Iron Reagen appeared to initially start out as a side project when formed by members of Municipal Waste, Darkest Hour, and Cannabis Corpse back in 2012, fast forward 5 years to 2017 and the band have now released their third album “Crossover Ministry” which contains the signature fast and furious punk thrash that fans have come to expect from a band that has become a life on it’s own.
With 18 songs on offer and with the attitude and furious style of Iron Reagan, it’s not a long album by any means clocking in at roughly 30 minutes but that half hour is fairly ferocious and straight to the point affair. While the band have that strong Municipal Waste punk/thrash sound, there’s more punk in it’s attitude and song structures than anything else and they continue that trend brilliantly on tracks such as “You Never Learn”, “Crossover Ministry”, “Power Of The Skull”, the anthemic “Dogsnotgods” and the hilarious “Fuck The Neighbors”. The thrashy elements spill into some tracks more subtle but come out more in others like “Grim Business” and “Blatant Violence”.
But the sillier side of punk rock remains the same, the short bursts of goofy single digit seconds “songs” like “Parents Of Tomorrow” merely serve as a nod to it’s punk rock roots but it’s the more serious tracks that are ultmately more effective and that’s where the band truly shine. The piano intro that leads to an almost sludgey based groove tempo in “Grim Business” is one of the highlights of the album as is “Bleed The Fifth” where speed takes a back seat and the band focus on refining something more cohesive. Frontman Tony Foresta still sounds like his lungs are about to come out to escape while guitarist “Land” Phil” sticks to thrash metal riffs built around punk rock songs, it’s the combination of the two and their signature sound in Municipal Waste that forms the basis for Iron Reagen’s more compressed and consise manner.
There won’t be anything new here that hasn’t been heard before, it’s Iron Reagen at their punk thrash best doing what they do and fans who love the band will know that. But that’s not the point of the music being displayed here, thrash and punk generally have a core element that must remain in order to stay pure and as far as what Iron Reagan do, this is as pure as it gets.
TRACKLIST
A Dying World
You Never Learn
Grim Busness
Dead With My Friends
No Sell
Condition volution
Fuck The Neighbors
Crossover Ministry
Power Of The Skull
More War
Blatant Violence
Parents Of Tomorrow
Bleed The Fifth
Megachurch
Shame Spiral
Dogsnotgods
Eat Or Be Eaten
Twist Your Fate
