For a decade now, Finland's WHITE DEATH have built a small-yet-formidable canon of work that's come to define modern underground black metal in their nation. It's no secret that Finland has possessed one of the most potent black metal scenes from the early '90s onward, and with each new generation that picks up the torch, some are contenders and others are just content to uphold "the Finnish sound." WHITE DEATH took their time with deploying demos and then their debut album, simply self-titled, but they occupied a unique position between those poles: steeped in noble tradition, but exuding a confidence and charisma that rendered White Death an exceptionally nasty work even with its considerably cleaner production. Three years of silence followed between the release of that debut album and the three-song Promo 2020, which included an enochian crescent cover - an inspired choice from an oft-unsung legend, and a portent of grandeur to come. It's a unique disconnect in that the soundfield (and, more so, execution) exudes rippling filth coupled with pulsing nastiness, but the songwriting itself surges with a majestic melodicism that's equal parts euphoria and eulogy - or, rather, beautiful battle fury and its ultimate tragic ending. What's more, they move at many speeds here, shifting with ease and elan; that WHITE DEATH don't solely stick to the stock Finnish Tempo and instead make their acceleration almost effervescent lends an even-more-unique quality to the album. As such, Iconoclast keeps their hearts authentically ablaze with the underground spirit whilst unshackling themselves from the ghettoized thinking that mostly serves to keep the mongrel hordes within safe, status-quo boxes. A record for black metal people, but those who hate black metal people: truly, Iconoclast!
