Even as a statuette the idea of an iron-ized Ronald Reagan is fucking terrifying. Lewis Black was one who shared similar sentiments when he (jokingly) suggested America freak out other countries by voting for someone who is dead. And that dead person was the Alzheimer’s champ, former President Reagan. And while Reagan may be dead, super group Iron Reagan is very much reigning.

Those that somehow missed last year's blessed Worse Than Dead debut on A389 Records have some catching up to do. Iron Reagan is a cross over thrash/hardcore-punk band featuring vocalist Tony Foresta (Municipal Waste, No Friends), drummer Ryan Parrish (ex-Darkest Hour), Landphil Hall (Cannabis Corpse and Municipal Waste) and Mark Bronzino (ANS) on guitars, and Rob Skotis (Hellbear) on bass. It's a who's who of metal and hardcore thrown into a blender. Their second album The Tyranny of Will is a continuation of ragers and bangers that you've come to expect.

Production on The Tyranny of Will has gotten a lot tighter in the short span of a year. Though Iron Reagan has moved on to Relapse Records, their approach hasn't changed a bit. Songs come in short spurts, shredding and thrashing monstrously. Songs are thoroughly soaked in whiskey and the whole package might just be enough to make you break out in a sweat there's so much rage packed into each punch.

Songs are more distinguishable this time around too. Worse Than Dead was a great album but it wasn't without a blender effect. The album moved so fast that it was almost stumbling over itself. The Tyranny of Will his just the right marks with its balancing act of hardcore-punk and thrash metal. Pieces like the four minute finale “Four More Years” doesn't go out at lightning speed, instead slowing down for an anthem chant of “Four more years! Four more years!” sending the album out much the way it came in. Frothing but groovy.

Other tracks like “You're Kid's an Asshole” or “Glocking Out” are straight-up get-to-the-point tracks that flash by. Yet other tracks like “Miserable Failure” or “I Won't Go” are the perfect balancing, showcasing Iron Reagan in its finest hours. Flailing shredding with and storming energy that practically summon circle pits upon command.

Overall, The Tyranny of Will is a more distinguished album and an absolute blast to listen to. It kills on every level and leaves no room for boredom. Not once. There's tongue-in-cheek humor galore and plenty of social commentary in the lyrics. What's more, I can't find a single thing wrong with this album. Iron Reagan plays some of the best cross-over music you're likely to ever hear. It doesn't even manage to hit a generic note. Much like All Pigs Must Die are the modern d-beat kings, Iron Reagan are the hardcore-punk/thrash blast from the past that the scene needs; absolutely one of the best bands today. And The Tyranny of Will is one of the best albums you'll hear this year in metal, hardcore-punk or any other genre.

Christopher Luedtke

Band info: www.facebook.com/IRONREAGAN
Label info: www.relapse.com

Chris is a film reviewer for Examiner.com (good luck finding his work there) and journalist for Metal Injection (better luck finding his work there). In his spare time he video blogs and promises a second installment of the Guilty Gear Retrospective on YouTube under theOfficialChris. He also writes novels, applies for jobs, attempts to write music, eats cheap food, drinks lots of coffee, enjoys opera, worships grind, and works. He can be found posting songs and bitching about the awful V/H/S film franchise on Twitter: @CoffeeCupReview.

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Black metal is the new black. And while the scene doesn’t struggle with an overt fashion crisis, at least not currently, it’s certainly the new cool. The genre has always been great but nowadays it seems bands lean more towards Deafheaven or Darkthrone. A broad generality, but not wholly inaccurate. Then there are bands like Mutilation Rites. Bands that have a way of hitting the pure switch on genres and making it work.

Mutilation Rites is a four piece hailing out of Brooklyn, New York playing a fusion of black/thrash/doom metal. The four-piece released their first demo in 2010 and haven’t let up for much since. Their first full length Empyrean portrayed a heavy Darkthrone influence while also breaking things down into bouts of drone. The album was solid but sometimes felt a bit stretched. Their latest offering Harbinger expands on their capabilities and showcases a more perfected craft.

Harbinger is thrashy, thrashy like the last Nocturnal Graves record. From the opening chords of “Black Pyramids” Mutilation Rites bring the rage back as though a sharper blade has cut into these songs. The crunch and smash is more honed. The stomp-march tempo that black metal has perfected is brought in spades. Ex-Tombs drummer Justin Ennis shines brightly throughout as the band charges full force. “Tactical Means of Ouroboros”, perhaps the album’s strongest song, thrashes and blasts away; one of the most energetic and destructive pieces on the album and possibly one of the best songs the band will ever write. It’s filthy and frothing.

While the drone/shoegaze is still present it has also vastly improved. Melodic sections take on an eerie tone and don’t feel like they’re stretching Harbinger for a run time. “Exhaling or Breathing” brings out seething melancholy tone that sounds like something Deathspell Omega might have penned (without the neck-breaking time signature changes). The piece crawls along while still managing to sound creepy.

What makes Mutilation Rites a stand-out amongst a black sea of black metal is that their approach works. The way the band brings in other genres to their black metal template shows just how great their songwriting is. “Gravitational Collapse”, for example, melds genre after genre without sounding like it’s trying to over achieve. It thrashes as much as it pummels forth while still tossing in some d-beat/crust influence towards the end. Pieces like “Suffer the Children” and “Contaminate” sound like the band was sampling heavily from the Disfear catalog.

Harbinger is the follow up that Empyrean deserves. Fear of a cluttered, muddled album was valid with the way Mutliation Rites carried themselves, but they’ve come out of this one standing far and above. We could’ve gotten a piece that was riddled with good intent and instead we got a vicious killer. Riffs are tighter, melodic sections are both more harrowing and glorious, and George Paul’s vocals have never sounded so pissed and sinister. Mutilation Rites continue to be more Darkthrone and Nocturnal Graves than Deafheaven but would hold their own with any black metal band. Harbinger is loud, sharp and a great slice of truculent black metal.

Christopher Luedtke

Band info: www.facebook.com/mutilationritesnyc
Label info: www.prostheticrecords.com

Chris is a film reviewer for Examiner.com (good luck finding his work there) and journalist for Metal Injection (better luck finding his work there). In his spare time he video blogs and promises a second installment of the Guilty Gear Retrospective on YouTube under theOfficialChris. He also writes novels, applies for jobs, attempts to write music, eats cheap food, drinks lots of coffee, enjoys opera, worships grind, and works. He can be found posting songs and bitching about the awful V/H/S film franchise on Twitter: @CoffeeCupReview.

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All Hail the Void was a promising release for Enabler in 2012. The Milwaukee, WI (now Ohio, in general, no specific city listed) band sought a name for themselves by fusing elements of metallic hardcore with groove-laden rock and roll. The album was a solid release that showcased excellent riffage, badass drumming and solid structure. Two years later, enter their latest full length La Fin Absolue Du Monde. Translated: the absolute end of the world.

When I think in apocalyptic visions, Enabler's latest offer isn't quite something I have in mind. Calvaiire's “Meurtrières” is a song that always sounded more like a world collapse. Though “Prey” gives it a run for its money. Anyway, La Fin Absolue Du Monde is an album that sticks with its sound and solidifies the grounds that the band built themselves upon.

La Fin Absolue Du Monde sounds more focused than All Hail the Void. Just about every aspect of the band has significantly improved. Jeffrey Lohrber's guitar riffage is absolutely haywire. Tracks like “Balance of Terror” and “Neglect” are chock full of hooks and groove through the speakers. Other pieces like “World Sterilization” - bringing the heavy with crunchy, rough riffs, and the aforementioned “Prey” are faster pieces that blast with vitriol. Songs are consistently interesting and seldom feel like they're taking up too much time or falling flat.

What I find most strange with this album is how incredibly easy it is to digest, and perhaps that's what didn't sit too well with me at first. I'll admit, when I first listened to this, I was not a huge fan. However, the more I listened to it, the more it began to sink in. I can see why someone would be put off by the approach but I can also see why someone would dig it. La Fin Absolue Du Monde has an exceptional rock and roll angle to it but it services the album very well in the end. To those who might have a difficult time getting into that, I say stick with it. The more I listened to this, the more it picked up steam.

Overall, the new Enabler is a good album but it's not the end of the world, despite its title. I don't know how many more spins I'll give it before the year is out but it has some great song writing and some amazing riffage/drumming. Enabler manages to be one of the more stand out metallic/hardcore bands out there though I'd say their best is yet to come. If you like bands like Tragedy or From Ashes Rise and wish they had a larger rock and roll edge to them, then La Fin Absolue Du Monde is going to be right up your alley.

Christopher Luedtke

Band info: www.facebook.com/enablerband
Label info: www.thecompoundrecs.com

Chris is a film reviewer for Examiner.com (good luck finding his work there) and journalist for Metal Injection (better luck finding his work there). In his spare time he video blogs and promises a second installment of the Guilty Gear Retrospective on YouTube under theOfficialChris. He also writes novels, applies for jobs, attempts to write music, eats cheap food, drinks lots of coffee, enjoys opera, worships grind, and works. He can be found posting songs and bitching about the awful V/H/S film franchise on Twitter: @CoffeeCupReview.

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