Release
date: October 20th 2017. Label: Relapse Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
09-13
- Tracklisting
1.Crown
of Electrodes 04:21
2.OmegaMangler
04:48
3.9-13
05:36
4.Toadcrucifier
- R.I.P.PER 05:31
5.Destroyer
04:16
6.Mortarhex
03:30
7.The
Rope 04:46
8.Doomsday
Impulse Multiplier 05:10
9.Moreland
St. Hammervortex 09:46
Members
Jim
Rushby - Guitars, Vocals
Steve
Watson - Bass
Brigga -
Drums
Review
As
band returns go, the news that Iron Monkey were returning after
eighteen years was extremely unexpected and the reactions mixed with
some bemoaning the fact they had returned while others rejoiced at
the news but listen to their new album 9-13 and you will see that
they are just continuing where they left off and completing some
unfinished business, which is fair enough given how the band ended.
Now
consisting of a trio featuring original members, vocalist and
guitarist Jim Rushby and bassist Steve Watson who are joined on drums
by Chaos UK/FUK man Brigga, the three piece simply annihilate with
this new material. 9-13 sounds as vital and angry as you'd expect and
the riffs and grooves that threaten to kick in your speakers are
immense.
It's
to his credit that vocalist Rushby does his own thing and delivers a
storming performance while he doesn't try to ape Johnny Morrow (the
bands original vocalist who sadly passed away in 2002) and why should
he even try, this is the new Iron Monkey and they sound just as
pissed off on 9-13 as they did back in the 1990s and the albums
raging sound pays tribute to Morrow perfectly.
9-13
kicks off impeccably with the furious hardcore sounding Crown Of
Electrodes and the rest of the album that follows is just as good as
that initial detonation of noise. Omegamangler follows and it is like
the band have never been away with its massive sounding wall of riff
led noise and this continues with the albums title track. That song
that starts with that familiar Iron Monkey feedback and another
lurching and extremely heavy groove while Toadcrucifier - R.I.P.Per
is a giant ball of focused rage.
Other
tracks on the album like the rabid Destroyer, the furious blast of
Mortarhex and the rabid lurch of The Rope sound as unhinged as you
would want and as 9-13 concludes with the majestic nihilism of
Doomsday Impulse Multiplier and the feedback laden closing track
Moreland St.Hammervortex, it feels great to have Iron Monkey back
doing what they do best.
There
is a big hardcore punk influence on 9-13 and that merges in well with
the bands sound and although the sludge elements are obviously there
in the bands sound, there is a rawer and more precise vibe going that
sounds immense.
When
Iron Monkey announced their return, the sound of the online community
moaning that it wouldn't be as good as before was as boring as it was
predictable and started up straight away after the announcement was
made much to the delight of the band . As Iron Monkey were always a
band who didn't give a fuck what anybody thought and just got on with
their misanthropic and brilliant noise and that is exactly what they
do with 9-13.
This
is an album to be played loud with a complete disregard to anything
else and its great to have the band back, hopefully the next album
won't take as long to come this time around.
Words
by Gavin Brown
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