Album title: Crossover Ministry
Artist: Iron Reagan
Genre: Crossover Thrash Metal
Nationality: American
Release date: February 3
Position in Discography: Third
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A very little
Average RYM Score: 3.07
Ah, you've got to admire the humour in the band name! Superb. After listening to soft rock and bleeding popera this is going to be a welcome change hopefully. Eighteen tracks and coming in at a total of less than half an hour! I'm glad to hear I can make out the vocals, as I thought they might belong more on Sesame Street than here, if you know what I mean, but while they're aggressive and shouty, they're perfectly listenable. The songs are all very very short – there's only one that's over three minutes, and many don't even make the one minute mark (“Parents of Tomorrow” clocks in at a hefty FIVE SECONDS, while “No Sell” is double that, at an epic twelve!) – so it's hard to assess them, but overall it seems to be a lot of fun and some very good shredding, even if it doesn't last. The longest (!) track, “Dead With My Friends”, coming in at a mind-stretching three and a half minutes, starts off very dark and atmospheric, then takes off into headbanging Heaven. This is great.
“**** the Neighbors” is the kind of anthem Metal has been waiting for! Play this one seriously LOUD at 4 AM! The best way I can describe these guys is a bargain basement Slayer but with tons of humour. Nowhere hear as good, admittedly, as Tom and the lads, but **** are they fun! Look, this is not going to win any Grammys but for headbanging mayhem it's a whole pile of fun! Brain optional, huge speakers mandatory!
Check out more from this artist? Oh **** yes!
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes
Expectation Index: 0