The Danish youngsters from Iceage, who were barely of age at their beginnings, first stood out thanks to three brutal, visceral hardcore punk albums. Taking a post-punk turn with their latest effort, they propose a more mature and ambitious album. Singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt gives an almost theatrical performance as a tortured poet, echoing Nick Cave in the Birthday Party. The album mixes well-balanced punk energy with lyrics of a Baudelairean spleen, creating a dark, melancholic, even unwholesome atmosphere.
