Icarus Witch Albums (2)
'Songs for the Lost'
Release Date 9/11/2007
Tracks 10
Label Cleopatra
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Even for a period in time when vintage/classic heavy metal is enjoying an evident worldwide renaissance, Pittsburgh's Icarus Witch delivered an emphatic vow of loyalty to "'the faith" with their retro-tastic first album, Capture the Magic; and there's thankfully no sign that they want to come back to the future anywhere on album number two, 2007's Songs for the Lost. Heck, even though it's positively drenched in Iron Maiden-isms (galloping bass, twin guitar lines, and singer Matthew Bizilia's obvious debt to Bruce Dickinson), "Out for Blood" is a dynamite opener that gives immediate notice of the group's successful escape from the feared sophomore slump -- a fact later confirmed by additional strong efforts like "Nature of the Beast," "Queen of Lies," and the improbable metal-prog-AOR hybrid "Afterlife." Well-placed synthesizers add welcome depth and texture to the rousing, classy "The Sky Is Falling" (one of several, slow-paced, but surprisingly effective numbers benefiting from stellar solos by new guitarist Quinn Lukas), and the string-laden conclusion of "Smoke and Mirrors" simply has to be one of the best trad metal ballads yet to emerge from the new millennium. Admittedly, as with Icarus Witch's debut, certain songs still come off a little too underproduced ("House of Usher" doesn't quite measure up, musically, to its literary source) and even clunky (see the sketchily worded "Written in the Stars" and the "Wasted Years"-like "Devil's Hour"); but one can't help but chalk this to the band's intentional bid for '80s-flavored authenticity, given the similar aesthetic presented by the excellent surrounding material. And, in keeping with their brilliant choice of cover song for album number one -- a perfectly suited but less-than-obvious take on Ozzy Osbourne's "S.A.T.O." -- Icarus Witch wisely tackle Def Leppard's High 'N' Dry classic, "Mirror Mirror," on Songs for the Lost with the aid of Rainbow legend Joe Lynn Turner -- very nice! Ultimately, "very nice" is an apt summation of Songs for the Lost, which definitely betters its predecessor while paving the way for even bigger expectations from Icarus Witch in the future. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
At a time when it's become increasingly difficult to discern the small but important differences between power and classic heavy metal, Icarus Witch make it easy by forgoing the "power" element outright. This, as it turns out, is both their greatest strength and weakness, as it immediately conjures up welcome memories of old-school American metal legends like Manilla Road and Virgin Steele, while robbing some songs of the "authority" that a little more volume and distortion might have brought them. The disparity between either reaction may really come down to a straight-up generation gap or a small mental adjustment (a little time travel, if you will) on the listener's part, since the band itself is clearly intentionally committed to their vintage approach, and the songs that follow quickly support this decision with their surprising consistency. Mostly dealing in fantasy-adventure themes (of course), standouts tracks such as "Darklands," "Awakening the Mountain Giants," and "Capture the Magic" (recalling very early Queensrÿche) strike a rare balance between modesty and majesty (a feat most power metal bands have no concept of). And Icarus Witch's two crucial melody sources, singer Matthew Bizilia and guitarist Steve Pollick, rarely lack for conviction or command in their performances -- understated though they may sometimes seem. Yes, a few numbers ("Soothsayer"; "Nemeton Forest") still sound a little flat by any definition, but the gloriously named "The Ghost of Xavior Holmes" and an excellent cover of the Osbourne/Rhoads classic "S.A.T.O.," fire off some extra fireworks thanks to guest guitar luminaries like Fates Warning's Frank Aresti and George Lynch, respectively. All in all, Capture the Magic is a very promising start for Icarus Witch -- even if most younger fans will probably have to suspend their prejudices against less-than-overpowering heavy metal in order to understand where they are coming from. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
