Like the title of their first album Icarus Witch continues to ‘capture the magic’ on their second outing “Songs for the Lost”. Icarus plays their metal in the vein of true classic heavy metal from its golden era the 1980’s. So what exactly is this magic that I am speaking of? While so many bands today are doing the same thing they also sound like they never left the 80’s and their music is very dated. Icarus Witch is producing excellent music influenced by this era but it does not exactly sound like it is being released in that decade making it sound like it is part of today.

The album starts off firing on all cylinders with “Out For Blood”, a classic headbanger. Listening to this song I can imagine the band playing out doors somewhere in Germany while an excited true metal crowd has their hands in the air chanting the chorus. “Nature Of The Beast” is a very fitting title for the fourth track with its strong Iron Maiden influence. This song would not sound out of place on an album like Maiden’s “Powerslave”.

“House of Usher” is probably my favorite track on the album. Vocalist Matthew Bizilla reminds me very much of Helloween’s Andi Deris with his vocal delivery in this song. The song itself sounds a bit like what Helloween was doing during their Better Than Raw era and reminds me of the track “Don’t Spit On My Mind”. “Smoke and Mirrors” is an excellent way to close this album which overall featured a much darker tone than the first outing. Listening to this song I can picture sitting alone in a room on an autumn evening in a deserted house staring out in the distance at wind blown trees with a misty fog in the air. You got to love any song that can paint such an image in your head when listening to it.

Much like their first album Icarus Witch have once again done a killer cover featuring a heavy metal legend. “Capture the Magic” featured an amazing version of Ozzy Osbourne classic “S.A.T.O.” giving the spotlight to George Lynch from Dokken on guest guitars. This time around the band does a haunting take of Def Leppard’s “Mirror Mirror” from the often over looked “High’ N’ Dry” album. What is so special about this track is that Joe Lynn Turner from Rainbow, Deep Purple, and Yngwie Malmsteen fame handles lead vocal duties. Turner just sounds fantastic as his voice is in top form. If only Def Leppard would take note and start making music in this vein again instead of the nonsense they’ve been giving us for the past decade. Can’t wait to hear what classic song featuring a heavy metal legend Icarus Witch comes up with next. I would love to hear them do something from Mercyful Fate or Savatage.

Overall to sum up my feelings of this band they are great. So many bands strive to get this sound and so many fail along the way. Icarus Witch have rose above the legions and can even be looked at as the leaders of the pack. How can you classify this band? It’s tough. They are not a Power Metal band or just an 80’s metal throw back. I wouldn’t really place a label on them but say that they play a style of darker AOR mixed with European styled classic Heavy Metal and some how through it all remain current. I can see this band continuing to grow as time goes on and having a heavy strong fan base around the world. The band has cast their spell on me and I am truly walking away a fan that is looking forward to more.