Review Summary: Unlikely teammates make it happen.
Every Time I Die,
Anthrax, and
Fall Out Boy are not bands you'd normally see in the same sentence. But for this one album, they are. And you know what? It's a sentence that sounds pretty damn good.
Ironiclast doesn't sound like any of the members' bands. Frankly, I'm impressed how far it diverges from all three. This is riffy blues rock done right, with pop song structures for easy sing alongs. Normally, I'd be averse to the standard verse chorus verse format, but the overall strength of the songwriting compensates for what - in other hands - would quickly devolve into repetitive monotony. The only track which falls victim to that problem is "The Blues Havin' Blues", which has a few too many choruses near the end. Themes and lyrics here are standard fare, slightly elevated of course by that Keith Buckley flare we've come to know and love.
In terms of production, I think the band got exactly what it was looking for. What jumps out at me on every run through the album are the drums. They were recorded exceptionally well, and as a result, have a consistently satisfying punch that seems to surround the rest of the mix. The guitars and bass are dialed into an equally satisfying thick crunchiness that really exemplifies the casual, bluesy feel these songs are going for. None of the instrumental performances are anything to rave about; they're perfectly solid with almost nothing in the way of frills. Nobody's every trying to steal the spotlight - egos were left at the door and servicing the songs seems to be priority #1 here - guitar solos included.
After being an ETIDiot and then listening to this album, Keith sounds like a completely different singer to me. Outside of a handful of short instances, he doesn't ever deviate from actual singing. No screams, yells... no hardcore. Despite that, he's still able to showcase a great deal of range. On several occasions, he seamlessly transitions from suggestive and sleazy to soaring highs in the space of a few seconds. And other than a few ETID tracks like "INRIhab" and "Revival Mode", we don't get to see this bluesy, soulful side of Keith shine through; it's almost sad to realize it's been there the entire time without being put to use. "Graverobber" is a particularly good example of this facet of his performance.
This is the sort of result you hope for in the realm of supergroups and high profile side projects: A bunch of accomplished guys getting together without stepping on each other's toes. When it works, what you end up with is an album that sounds fun, relaxed, and just makes you feel good. Nothing's better than a bunch of friends just jamming together, and that's what you get here.
