IC Rex - Vedenkantaja

Finnish Black Metal covering Esoteric themes such as: Satanism, Death and Occult Mysticism.

The current line-up consists of the one man genius Cinatas - all instruments & vocals (The Enthorpy, Tunrida).

Vedenkantaja is the third full length release from IC Rex (formed in 2003), and from what I think is the first album that Cinatas has created on his own (but I could be wrong).

Former memebers from past albums/session musicians have been: SDS - guitar (Baptism, Black Death Ritual), and Kobalt - drums (BaptismDevilry, Inhumane Deathcult).

IC Rex has a purpose and that is to channel the hermetic & transcendental world view of its creator as an alchemistic Great Work expressed in musical form-Cold Raw Black Metal. (as taken from their website). The definition of the name IC Rex would be best descibed as The King Of Ice And Fire.

Both I and C are taken from the Runes representing Ice and Fire, both are extreme polarities representing soul or psyche in the universe and Rex means king. IC Rex is a veneration to the archetype of Satan, the essence and manifestation united in The Supreme Principle of creation and destruction.

Well as per the above IC Rex does not just use the esoteric/Satanism as a front to make it's music appear to be dark, IC Rex actually is knowledgable in these realms and there is belief in what is presented which puts this music already on a higher level with me personally.

Vedenkantaja (meaning The Aquarius), this album is abit of a mixture, alittle atmospheric and alittle melodic, touch of what sounds like Viking metal with progressive influences all thrown into a  classic Black Metal wrapping.

Most albums would be a chaotic hell in a bad way if they tried to pull off what IC Rex as managed to do with "Vedenkantaja" and I don't know how but it works with this album but it does. "Vedenkantaja" also stands apart from previous IC Rex albums which have been more on a symphonic note.

This album consists of 7 deadly hyms and it's theme is about how Lucifer enters into the age of Aquarius to destroy all the old ways and is the bringer of a new law. This album is very guitar oriented with alot of diversity. Vocals are creepy and raw which work but at times I feel can get alittle out of controle on this album but to each his own right?

Musically there is a very interesting approach here with very unpredictable tracks, each being a musical carnival making them to be both destructive and creative symphonies all part of the same revelation. I admist to have mixed feelings about this album, some tracks I feel and love and others I just cannot connect with, maybe this is what it's purpose it and that this creation is supposed to grow on you with time and help one to understand it's true meaning.

I say that it is worth checking out and now give it a rating of 3/5.