Despised Icon

Despised Icon

Despised Icon is a deathcore group from Montréal, Canada, active from 2002. The band works with a dual-vocal approach: Alexandre Erian uses a mid-range screaming style, while Steve Marois handles low growls and higher-pitched screams. The group is also associated with death metal, grindcore, metal and metalcore.

Career

The band forms in January 2002 in Montréal and first signs with Galy Records. Its debut album, Consumed by Your Poison, appears later that year. In 2004, the line-up changes and the group records the self-financed EP Syndicated Murderers, followed by a split EP with Bodies in the Gears of the Apparatus through Relapse Records.

In 2005, Despised Icon signs a worldwide deal with Century Media and releases its second studio album, The Healing Process. The album is produced by guitarist Yannick St-Amand, mixed by Jean-François Dagenais and mastered by Alan Douches. The band tours extensively in support of the record, alongside acts including Cryptopsy, Quo Vadis, Vader, Suffocation, Aborted, Immolation and Deicide, then continues touring with Through the Eyes of the Dead, Ed Gein, Morbid Angel, Behemoth, Hatebreed, Exodus, The Black Dahlia Murder and Napalm Death.

In 2006, the debut album is re-released through Century Media. The band tours with Unearth, Job for a Cowboy and Dååth in early 2007, then releases The Ills of Modern Man through Century Media that year. That summer it tours with Job for a Cowboy, The Faceless and A Life Once Lost, then with Suicide Silence and Winds of Plague. Later touring includes The Acacia Strain, Full Blown Chaos, The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, Ligeia, Misery Index, Beneath the Massacre and Man Must Die.

Line-up changes and later releases

Bassist Sebastien Piché leaves in 2008 and is replaced by Max Lavelle, while guitarist Al Glassman also leaves later that year and is replaced by Ben Landreville. Despised Icon appears on the 2008 Summer Slaughter Tour with The Black Dahlia Murder, Vader, Cryptopsy, The Faceless, Aborted, Born of Osiris, Psycroptic and Whitechapel. The band releases its first DVD, Montreal Assault, in 2009, featuring footage from a sold-out hometown show, a documentary and its music videos.

Also in 2009, Despised Icon releases Day of Mourning on Century Media. The song “MVP” appears online before the album, and a video is made for the title track. The album reaches number 162 on the Billboard 200. The band tours with DevilDriver, Emmure, Veil of Maya, For the Fallen Dreams, Oceano, Periphery, MyChildren MyBride and Thy Will Be Done on the Thrash and Burn Tour.

Disbanding and reunion shows

In 2010, the group announces that it is disbanding and undertakes a farewell tour across several countries, including an appearance at Hevy Music Festival near Folkestone, UK. Its final six shows take place in Toronto and Montréal in December 2010, with current and earlier line-ups represented. Reunion shows are announced in 2014.

Members

Named members include Marie-Hélène Landry, Alexandre Erian, Yannick St-Amand, Sebastien Piché, Eric Jarrin, Steve Marois, Alexandre Pelletier, Al Glassman, Max Lavelle and Ben Landreville. In the final line-up, the band includes Alexandre Erian, Eric Jarrin, Ben Landreville, Max Lavelle, Steve Marois and Alexandre Pelletier.

Releases

Studio albums include Consumed by Your Poison, The Healing Process, The Ills of Modern Man and Day of Mourning. Other releases include Syndicated Murderers, the split with Bodies in the Gears of the Apparatus, the Demos 2002 & 2004 release, and the DVD Montreal Assault. Music videos are released for “The Sunset Will Never Charm Us”, “In the Arms of Perdition”, “Furtive Monologue” and “Day of Mourning”.