Tony Foresta and company are back at it with IRON REAGAN’s The Tyranny of Will, out now via Relapse Records. The boys from Richmond have been very busy this year as this is their third release following the Spoiled Identity EP and a split with EXHUMED. I can’t really say that this is a more mature direction because the antics are still there, but this offering boasts some longer running times than usual. Anyone who has read any of my reviews will already know that I am a fan of shorter songs so this was definitely a fun one to review.
The disc opens with the title track which is a perfect mash up of punk and hardcore with a rocking solo followed by the thrasher “I Won’t Go” where the riffs and bass guitar stand out pleasantly. There are twenty-four tracks so I will really just get down to the bulk of things. A more straight forward punk jam is found on “Eyeball Gore” with “Close to Toast” being a fucking party in itself with more solo action. I really like the way Ryan Parrish incorporates blast beats on “Bet on Black” which isn’t the only one. “Miserable Failure” is a very memorable tune that I’m sure many will be able to relate to.
I caught a good laugh when I heard the intro to “The Living Skull” talking about, “No one made me mad I was just having a good time.” Sounds like a situation I’ve been in. The politically driven “In Greed We Trust” is catchy and fast-paced as well as the short-lived “Glocking Out”. I love the titles these guys come up with like “Rat Shit”, it has a sick old school thrash vibe to it and it feels like “U Lock the Bike Cop” picks up perfectly from where the former left off with some of the best harmonized leads on the whole record. Ever since I was young I’ve had this weird fascination with the sound of breaking glass such as heard on “Broken Bottles” which is about pouring out vodka.
The second half starts out furiously and keeps the pace up starting with “Bleeding Frenzy” and “Bored to Death” having some serious riffs and fast punk attitude. The old school DARKEST HOUR influence can be heard on “Class Holes” and “Obsolete Man” as well as plenty of gang vocals. “Nameless” begins with a line that I’ve actually said myself about how a live concert is just as intoxicating as drinking or anything else that gets you high which is totally awesome and true. CANNABIS CORPSE axe man Phil Hall finally gets to throw down some of those tasty death riffs on “Exit the Game”.
“Your Kids an Asshole” was also included on the Spoiled Identity EP but here they added a short clip of a guy named Mark talking which is eight seconds of hilarity. The following “Patriotic Shock” is another quick, punchy punk attack that flows directly into “Bill of Fights” that has a killer bass groove throughout and some catchy vocal lines. “Consensual Harassment” is a more straight up metal jam continued by “Just Say Go” which is the last fun time song on this LP. “Four More Years” clocks in at just over four minutes being the longest track; this one has a slower pace but still maintains some nasty grooves and soloing. It was good to hear a more solidified ending.
I highly recommend this release if you are a fan of any of these guys’ other projects as IRON REAGAN complements them all very well but stands very strong as its own entity. At just over thirty minutes it’s a very fun and easy listen. Pick up your copy now!
STANDOUT TRACKS: “I Won’t Go”, “Close to Toast”, “Miserable Failure”, “Broken Bottles”, “Obsolete Man”
RATING: 8.5/10
WRITTEN BY JOR-EL
