Blown away by them at Download 2011, it seemed a pretty good time to get up to speed on The Damned Things’ debut, Ironiclast, and my god, what an album it is as well.
Comprising of members of Fall Out Boy, Anthrax and Everytime I Die, you would be forgiven in thinking that this side project could prove to be less than the sum of it’s parts, but on Ironiclast, over the course of 10 tracks, the assembled “supergroup” show everyone a thing or two about how to put out a quality debut record that silences any doubters.
Morphing into a band that have southern rock vibes flowing through their sound, and writing party metal anthems of the highest order in the process, they are powered by juggernaut guitars as you would expect from Joe Trohman and Scott Ian, along with the smoother croonings of Keith Buckley, obviously relishing his first real opportunity to show his chops as a clean and melodic singer, rather than utilising the guttural screams of his day job.
Ironiclast is an essential rock beast, with opener Handbook For The Recently Deceased acting as a phenomenal statement of intent with slamming and jarring guitar riffs, right out of the southern rock playbook, and a hugely melodic and impressive chorus. Throw in some nice guitarwork, solos, and a thumping drumbeat, it is clear that the energy is going to be unrelenting throughout. Bad Blood, likewise, showcases another killer hook, laced with some huge riffs, before Friday Night and We’ve Got A Situation Here take over with massive anthemic choruses, powered along by incredible musicianship. The former in particular has a hook so massive, it will soon have you singing along like it is the perfect soundtrack to a drunken . . .erm. . . Friday Night.
You would think that such a strong opening quartet of songs would see a decline in the later material as the record goes on, but that is simply not the case on Ironiclast. As the record goes on it simply keeps its collective finger on the pulse, and more anthems come thick and fast, utilising big choruses, even bigger guitar and drum work, and massive hits, especially in the form of A Great Reckoning and Little Darling, making this one of the best albums of the last few months.
Stunning stuff.
10/10
No comments:
Post a Comment