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! ! ! ! !
Artist......: Iron Curtain
Album.......: Guilty as Charged
Year........: 2020
Genre.......: Heavy Metal
Type........: Album
Label.......: Dying Victims Productions
Language....: English
Source......: WEB/FLAC (16bit)
Quality.....: 1045kbps / 44.1 kHz / Stereo
Tracks......: 8 tracks
Playtime....: 00:32:52
Size........: 245.4 MiB
R.Date......: 2026-10-20
S.Date......: 2020-07-24
Url.........: https://open.qobuz.com/album/o97gx8xrt5rrb
01. Into the Fire 4:09
02. Lion's Breath 3:48
03. Take It Back 3:12
04. Relentless 4:54
05. Iron Price 3:35
06. Outlaw 3:28
07. Wild & Rebel 4:07
08. Guilty as Charged 5:38
howing that Metal is truly an International genre, IRON
CURTAIN from Iberia in Spain unleash this their third
album and as the title suggests the band are "Guilty as
Charged" as they deliver a in your face, no bullshit
required Metallic rock and roll album in the vein of
MOTORHEADwith influences from Tank and perhaps a touch
of Raven. While the album itself wears its street cred
on its sleeve there is also a healthy dose of melody
thrown into the mix and while, as the bands info
suggests, these melodic tendencies are influenced by
bands such as Def Leppard or Accept I can also hear
strong Maiden and Priest references in their sound,
evident on the first song "Into the Fire". A classic
metal song in the vein of the aforementioned bands with
more than an amble touch of MOTORHEAD, it does not waste
time with a long intro, going instead straight into a
forward driving, galloping riff, undermined by a strong
double bass groove that moves the song swiftly forward.
Garnered with cool gang shouts in the chorus, the vocals
demonstrate a good range that is at once powerful yet
gritty.
Introduced by a sample of a Lion roaring in the jungle
"Lions Breath" is as the title suggests a forward
driving, mid paced song that gradually picks up speed
with some impressive guitar work that is at once melodic
but that also has a certain street vibe to it giving the
sound of the band a level of authenticity. The song
closes with the same intro of a Lion as it began, the
song signifying a sense of freedom and a love of the
open road.
"Take it back", another stomper of note, with its
straight ahead punk and rock and roll influenced Metal,
no bullshit no excuses, with a cool short breakdown
about half way through the song that leads into a short
and fast solo before reverting back into the songs
rhythm. Just before the ending of the song there is
another short break in the songs structure, the
breakdown this time reminding the listener of "Ace Of
Spades" by Lemmy and co.
"Relentless" brings to light some of those ACCEPT
influences in the guitar work and in the songs overall
rhythm and is compared to the first few songs a
relatively slower affair. A perfect example of a stadium
or arena Metal song, the track has an anthemic quality
to it and one can only imagine the crowds singing and
chanting along to the chorus, fists held high with a
beer in hand.
Although "Iron Price", is another mid paced stomper of a
track with a short and somewhat proggy break the band
try and succeed in varying the rhythm slightly
introducing subtle changes in the songs rhythmic
structure that make it interesting
"Outlaw", kind of reminds me of METALLICA due to the
singers vocal intonations that here sound similar to a
younger Mr Hetfield around their Kill Em All Era.
Interestingly MOTORHEAD themselves had a song on one of
their later albums also entitled Outlaw and just like
that track, this one gives the listener that feeling
that only Metal can give you, a feeling of feeling
powerful and free simultaneously and ready to take on
the world.
All the remainder of the songs are equally as strong as
all those gone before especially "Wild and Rebel" with
its memorable chorus and some hard pound double bass
action. Overall this is an awesome album. Does it offer
anything new or unheard of? no it does not but then
again not everything has to be the best thing since the
invention of sliced bread. What IRON CURTAIN manage here
is a well written and perfectly arranged piece of pure
Metal and Rock and Roll with a refreshing punk vibe and
it will be very interesting indeed to see where this
band go next. So put this in your stereo, crank it up to
11, give your arsehole boss the finger and in the words
of one Max Cavalera - Fuck Shit Up!!