Let me welcome you to FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING’s third chapter, “Sterling Black Icon”. I’m unfamiliar with the band, as usual, but since they’ve nailed a deal with Metal Blade Records I’m pretty sure they are going to get their name spread way better than many other bands in the same genre. I’m not overly familiar with Metal Blade either these days but I’ve always considered them to be a quality label. “Sterling Black Icon” won’t make me reconsider my stance; it’s a well played, well produced, piece of Melodic Death Metal. Unlike many other bands in the same genre FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING takes their Death Metal serious, meaning that we are treated to riffs that could’ve been used, with ease, on a record without the Melodic tag on it. We aren’t spared for blast beats either, not saying that “Sterling Black Icon” is a blastorama, just another proof that this band plays Melodic Death Metal and not Melodic death Metal. Guess which way I prefer it?

FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING are doing a lot of things right on “Sterling Black Icon”, in fact they are doing most things right. The guitar sound is fat, the playing skills beyond questioning, the vocals quite impressive and most importantly they know how to write quality Metal songs. No wheels are reinvented, though. My motto is quality over originality but nonetheless FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING can become a bit generic at times. A seasoned/jaded fan of Metal could get the feeling of been there, done that. Fortunately there are moments/songs good enough for even them/us to enjoy what’s on display.

Personally I’ve found two favourite songs and their names are “Dare Floating Water” and “Scythe Of Scarecrow”. “Dare Floating Water” is a massive tune with obvious leads to KATATONIA and their “Brave Murder Day” album, easily KATATONIA’s best effort. Just take a listen to the basic guitar work in this song, if it doesn’t remind you of KATATONIA I would like you to know that I’m not the idiot here, at least not the only. “Scythe Of Scarecrow” is more of a Thrash song, I would say it’s equally split between Thrash and Death Metal. Anyway, what makes this song one of my favourites is the hefty Thrash riff/s it has. Just take a listen to the opening riff, this is pure Thrash bliss. I crown it as the best riff on “Sterling Black Icon”. This is in my opinion the only two very good songs on “Sterling Black Icon”, but others are close.

At their best FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING is a massive act, at their worst they are just one among many. Nonetheless I feel they have enough qualities to defend a recommendation. Even though they sound more Swedish than anything else they haven’t adopted the lifelessness that possesses many of Sweden’s Melodic Death Metal bands. This is a band that, unlike IN FLAMES and SOILWORK, deserves to have Death Metal in their genre description. Too many of the Swedish bands waters down their Death Metal too such an extent that their Death Metal tag becomes highly questionable; an exception from that rule is ANATA and their “Infernal Depths Of Hatred” album. “Sterling Black Icon” isn’t half as aggressive but still it defends the name Death Metal with ease.

Recommended to all of those who are tired of wimpy Melodic Death Metal bands; don’t forget to download the MP3 available. (Online August 6, 2006)