IRONSTONE – “Prophecy” (EP) Album Review

ALBUM SUMMARY

REVIEW

Among the chaos and heartbreak this year, 2020 may also be a coming out of sorts for IRONSTONE. This Australian progressive metal band have seen a number of lineup changes in their short history, primarily at vocalist, but may have found the right combination with the addition of Dan Charlton just in time for their debut EP. At 6 tracks, Prophecy is a hardy record that strives to keep out any filler during it’s 26 minute run-time.

The EP opens with “Downpour”, who’s middle-eastern vibes and strong vocals are similar to American alt-metal band RA. Within the first few seconds it’s clear that the production quality has a very mature sound, which is especially surprising for the debut of a young band. IRONSTONE has a very modern progressive, metalcore sound in this simple, but well-executed, track. The performances are very solid all around (and man, what a solo). The only noticeable weakness comes from the screams during “here comes the downpour” in the chorus. While the clean vocals of Charlton are very solid and always on key, his screams are a little jarring and distract from the otherwise strong opening track.

IRONSTONE continues to balance the line of melody and aggression on “Bound”. For a young band to navigate that tight-rope so well is impressive. Finding this balance is where many young bands falter but IRONSTONE generally succeeds on Prophecy. “Bound” weaves chugging triplets, brought out nicely from the punchy production, melody and synth into a track more unique and impressive than the opener. “Bound” sounds like the love-child of mid-era BRING ME THE HORIZON and DREAM THEATER.

The third track, “Better Unseen” is my personal favorite on the record. It is the heaviest track on the EP but continues to balance melody in the chorus sections. There are more BRING ME THE HORIZON vibes here including low growls and electronica effects. The song also plays around with rhythms and tempos showcasing an impressive song arrangement.

The second half of the EP is only slightly less consistent. “Killed a Man” is tongue-in-cheek with its lyrics, but enjoyable enough instrumentally to avoid skip territory. “Hollow” has a great opening riff and a compelling time signature section midway through the song. It also really lets the clean vocals shine in the chorus. The closer “Origin” is the other standout track on Prophecy. It is probably the best example of IRONSTONE finding a balance between aggression and melody. The track also has a lot of emotional weight and I guarantee the chorus will get stuck in your head.

You won’t find anything totally new or groundbreaking in IRONSTONE’s debut but what you do find is 6 well-executed tracks from a hungry new metal band. If they can shore up the guttural screams and continue to stretch their song-writing chops, IRONSTONE will be a band to look out for this decade. With a lot of promise and a little more time to marinate, IRONSTONE has all the pieces to be the next NOTHING MORE…or simply the next IRONSTONE.