Album Review: Ironrat - Beneath It All
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
Ahh, the joy of discovering new bands and new music is one of life’s many pleasures and why I enjoy reviewing albums as much as I do, but when you see a newly released single from a band whose one and only album came out ten years ago, then the excitement levels tend to go up a few notches.
With their first single, the immensely catchy “Lost” released in December 2024, Ironrat signalled their return to the doom metal scene and after almost a decade away, are back with their latest album “Beneath It All”, and it’s sounds like a doorman who has roughed you up and then thrown you outside onto a cold, wet floor, but in the most delightful of ways.
With original vocalist Chris stepping down due to health issues, the foursome dusted themselves off, got back on the horse, and recorded some pretty decent music. It begins with “Liar”, which has a fuzzy, piercing riff to start off with, before the pulsating drumbeat of Gordon Wilkinson bursts through and drags the song forward. I really like the melody, and it instantly gets my head moving with Martin Wiseman and Wayne Hustler on guitars working well in tandem, and that slower edge giving depth to the song.
It makes way for another riff dominated opening on “Tip of My Tongue” and you can hear that bass lick from Stuart Hillman, loud and clear, to give rhythm to the song. It’s a heavy, potent sound that they’ve developed, with the vocals from Wiseman being clear and crisp in their delivery. The middle section of the song baffled me a little bit, but it explodes back into life with more crunchy play.
The aforementioned “Lost” is up next and this will get you off your seat, as it has that mix of sludge and doom with a soupçon of grunge emotion. With the bass again coming through, it sounds slightly slower, yet more crushing in the delivery. I’m enjoying the variety of tempos in the songs, as it adds something different, before they remind you of their immense ferocity. With a military type drum sound introducing “Burn”, you can sense that this is going to be a slow burner, and at just over eight minutes, it’s a bit of a mammoth song, full of emotion and many twists and turns in the composition.
You’ll need something more raucous after that, and it’s exactly what you get with the fiery and feisty “Wasted” which rips along at a brisk pace, adding real energy to the album. That riff around the 2-minute mark is exactly what’s needed, and this will get heads banging when it’s played live to audiences. A slower, melodic section gets introduced next with a soothing bass line to change the dynamic once more, before the snap returns.
Final track “Obscene” sees them continue in the same realm, with a crushing rhythm all set on pummelling you into submission. It’s got a vibrancy and intensity that people will enjoy but has plenty of dramatic affect to aid the overall crushing sound that is on display. It creates tension and is another example of how a seven-minute song can be long and winding without being dull and boring. It’s a blistering return to the scene for Ironrat and well worth waiting for.
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