They might come from a chilly part of the globe, but furious four-piece Iceage, the crowned post-punks of Denmark, light up another furnace for their third and most impressive album. Released on indie label Matador, Plowing Into The Field sees a punk group who are traditional in their feral and rowdy racket, but prove themselves willing to furrow into other fields.
Much like how The Clash combined other styles and instruments to their core sound, Iceage’s angular guitars still manage to sit well alongside piano hits and jabbing violins. It’s interesting listening to a little country shuffle on ‘The Lord’s Favourite’ followed by the unnerving poundings of ‘Cimmerian Shade’, but it’s vocalist Elias Bender that binds it all together. His utterings convoke an image of a frontman giving it their all whilst squirming upon a beer-soaked stage floor. But beneath the growls are still some finely poetic lyrics, something that doesn’t register upon first listen, but with more attention realise there’s some clever and arresting wordplay involved.
People feeling that post-punk has been revitalised one too many times may find it a bash to the ears but the racket grows on you, and the smarts and heart beneath the dissonance become apparent with every press of the play button.
