Though Xdinary Heroes’s sound isn’t always for me, I admire their willingness to run full charge into new musical challenges. Their discography is vast and varied and almost always carries a confident energy that helps sidestep even the cringiest of sonic adventures. New single ICU is not cringy, but it’s certainly confident.
The guys rock out hard on this one. A pounding drum beat gives the track plenty of drive and makes a propulsive backdrop for shredding guitar and howling vocals. Overall, the song is more straightforward than I expected but draws power from its barreling force. The multi-pronged chorus is effective, delivering enough variety to appeal to just about anyone. As ICU speeds on, the guys pull from old rock touchstones like hair metal and glam. Side note: I need a full album of hair metal tributes from these guys. I don’t know that there’s ever been a K-band more suited to it!
In fact, ICU‘s unhinged final minute makes me want the entire song to go even bolder. Xdinary Heroes are naturally theatrical and those flourishes are the track’s most enjoyable moments. Given K-pop’s penchant for fan chants, I imagine an even stronger chorus that utilizes call-and-response to really get the audience going. Something like DAY6’s classic Deep In Love, maybe. Judging from the potential on display here, I think Xdinary Heroes are getting close to finding their own classic. I mean, just listen to that extended guitar solo!
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
