It has taken ten years for Bradford, UK's Ironrat to finally get around to releasing the follow up to their debut release "Monument" (2015), but let's not be too hard on these Yorkshiremen as Ironrat is only one of the musical projects the musicians who currently make up the band have been or are still involved with. Guitarist/vocalist Martin Wiseman has made his presence felt on the scene with Psychlona and Lazarus Blackstar, Wolves In Winter is a band you can also find guitarist Wayne Hustler's name gracing the line up of while drummer Gordon Wilkinson might be a name well recognisable to those who have ever lent an ear to Hollow Earth, as well as the aforementioned Lazarus Blackstar, which leaves bassist Stuart Hillman a man who prior to Ironrat had shared stage space with Martin Wiseman in bands going by the names Silverburn and Supercollider. Let us also remember that in those ten years Ironrat also saw the departure of two members and the recruitment of two more so given all the circumstances it comes as no real surprise that there has been a ten year gap between albums, but hey the new album, "Beneath It All" (Argonauta Records), is now amongst us and believe us when we say it has been well worth the wait.
A distorted circular guitar motif rolls out of the left hand speaker and is quickly joined by the rest of the band in ferocious and thrusting metallic stonerized groove over which vocals are delivered with clean angsty gusto, the song is called "Liar" and its a full on and furious assault on the senses that is constantly shifting its tempos and dynamics, imagine being hit by a truck then getting up only to see that truck turn and come back at you, that's what this song feels like! Next up is "Tip Of My Tongue" granted this song, with its bluesy undercurrent and languid and laid back middle-section, is not quite as ferocious as it predecessor but don't be fooled into letting your guard down this song still wields a hefty punch. For "Lost" Ironrat combine a soaring vocal melody with crunching refrains and thunderous rolling rhythms while still finding time to shoehorn in some lilting countrified harmonies and palm muted guitar chunkiness, these guys have no fear.. if they think something fits then in it goes. "Burn" is up now, here we have a song that has the feel and dynamics of a torch song, both vocally and musically, and we say has the FEEL of a torch song and not IS a torch song because whereas most songs of a torch-like nature build to an emotion drenched swirling finale this one instead goes down a dank, dark and doomic rabbit hole in its last quarter. Penultimate number "Wasted" finds Ironrat utilizing the whole stoner spectrum by blending their stoner rock with their stoner metal and liberally scattering elements of stoner blues and stoner doom over the top, a great tune! The in your face furiosity brought to bear on opening track "Liar" raises its ahead again on final track "Obscene", the song boasting great vocal melodies, low thrumming bass lines, crunching refrains, searing lead work and some really incredible drumming, its an absolute barnburner of a track that serves as a fitting close to an utterly barn burning album.
Some bands disappear for a period of time and when they finally return with new material are not quite the force they once were, there are also bands that can come back from a long hiatus and pick up right where they left off, there are also those rare bands that come back from a long break stronger, more determined and sounding better than they have in years and Ironrat, with "Beneath It All", have more than proved themselves worthy of their place in the latter of those categories.
Check 'em out ......
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