I reviewed Iron Bastards’ Boogie Woogie Violence back when it came out and was quite impressed with the French group’s Motörhead-esque take on rock and roll. Well, they’re back with a new album – out now – called Fast & Dangerous. I wondered in 2015 where they may go in the future, so now’s a good time to find out, with the evidence at hand.
I gave Fast & Dangerous a couple of listens before I went back to their earlier album to compare. The first time it hit my ears, I ed that they were very, hugely, obviously influenced by Lemmy and his little group, especially down to the vocal style of frontman David Bour. The fast pace, the simple riffs, the high energy… but Fast & Dangerous has added something new. There’s a bit more variety to their sound, some slower numbers (“The Wise Man”) and some huge metal-influenced tearaway guitar solos (“Vintage Riders”, “Born on the Wrong Side” is accompanied by a mouth organ, too).
Another big change is the production which seems tighter and cleaner. It’s not immediately noticeable, but flick back and forth between the albums and this second release definitely sounds crisper. There’s no loss in of aggression and balls-out fun, and I think the decision as to which sound is better for the band is down to opinion. However, it does show that they’re not stuck in a rut.
Essentially, a year on from their last album, Iron Bastards have followed it up with a worthy successor. Every bit as fun, every bit as “rock and roll”, every bit as worth listening to.
Fast & Dangerous is out now
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