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IRON SLAUGHT “Metallic Torments”
IRON SLAUGHT “Metallic Torments”
By Dr. Abner Mality
Esteemed Worm-brother Mercyful Mike passed word to me that this French band was nothing to get too excited about. Sorry, Brother Mike, but got to disagree. IRON SLAUGHT is a band that takes classic 80’s heavy metal and lights a firecracker under its ass and while “Metallic Torments” probably won’t make my Top 10 list this year, it’s a load of fun to listen to if a hearty stew of traditional metal, early speed metal and Euro-thrash sounds like it might be up your alley.
I don’t know how these dudes missed being on the Dying Victims label, because they tick every box for that kind of vintage steel. “Metallic Torments” is heavy on speed and power without abandoning the gallop of melody of bands like SAVAGE GRACE, SORTILEGE and even LIEGE LORD. The intro “Harbinger of Afflictions” is no boring synth or piano waste of time, but a killer instrumental starting with twin guitar harmony and working up to a speed metal attack. Already I like the riffs and production IRON SLAUGHT has conjured up. As good as that song is, the first real tune “Ghastly Obsession” dials things up further with furious, classy thrash. Vocalist and lead guitarist Iron Jeremy has a cool mixture of raw gruffness and more traditional melodic cleans that is hard to compare to anybody else. He also slings a mean axe and this record is full of great solos that again remind me of LIEGE LORD and RUNNING WILD.
“The Executioner” is even better and piles on great riffs and excellent transitions with gusto. I also love the thick bass sound of Nikrass, who adds a lot of cool fills to the songs. “Soldier of Fortune” features Jeremy’s more traditional vocals, which are not as unique as his gruff ones but more than serviceable. No drummer is listed for the band, which means what we hear on “Metallic Torments” must be a machine. If so, it’s brilliantly programmed because it sounds just as warm and human as the other instruments.
The album does slow noticeably for the ballad “Charme Funeste” which is sung entirely in French…the low point of the album and yet it’s still not that bad. The record ends with a blistering one-two punch of “Primal Conquest” and the epic “Fatal Retaliations”. I admit I prefer the first half of the album, but the second half can’t really be called disappointing.
Although the band name is goofy and I suspect the lyrics are ridiculous, I had plenty of fun with IRON SLAUGHT and “Metallic Torments”!
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