Maintaining consistency over the span of four
full-lengths
and almost as many EP’s is a task that most bands can’t even dream of
achieving. Iron Man is not only one of the select few who have managed
this
feat, but they have arguably done so while improving with age. Over the
years,
Iron Man linchpin Al Morris III and his revolving cast of supporters
have
continued to release some of the heaviest, up-tempo, doom metal around.
The release
of the band’s third EP, ‘Att hålla dig over’, has proven two things: Al
Morris
III is a never-ending chasm of massive, doomed-out riffage, and the
band’s
seemingly current stable lineup is capable of surpassing the heft and
groove of
previous releases.
The one-two punch combination of “Quicksand” and
“Crucified”—two
of the strongest tracks ever recorded by the band—are propelled by a
group in
unison. Not to take away from Al, but the band is now a culmination of
all the
players and not simply based around gargantuan riffs. Of note is the
bass
playing of Louis Strachan who helped bring the ‘I Have Returned’ album
to the
next level, but who is now further brought to prominence by the
production of “Att
hålla dig over”. The songs simply have a depth that was unattainable
with former
incarnations of the band. If you’re ever in need for a soundtrack for
vengeance
you could do much worse than the EP’s first single, “Quicksand”, a tune
that
vocalist “Screaming Mad” Dee has explained, “If you’re mortally wounded,
you
have two choices: you can either die quietly and alone, or you can reach
out
and grab the people who did it to you and make damn sure you drag them
down
with you. This song is about the second choice in that analogy.” Dee
Calhoun is
without a doubt Iron Man’s most powerful and versatile vocalist and it’s
both
humbling and near quake-inducing when he belts out, “Are you scared of
what has
come for you/To call to task atrocities come true/At the end—each take
my
hand/And come with me down to the sand”.
Tracking wise ‘Att hålla
dig over’ is quite similar to 2011’s ‘Dominance’ EP. Both EP’s begin
with two
standout Iron Man tunes and are followed by acoustic numbers. Whereas
the
‘Dominance’ EP showcases a haunting instrumental interlude in the form
of
“Eternal Sleep”, ‘Att hålla dig over’ utilizes acoustic guitar,
harmonica, and
vocals for “Suffer the Children”, a tune that really reveals another
side of
the band by showcasing a gentler vocal delivery of Dee and some really
deft
guitar playing on behalf of Al. The main divergence with ‘Att hålla dig
over’
is that the band has used the opportunity to re-record an Iron Man
classic, “On
the Mountain”, for the fourth track. ‘The Passage’ and ‘Generation Void’
of the
Michalak era are stone cold classics, so the re-recording of “On the
Mountain”
is a bit superfluous, though it is interesting to see how a current
lineup can
interpret material from the past. While the bassline stands out and the
drums
have a pop that is absent on the original courtesy of new drummer, Jason
"Mot" Waldmann, the track from ‘Generation Void’ is still the
definitive version.
While ‘Dominance’ may
have a slight edge over ‘Att hålla dig over’, it is still as consistent
and
heavy as any other release in the band’s catalogue. Hopefully ‘Att hålla
dig over’
can indeed hold fans over until the band can record their next
full-length
album. Based on the latest efforts and the strength of this current
lineup
expectations will be high. Order ‘Att hålla dig over’ straight from the
band.
Words: Steve Miller
Iron Man has been my favorite band for YEARS! Cant wait to pick up this new slab of DOOOOM! ALL HAILZ THE MIGHT IRON MAN!!!!
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