Burning Rubber And Bodies...

Iron Hearse - Deal With It (2014)

Iron Hearse's new album kicks off with the quick blitz of the title track, then keeps that momentum (and some tasty film samples) going for the rest of the 30 minutes or so that make up the album. There's a good amount of garage rock atmosphere to the music, but the band has enough skills to make the lo-fi-coated music work, bringing a nice blend of desert and stoner rock to the table, giving it a coat of doom and Lovecraftian allusions, and striking a groove-friendly balance between groaning chords and fiery energy.  None of the songs drag on too long (rather, I found myself wishing they'd extend a riff stretch or tear away more on a groove several times while listening), and the album as a whole goes down a treat, hitting all the bases without any time wasted. If you're looking for some solid tunes to use as a personal soundtrack this summer, jump into some Iron Hearse and hit the road, and don't be surprised if some label picks this up for a cassette and vinyl release in the near future.  Oh, and see if you can recognize the big-chinned hero who starts off this track, "Cemetery Beast".

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of: Motorhead, Brimstone Coven, Kyuss, Wizard Smoke, Iron Butterfly

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Iron Hearse - Cemetery Beast (320 kbps)

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Drive It Like You Stole It...

Iron Hearse - Get In The Hearse (2013)

Despite being only their second full length, Iron Hearse's latest release Get in the Hearse sounds like the twelve years of experience this trio have accumulated (Iron Hearse was formed in 2001). Listening to the record you don't just hear, but you feel the synergy pouring through every heavy moment, and heavy moments there are plenty (if not only). All this heaviness doesn't manifest in any aggressiveness though, not at all, it is in fact really laid back. Where the likes of Sleep and Electric Wizard get to be stoner doom on 'roid rage, Iron Hearse maintain the same heaviness except they are lounging, beer in one hand, blunt in the other. The main reason for this difference is that Iron Hearse doesn't have an angry sounding singer, but he sounds like he's perfectly comfortable on a fine sofa. That, or my mind is just playing tricks while I'm perfectly comfortable here myself. Whatever may be true, sure thing is Iron Hearse play very heavy, doomy, and surprisingly bluesy tunes. Yes, very bluesy in fact, so bluesy I don't know whether to call it stoner riff fuelled blues rock or blues rock inspired stoner doom. Either of these may be true, but there is no point in debating, it's bluesy, it's doomy, it's good, and the only definition for it has been made by the band itself by naming a song A Slow & Heavy Ride, and for 2 and a half pounds it is a very affordable ride as well.
~ Ruben

For Fans Of; Amorphis, Baroness, ASG, Red Fang, Viking Skull

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Get In The Hearse (320kbps) • Lunar Funeral EP (320kbps) • Rocketbuilder 7" (320kbps)