Our Problem

The environment that Our Problem is best suited for is a dingy bar with graffiti on the walls, a loud PA system, spicy fried food, plenty of skunky alcohol, a smoking room in the back, and a fight ring in the middle. A bar that's dangerous and scuzzy, but going there guarantees you a night of damn good fun. The songs are loud, groovy punch-and-kick affairs with a strong bluesy undercurrent and southern style that would easily fool listeners into thinking Iron Monkey was a Louisianan or North Carolinian sludge band when they're actually British. They emulate the angry, drug withdrawal blues of Eyehategod and the thrashy, fight-groove style of Buzzov●en to produce a sound that's ideal for throwing punches, slam-dancing, slam-drinking, and just causing chaos in general.

Iron Monkey is a very rowdy, riff-centric band with plenty of anger to throw around. It's music that follows the dynamic of a fight, with the loudest, fastest, and angriest riffs often springing out in fits of hot, hazy anger, followed by a long, slow cool-off with the rage still simmering despite being violently released just moments before. Loud and rowdy are how these boys play it, with riffs that bounce and slide a lot with heavy usage of downtuning and exploiting feedback for extra grit. Our Problem is an album built for the fans of angry, combative sludge where a haze of anger hangs over everything and the groove reigns supreme with it hitting you with forceful blow after forceful blow. It takes the slow-burning anger of the self-titled Iron Monkey album and gives it a kick. With pummeling songs like "Bad Year", "Boss Keloid", and "2 Golden Rules" that know how to go fast and brutish, while still getting full mileage out of a riff, you get kick after kick of intense sludge. Even the long slow-burners still give plenty of swaying momentum and thick, swampy rhythm. The only two songs that go nowhere are "9 Joint Spiritual Whip" which is too long and meandering and "Omi Bozu" which is just feedback with a drum beat. Still, if punishing sledgehammer sludge is what you want, you'll get it with Our Problem.

Our Problem is the angrier and more active Iron Monkey album. It's music that's perfect for fighting and drinking. The rage and the riffs come in fast blasts and slow burns. The singer's shrieks brim with loathing. Somebody who wants more Buzzov●en will feel well at home with this album. It's angry and infectious with plenty of scummy feedback and fuzz-laden riffs that smash and crash around, breaking everything. This is music for scum who know how to have a good time and mosh along.

Forming in 1994, in Nottingham, England, Iron Monkey is a band well known in sludge circles, but relatively unknown in the general metal community. During their short lived existence they released two full length albums and a variety of splits and EPs before breaking up in 1999, citing personal and industry problems. Sadly, in 2002 vocalist and founding member Johnny Morrow died of a heart attack, brought on by a chronic kidney disorder – thus dashing any lingering hopes for a reunion. Our Problem is the latter and the better of the two albums they released; recently Earache has re-released this album with their debut as a 2-CD pack. It is an absolute must have.

Nothing can prepare one for the sort of music Iron Monkey plays. This album makes its commencement with headache-inducing feedback, followed by a simple drum beat and a stoner riff so catchy that it would leave the likes of Electric Wizard green with envy. For a split second, during the guitar groove and before the vocals, one wonders what the singer will sound like. After all, the amount of great bands reduced to nothing by poor vocals is too many. However, before one is given the opportunity to contemplate the matter further, Johnny Morrow begins to belch out near inaudible lyrics, which could only be described as the tortured cries of a mad ape from hell. True to the band's name, he sounds like an iron monkey. While vocalists like Neil Fallon (Clutch) and John Garcia (Kyuss) would fit right at home with Monkey's unique brand of sludge, vocalist Johnny Morrow opts for a delivery that is reminiscent of the nihilistic growls of Michael Williams (Eyehategod) and the raspy snarls of Muleboy (Bongzilla).

The guitar tone and work on this album is what veterans of sludge metal have come to expect from the genre: heavy distortion featuring huge Sabbath-esque riffs, followed by short bursts of speed and aggression. The deceptively simple drums, laid down by none other than Justin Greaves, are more than adequate for the grooves Monkey employs. His drumming matches the rest of the instruments, leading the group on with an inconspicuous elegance. What separates Iron Monkey from the rest of the crowd, aside from Morrow's vocals, is that they create some of the most dissonant and abrasive sludge while keeping it tasteful. Some groups like Eyehategod are content to sacrifice melody and musical integrity to achieve their level of tortured beauty – Monkey manages said discordance without sacrificing a thing.

However, that's not to say that this particular album is without fault. What ultimately prevents it from receiving a perfect score is the repetitious nature of the work, and that some of the tracks seem to drag on for too long. A prime example of this is the near 20 minute long "9 Joint Spiritual Whip", which although decent, should have been shortened. Another minor point of contention is that nearly every single track starts out with ear-piercing feedback, which after repeated listens, causes one to wonder if irrevocable hearing damage has been caused. That said, one could fairly argue that the track length and feedback only aid the group's punk rock aesthetic – this work bleeds sincerity. Overall, this is a must have for any fan of sludge, no matter how casual. With sludge's recent popularity, this album is more relevant than ever, showing a new generation of sludge aficionados how it's done. Stand-out tracks like "Bad Year" and "Boss Keloid" are best listened to full blast, driving down a lone road. Windows down, of course.

Iron Monkey is a Sludge band from the UK. They released their self-titled debut in 1997, and no less than a year later they released their second album, 'Our Problem'. After this album, the band released a split with Church of Misery and an EP. The vocalist was found dead in his apartment in June 2002, and the heart failure was apparently related to some kidney illness. Their first album was sludgier and heavier, but this album has more stoner riffs, and Sabbath-esque riffage. The downtuning is still there, though.

'Bad Year' sets the tone for the album, with its rhythm changes, rather simplistic riffs, and a notable drum performance by Justin Greaves (who is also in Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine, an excellent Drone band, and also Electric Wizard). 'Supagorgonizer' is the highlight on this album. The drum performance still kills, the vocals are well-done, and the riffs are catchy as fuck. They remind a bit of what Boris did on 'Heavy Rocks'. Simple, catchy and downtuned, but enjoyable and memorable. The next 4 songs are in the vein of Supagorgonizer. The last 2 songs are 19:58 and 13:15 in length respectively, and to my surprise, the guys in Iron Monkey just aren't out of riffs. Spitting out riff after riff of Sabbath-esque riffs over and over again.

All in all, this is an enjoyable album, even if it's a change from the first album. Those who want to heaviness and downtuning from the first album but with more catchy and stoner riffs, look no further. 'Our Problem' is what you're looking for.

ALL FUCKING HAIL JOHNNY MORROW NOW!!!

R. I. P.

It was a fucking shame, I was at his Murder One literally the night before he died and couldn't believe the news from a friend the next day :(

A quite fantastic CD. Ultimate hails to all it's ex members. It starts with an awkward silence that turns into feedback, the whole CD all the way through screams a nasty feedback at you. Then after a while, a simple drum beat drops in, then this great groove of seemingly stoner Black Sabbathesque rock. Ha ha, but then out of no where you here this nasty little voice scream "EEEE MUUURDDDDEEERR!! FRAAAUUUD!!" and at first it kind of surprises you. Like a nasty bunch of psychopaths have taken over Black Sabbath themselves, made them more cheeky and turned them evil as fuck.

Ok, so "Bad Year", the 1st song, is rather simple and nothing explosive all the way through (with exception to the vocals), few simple, bit good to listen to, tempo drops etc. But on around 4:10, the song kind of stops the tempo altogether and this one note is played and left to feedback simultaneously with this nasty growl that echoes, this is repeated before the most incredible and simple stoner groove part is played.

The next song, "Supagorgonizer", is instantly catchy as fuck, that drops onto a nice growl and tempo change. This band are simple, but play music immensely. The last 50 seconds of the song is exceptional, all out stoner doom with the vocals, once again, complimenting well.

"Bos Keloid" starts off as a faster song, which if you know Iron Monkey by know, you should know it doesn't necessarily mean it will stay that way, ha ha, as proven on 2:30. Well enough fucking with your head, the vocals kick back in 30 seconds later to terrorizing and vicious effect.

"I.R.M.S.", for me, is a more boring song up until the ridiculous low end growls on 2:25, fucking phenomenal. As is the riff to follow, and the no remorse breakdown with nasty hissed low end nasty little growls. Just a slow beat and bass guitar (no guitars or feedback) to match it perfectly.

The CD is great throughout, hissing at you and teasing away with horrid lyrics, nasty vocals in the fullest sense and tormenting feedback. Go fucking buy.

Once again, RIP Morrow.