Iron Monkey

Album review

Originally recorded on eight track in 1996 and eventually released on metal behemoth Earache in late 1997, Iron Monkey's first effort is a raw, ballistic affair with disturbing and disjointed subject matter and driving, sludgy, punishing riffs. Very reminiscent of Eyehategod and Sleep, Iron Monkey's Black Sabbath-influenced riffing drones and paralyzes, the low quality of the recording failing to inhibit the power of the tightly performed and constructed songs. One aggravating aspect of the low recording quality, however, is the weird sound of the vocals. Already unintelligible, the screamed vocals sound almost as if they were run through a phaser or flanger, and tend to distract quite a bit from the power of the music. The cover art reflects the lyrical content of the record, which must be something pretty close to what automatic writing penned by serial killers and chronic drug addicts would read like. A cut and paste collage of images of mutilation, imprisonment, drugs, and violence, and a handy-dandy personality guide lifted from the "Serial Killer" issue of the misanthropic Answer Me! magazine, reflect the nonsensical but disturbing notions presented within. The point is that this is intended to be a tense listen; the grating vocals act like fingers on a chalkboard while you're fed images of social decay like Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange. Similar imagery and disjointed lyrics can be found on Eyehategod and Grief albums, and the vocal style of those bands is equally unintelligible. For fans of this crust-meets-doom metal approach, this is a great record in spite, and maybe even because, of its shortcomings in professional production.

© Paul Kott /TiVo