IROH – They Ride

 

 

IROH – They Ride
Self-released – 2023
Rock, Stoner
Rated: ****

There are many bands and artists named IROH, but we are not referring to the French progressive metal project, the progressive one man project from the UK or the Russian rap guy. Nope, this is IROH from North Carolina, USA and this fourpiece will turn into the definitive IROH band for everyone that got their ear tuned to the Heavy Underground. And I’m sure when other people get a whiff of their debut record They Ride, then this IROH will also turn into the one and only IROH for the rest of the globe. As long as the world may continue to exist… For They Ride is good, it’s heavy and it’s a fun take on that Palm Desert stoner sound we all love. For with They Ride, you will get a concept record! And the concept, hold on to your butts and pray for salvation, puts you behind the steering wheel of an old Dodge Demon on the run for the Zombie hordes! The radio plays all the right tracks to keep you going full speed ahead of the monsters chasing you. The only moments where the trucking stoner sound lets up, is in fact, after every single track, when the radio broadcaster The Seed Man comes in and starts giving you the news about the outbreak and the facts he has discovered. The music snippets you also hear while you turn the dial, are from earlier projects of the bandmembers. So, you might hear for instance some Far-Less or Planet Of The Sun snippets. How cool! And so is the entire story and concept, but they still pale by the music delivered. As said before, stoner trucking, with a Palm Desert sound, incredibly catchy and with a high pop sensible take on heaviness. And within those frames, the tracks power through the landscape and underscore the story and leave an exclamation mark at the end of every track. Great vocal lines, excellent guitar work and intense drums. With final 1 and a half minute track Pedal Down, indeed putting the peddle to the metal and powering it all towards the horizon! And after The Seed Man has it’s final saying you do feel satisfied, that you survived the ordeal, listened to some wicked music. But I guess you could use some more, for the entire release lasts almost twenty seven minutes, of which you get six, three-minute songs. Satisfied, but not full-filled, hungry for more… As if you were bitten by a zombie…

(Written by JK)

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