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Icon of Phobos are a black metal act all the way from California who have the productivity of your average black metal project in that they only have their self-titled 2011 debut and a 2020 split with label mates Katheksis in that time. Admittedly, I wasn't familiar with the band until recently, but I feel comfortable saying that they need to get off their asses and make more already, because this is some first-rate black metal.

This is a band heavily indebted to the Nordic school of black metal, taking inspiration from the lies of later Mayhem and Inquisition while also having melodic sensibilities akin to Satanic Warmaster. The music is largely murky and midpaced, sporting an ominous mood throughout that's amplified by the crisp and clear production. The musicianship is of high quality throughout, though I have to say the band is at its best when they lean on the melody and atmosphere, which is more than capable of piercing the soul and leaving it cold and hollow in the best possible way.

It's always a shame when a band this talented barely has any output to go off of, but considering what we do have is so good, I can't complain about that too much. If you like your black metal frigid and haunting, then Icon of Phobos are the band for you.