Montreal Assault
Despised Icon · 2009
16 tracks · deathcore
Brutal riffs and guttural vocals collide with intricate melodies, creating a relentless assault on the senses.
Top tracks — play these first
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The Sunset Will Never Charm Us — The opening track sets a furious pace with its aggressive instrumentation and dynamic shifts, establishing the album's tone from the outset.
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Harvesting the Deceased — This track showcases intricate guitar work alongside powerful breakdowns, illustrating the band's ability to blend brutality with melody effectively.
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The Ills of Modern Man — With its thought-provoking lyrics and relentless energy, this song critiques societal issues while maintaining an intense musicality that resonates throughout the album.
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In the Arms of Perdition — The closing track features haunting melodies intertwined with crushing heaviness, creating a memorable and impactful finale that encapsulates the album's themes.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases technical skill and varied vocal styles but has moments that feel less cohesive.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features aggressive, fast-paced tracks with relentless drumming and complex guitar riffs.
- Several tracks incorporate breakdowns that shift abruptly in tempo, creating a jarring effect.
- Vocal styles alternate between guttural growls and high-pitched screams, often layered for emphasis.
- The final track features a significant drop in intensity, allowing for a moment of reflection after the preceding chaos.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- relentless aggression for catharsis
- intricate melodies amidst chaos
- high-energy for intense sessions
- visceral experience for headbangers
- dynamic shifts keep engagement
Maybe skip if you
- prefer soothing background sounds
- avoid complex auditory experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on January 27, 2009, Montreal Assault marked Despised Icon's fifth studio album and their first after a brief hiatus. At this point in their career, the band was solidifying their status in the deathcore scene, following up their 2007 album, The Healing Process, with a sound that further pushed the boundaries of the genre.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Thy Art Is Murder· Carnifex· Whitechapel
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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The Ills of Modern Man
A shift in narrative perspective challenges societal norms by directly confronting listeners with stark realities instead of abstract concepts.
This structural choice enhances engagement by inviting introspection through direct confrontation rather than detached observation.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
Disc 1
- 1 The Sunset Will Never Charm Us
- 2 Furtive Monologue
- 3 Sheltered Reminiscence
- 4 Retina
- 5 Harvesting the Deceased
- 6 Compelled to Copulate
- 7 The Ills of Modern Man
- 8 Immaculate
- 9 A Fractured Hand
- 10 Warm Blooded
- 11 Bulletproof Scales
- 12 In the Arms of Perdition
- 13 Fainted Blue Ornaments
Disc 2
- 1 Documentary
- 2 Music Videos
- 3 Road Clips
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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