Review IRON VOID ‘IV’

Already a few days in the record stores and very relevant for fans of well-made doom metal, this is the new album from Iron Void. Some of you will surely already have the band on the metal radar screens, because after all the guys have been on their mission to bring good metal to the world since 1998.

Iron Void, that’s Jonathan Seale, Steve Wilson and Scott Naylor. This trio has delivered with ‘IV’ a milestone album that will resonate for a long time in the ears of metalheads.

Inspired by the sound of Black Sabbath, but also influenced by bands like Pentagram, the three metal experts rock through a total of eight songs and an intro.

‘Call of the Wild’ is the title of the intro which is right at the beginning of the tracklist. It is a rather quiet and melancholic piece, which leads to the first highlight. ‘Grave Dance’ is the thunderous opening song and with a galloping rhythm the track immediately casts a spell on you. Parallels to Black Sabbath can’t be ignored and yet the three have enough originality to distinguish themselves from their idols.

It continues with the slower ‘Living on the Earth’, which also reminds me of Lake Of Tears. Things get rockier with ‘Pandora’s Box’ before the heavy as lead riffs of ‘Blind Dead’ unleash their elemental force. Calmer and more atmospheric is ‘She’ before ‘Lords of the Wasteland’ bursts out of the speakers with vehemence.

Iron Void increase tempo with ‘Slave One’, perhaps the most average track on the album. Better and pushing open the gate to hell is ‘Last Rites’. At a snail’s pace and with a lot of gloomy charisma, the band ignites an ominous mood that stays with you. On the contrary, due to the addictiveness, you are almost forced to bring the needle back to the beginning in order to let the album unfold its power once again.

‘IV’ is a superb doom metal album. Trends and commercial ingratiation is what you look for in vain here. The compass for Iron Void is their own musical passion, and that is what makes this album authentic. Music is made here with a lot of heart and soul and every note breathes the history of doom metal. Outstanding.