Rex's Rockin' Rant

IRON CLAW
Dismorphophobia (Audio Archives; CD)
     Scots Iron Claw were hard livin', hard giggin' teenage malcontents whose sound'll slice ya wide open. But don't fret none, for despite the group's handle an' graphics (maaan, dat sleeve gives me da freeze – eeegh) there ain't no tacky-ass dungeons an' doom NWOBHM latex in sight. Oh no, good ol' fashion scairy hairy hooligan rock is what the Claw were all about: dirty, low-down, sulphate 'n' acid-with-whiskey-chaser fuelled pop-rotten-blooze revved up melodiously, see. And although these recordings weren't released then (1970-'74), Dismorphophobia rectifies matters, loud.
     Iron Claw's arsenal, welded together with searing/combustible riffs, deeply felt vocals an' enough sexitude to stop a train, range from crunchy 'n' raw Sabs-like assaults ('Let It Grow', 'Claustrophobia') to boogiefied platform booted rollers ('Knock 'Em Dead', 'Real Mean Rocker', 'Spider's Web'), downward-melting-into-dark slowies coloured with mellotron ('Take Me Back') an' the kind o' killer-driller action that keeps a young head alive ('Rock Band Blues', 'Straight-Jacket'); dig too, if ya pleeze, their ultimate tour de force 'Pavement Artist', a slashing heavy rock marvel in extremis that may well wound ya physically forever. Yeah, press yer bells, polish yer boots an' get down brothers, cuz I swear this shit's beautiful.
     Anyhaze, wait awhile an' spin 'er in style as I hear it's gonna git waxed on Rockadrome soon… This time with the band's blessing.
http://www.freakemporium.com/site/release/IRCD012/releasepage.html
Rex Thompson