Scuzz/Kerrang crowd seem to be the intended audience for 'Before Your Summer.' Its start is very Bullet for my Valentine and bands of that ilk. The song is not really the sum of its parts, the chugging sections coming across stronger than the pace-driven sections. Lighters at the ready for 'Demise of an Angel', which is another strong song but perhaps needs a tidier vocal melody for the verse. A great solo leads straight into a double bass driven chorus, sadly it's coupled with some screaming vocals which had thankfully and refreshingly been absent throughout this E.P. The disc doesn't need the screaming; keep it clean and if you're good enough the aggression and attitude will come across naturally.
There's a good band ready to emerge from Imicus. This release is a reasonably solid affair but there's plenty for the band to work with. The band has the chorus sewn up but I think a little time spent on verses would go a long way. Add some fully tracked guitars and I think Imicus might have something special.