Icon (Special Deluxe Collectors Edition)

A web search on the band Icon presents very little in the way of factual or biographical information. The facts that are presented include their place of origin (Arizona) and that they were together from 1982-1989. But these details you don't necessarily need to know. What you do need to know is that they rock, hard and furious, and could go punch for punch, song for song, with any of the so-called heavy metal giants of the era. Icon could decimate anything Ratt or Motley Crue put out during this time, and the band holds a place on par with Judas Priest and W.A.S.P.'s output. Sparing no expense from start to finish, the band digs in with sonic claws of steel forged from the gods of heavy metal thunder and lightning, and doesn't let up until the last notes of the melancholic power ballad finale "It's Up to You" fades away into the mist like a sunset on the Pacific Ocean horizon. Stephen Clifford may sound a bit like Kevin DuBrow or Blackie Lawless, but that's a mere oversight compared to what this record has to offer. For fans of an era gone by who still searching the vaults for hidden treasures, Icon includes several gems that bear repeat listening for a long time to come. It's essential listening for those who missed it the first time around. ~ Rob Theakston