Posted on: May 17, 2010 Posted by: Aaron_George Comments: 0

Iron Age – Constant Struggle / 2006 Youngblood Records / 10 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/youngbloodrecords / Reviewed 01 April 2006

It was not an accident that Iron Age makes their actual CD for Constant Struggle” look like an eighties CD. The style put forth on tracks like “We’re Dust / The Violator” looks back to bands like Megadeth and their ilk for influence. Still, the production values of “Constant Struggle”, as well as the vitality that resides in each guitar lick on the CD, makes the band unmistakably in the current moment. “Return To The Void” is a shouted-out track that is fairly skimpy on the actual instrumentation during the track. This allows the vocals to shine brighter than they would normally.

This is not to say that the band is short-shrifting their listeners, but using a different instrumental style than is usually present on these types of album. In fact, there is an inspired guitar line that works through this track at all of the opportune times, regardless of whenever the vocals occur. The normal, guitar-heavy sound of the past is restored for “Fear Itself”. Jason’s vocals work well with the double-guitar attack of Steve and Wade; the drums and bass do not get relegated to the open corners of the disc. Each track is an experiment in how the band can push forth the fullest-sounding track. While songs like “Return To The Void” might have some of the members hold back, the results are nevertheless successful. By the time individuals have listened through “Constant Struggle” a few times, what will become evident is that Iron Age is one of an extreme few bands that are creating something important in hardcore music in the current day.

One of these other bands has to be Righteous Jams, another that could be categorized in the same way would have to be Discipline. The cohesion enjoyed by the tracks on “Constant Struggle” is nothing less than amazing; even the most novice listener would be able to tell that “Evil Ways” was done by the same band that did “Return To The Void”. Iron Age recreates the styles of the eighties while marrying these styles to a current sound. The result is that “Constant Struggle” is an album that individuals can easily sink their teeth into. Give this disc a go or try to figure out when Iron Age is playing a place near year; chances are near perfect that listeners will not be disappointed if they give the band a choice.

Top Tracks: Evil Ways, Return To The Void

Rating: 7.0/10

[JMcQ]

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