Review Summary: This sheep is keeping it real; for better or for worse.
Iron Lamb. Even the band name sounds a tad cliché but sometimes that’s not an entirely bad thing. It holds a group back, for sure, preventing them from progressing into the realms of something which influences others rather than just baring an influence themselves. But it can also provide a sturdy foundation for a solid, enjoyable, if wholly uncompelling genre exercise. That’s what
The Original Sin represents, in a simple, stunted sound bite.
Iron Lamb’s debut essentially plays out one trick and does it well enough to satisfy. Its hard punk rock that often branches out from the genre’s stripped-back ethos via hard rock solos that divert the listener away from the simple, downtuned chords for a few moments. It’s not ground-breaking or revolutionary in the slightest, but it’s exciting enough in a simple and refreshing way when it fires as full-throttle as it does on opening cut, ‘Rotten Wood’, and at 32 minutes long,
Original Sin is just short of the length where it’s rawness would otherwise become tedious.
‘Rotten Wood’ and the similarly effective ‘Suicide!’ serve as both highlights of Iron Lamb’s approach and demonstrations of its limits. They are balls-to-the-walls, straight ahead punk rockers, but are unimpressive lyrically – as though the group was influenced by the style of punk rather than its (sometimes) deeper intent. In simple terms, ‘Rotten Wood’s lamentation of mainstream ideals and “fashions” comes off as punk posturing, as does the clichéd titular subject adherence of ‘Suicide!’
But spinning
The Original Sin whilst looking for well-expressed, relevant political commentary or deep, meaningful emotional examination is missing the point, and subsequently, blocks the listener from the fun on offer. There’s not much depth or need to pay close attention to what’s going on – rather a wiser move to just enjoy the thrashing drums, jagged guitars chords, rumbling bass and barroom vocals for what they are – elements making up Iron Lamb’s simple and simply effective punk rock noise. It won’t awe but given the right audience,
The Original Sin will satisfy throughout its brisk 32 minute bare punk wave of hard rock ‘n’ roll.
Track Recs: ‘Rotten Wood’, ‘Poison’, ‘Suicide!’, ‘I Don’t Like You’.
