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By JEFF MAKI
Fragments of Unbecoming's Sterling Black Icon is an ode to ‘90s Swedish death metal. Brutal riffs and an unrelenting rhythm section mesh with hints of melodic guitars and an epic sound that is rare in the genre.
Fragments of Unbecoming, once a side project of members of Mortified and Venereal Disease, is now a full-time band for all involved. Upon its formation, there was one goal: "to travel the monumental and unforgotten peaks of ‘90s Swedish death metal, without sacrificing originality and variation in the process." Sterling Black Icon is on par with the first part of that statement, but originality and variation are not strong points of this release. The material is strong enough, however, that this is not a significant problem. Quick comparisons can be made to Swedish metal icons Dark Tranquility—minus the keyboards. The overall sound of the album is very similar to Dark Tranquility's 2002 album Damage Done.
The opening title track, and the seven-minute-plus songs "Dear Floating Water" and "Breath in the Black to Sea" will have the death metal legions foaming at the mouth and pack enough sheer aggression for an entire album. In fact, after this unholy trio, the band struggles to maintain the momentum throughout the rest of the album. As a whole, Sterling Black Icon gets the point across and is an effective tribute, but fails to add any new elements to the genre. That being said, certainly take note, as this band could become a force to be reckoned with in the near future.
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