Icantdie are a 3-piece hardcore alternative band from Bridgend/Swansea, South Wales. The Band started out when Vocalist/Guitarist Kyle David Smith started writing demos after the ending of his previous band. Kyle had an interest in not just writing angry music, but music that had a strange overtone… It is safe to say that the band have ticked the angry and often strange box. This is ‘Doppelgänger’. This three track onslaught comes out the gates swinging. Opening with the title track ‘Doppelgänger’ there are 50 seconds of full throttle riffs before vocals kick in. The grit and snarl in the vocal delivery makes for a rock and roll/unhinged hardcore fusion that blends stunningly. There is a melodic addition in the chorus enough to shift the tone ever so slightly and make for an uplift whilst maintaining the raw aggression and not compromising past a shout. The duel vocals of cleans and screams howling out “Nobody can say they know what you are” lifts the song further and that breakdown section that feeds in at the end is bone-rattling. ‘Frankly My Dear, I Don’t Give A Van Damne!’ is a little more varied and experimental with some sudden tempo changes, raw bass lines, a plethora of melodic sections as well as moments of pure anger. It takes a couple of listens to make sure you taken it all in given that each instrument and band member are given the limelight on different sections. The drums hit hard and are relentless throughout whilst the bass provides a chug that is blood pumping. This gives the guitar room to play with and it shows. Again, towards the end of the track there is a whole band inclusion that goes f#*king IN! Catchiest hook award goes to the vocal line “Its like you never got an answer, its like you never got awayyyyyyy.” ‘Crazy Animal?! Ok, I’m A Crazy Animal!’ has perhaps the most surprising opening that makes you look at your phone to see if you hit play on a different album. By the time you have done so the line “You make me so sick” leads the band into the anger zone yet again. Even more suprisingly this song shows promise beyond the aggression. A 20 second moment in between the onslaught provides a contrast to the bands sound that feels strange and crazy whilst being stripped back and different. The variation through guitar work makes for a nice let up and is enhanced by the guttural screams. To round off the song the breakdown absolutely smashes your teeth in. Icantdie don’t reinvent the wheel with ‘Doppelgänger’ and despite being, at times, fragmented and scattered in it’s crazy delivery it absolutely rips. The sections that hit hard hit REALLY HARD. The varied, chaotic tracks may also be scattered but that is kinda the point. This is raw, relentless and rips from start to finish. If you are looking to be punched in the face repeatedly for 10 minutes then look no further as Icantdie got you covered. 8/10
