Yes, the music is better than the band's name! Whatever it means... Anyway, 'Point of no Return' is the "second beginning" for the band, because of the line-up changes. The record label advertise that Izegrim's take on death/thrash metal is "innovative and catchy", but let's see how it is.

The title track launches straight into the action, where a galloping beat meets fast riffing and a powerful female growl. The rhythm guitars are pretty downtuned and to tell the truth, it made me fear that here we go down the current trend waste pipe. But Izegrim are fervent and metal-to-the-bone. The band throw some catchy riffage and sweeping melodic bits, which at times strengthen, but the other times sound way too familiar. Whereas the opener is an aggressive piece, 'No Place Like Home' snatches a bit too much from Swedish melo-death. 'End of Time' adds some groovy stuff and is an unpredictable composition, but hardly an innovative one. Ball-grabbing mid-paced song 'Angel of Demise' is a re-recorded version of an old song and it can be heard, as it is the most death metallic piece. Musicwise Izegrim can be placed somewhere between 21st century Destruction and Arch Enemy. Female growl is always female growl, but at least miss Marloes (she also plays the bass) can go a bit deeper than Angela Gossow, so there is no real close likelihood, but only in screamed vocals. Everything is performed well enough, but the characteristics are nigh on impossible to be found. The basis of Izegrim is death and thrash, but it is, as is so common nowadays, watered down with the modern appearance. The downtuned rhythm guitars really aren't very gritty at all. On the other hand, there is no sign of synthesizer here which is a welcomed feature. But as said, there is so much more trendier shit swimming in the pool, that needs to go down the current trend waste pipe, and Izegrim are not in danger to be flushed.

I bet Izegrim can blast in the live environment. On this EP they sound too tame and for my tastes, too modern, which is due to the blunt production. Plus it is too easy to see them as Arch Enemy subordinates at some points. The opener and the closer are the best songs here, although the middle ones are not mere fillers either. Izegrim are pretty good in what they do, but they would be much more if they could find some character of their own. 'Point of no Return' is a promising effort, but too short in that. Yeah, EP's kinda suck I think!

Rating: 6+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
02/28/2009 17:57