Icons of Filth

Icons of Filth Not on Her Majesty’s Service LP reissue

In my late teen years, I had a friend who was obsessed with ICONS OF FILTH. I was relatively new to anarcho-punk at the time, so I was given digital files, mixtapes, and even loaned a 7″ for about a week. Needless to say, Not on Her Majesty’s Service became a sort of beacon, guiding my tastes to more sonic extremes. Originally a cassette release, it’s now reissued (for the second time) on vinyl with a previously unpublished photo of the band. ICONS OF FILTH were comrades of CRASS and CONFLICT, but their sound is strongly in the UK82 spectrum with noise-level guitar distortion, heavy drumming, and an unwavering hardcore ethos. Don’t expect artsy anarcho/peace punk, but rather something more like CHAOS UK or GBH.

• Reviewer Seth McBurney
• Label Radiation
• Issue MRR #476 • January 2023

Icons of Filth The Filth & the Fury EP

Three loud crashers that for the most part live up to this band’s sound but fall short due to an obviously repetitious beat and continuously distorted guitar. The echoing vocals have problems coming across clearly and seem hidden behind the wall of the music. The artwork and written material is interesting, however.

• Reviewer Martin Sprouse
• Label Mortarhate
• Issue MRR #35 • April 1986

Icons of Filth Brain Death EP

Unrelenting and hammering, these three songs combine power with an intensive mood of uptempo gloom. The title song is my fave, with its repetitive guitar refrain. Great production, and as Pus says, great cover art by Naomi.

• Reviewer Tim Yohannan
• Label Mortarhate
• Issue MRR #25 • May/June 1985

Icons of Filth Onward Christian Soldiers LP

While the ICONS aren’t as consistently dynamic as some of their peers, their debut album shows that, at their peak, they can thrash with the best of them. Incisive lyrics, mostly emphasizing the need for individual responsibility and autonomy, work particularly well on steamrollers like “Power for Power” and “Sod the Children,” and the cover art is equally impressive. Intelligent and politically astute, if a trifle inconsistent musically.

• Reviewer Steve Spinali
• Label Mortarhate
• Issue MRR #13 • April/May 1984

Icons of Filth Used, Abused, Unamused EP

Finally, some vinyl from this eclectic, powerful band. This record has superb production, a speedy full-bodied guitar sound, and distinctive songs that are worth hearing over and over. Highly recommended semi-thrash.

• Reviewer Ruth Schwartz
• Label Corpus Christi
• Issue MRR #10 • December 1983

Icons of Filth Not on Her Majesty’s Service cassette

• Reviewer Pushead
• Label Mortarhate
• Issue MRR #6 • May/June 1983

In the UK tradition of superb bands like the SUBHUMANS, ANTHRAX, and the DESTRUCTORS, the ICONS OF FILTH saturate the mold, storming forth with powerful clamorous drum blows amplified by brutal raucous vocals and outbursts of whiny guitar licks. Fast music highlighted by an artillery of anti-system lyrical content, which makes this quite an enjoyable debut.