Iron Monkey (band)

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Iron Monkey
General information
origin Nottingham , England
Genre (s) Sludge , crustcore
founding 1994, 2017
resolution 1999
Founding members
Johnny Morrow
Justin Greaves
Steve Watson
Electric guitar
 Jim Rushby
Doug Dalziel
Current occupation
singing
 Shannon Briggs
Electric guitar, electric bass
 Jim Rushby
Electric guitar
 Steve Watson
Live and session members
Singing live
 Mike Williams

Iron Monkey is a sludge band from Nottingham , founded in 1994 , which disbanded in 1999 and reformed in 2017.

history

Justin Greaves (ex- Bradworthy ), Johnny Morrow, Jim Rushby, Steve Watson (ex- Cerebral Fix ) and Doug Dalziel (ex- Ironside ) founded Iron Monkey in 1994. According to Dalziel, the band was originally initiated with the aim of “disturbing as many people as possible”. Within two years, the band gained a lasting reputation as a confrontational live band in Nottingham's hardcore punk scene. In 1996 they released a self-titled debut EP , which brought the band international underground notoriety. The popular rumor that Phil Anselmo was listening to the EP while overdosing gave the band additional popularity. The rumors about the band, their release and their live presence resulted in a 1997 contract with Earache Records . At first, however, they resisted a contract with Earache. During a concert, Morrow spat on label founder Digby Pearson to express his displeasure with the label. After riots broke out during a later concert, in which much of the band's equipment was destroyed, growing financial problems forced Iron Monkey to agree to Earache's offer. In the meantime, Steve Watson has been replaced by Dean Berry. Our Problems , produced by Andy Sneap , was internationally recognized, mostly positively discussed, and is now an often forgotten classic of the genre.

The following year, the EP We've Learned Nothing was released on Man's Ruin Records . The EP was released individually and as part of a split EP with Church of Misery . The year the band celebrated an appearance at Dynamo Open Air and a tour through Eastern Europe as the opening act for Pro-Pain . Meanwhile, Jim Rushby left the band and was replaced by Acrimony's Stu O'Hara . Despite the contract with Earache and the bookings as opening act and at the big festival, the band had little financial means.

"We were so fucking poor, [...] I remember we played at Dynamo — massive festival — and we were looking around on the ground for loose change and lighters after Metallica had headlined and the lights came up. It was that bad."

“We were so poor, I can remember playing at the Dynamo - a huge festival - and after Metallica had done their headlining appearance and it got light again, we searched the floor for lost change and lighters. It was that bad. "

- Justin Greaves

According to Greaves, the band members threw stones through the windows of the organizer's office after the performance on the dynamo, as the organizer withheld the agreed fee from the band.

While touring with Pro-Pain, Johnny Morrow's health deteriorated. A Polish doctor told Morrow that his life was in danger due to a kidney disease and recommended that the musician return home as soon as possible and seek medical help. Neither the management nor Earache Records provided him with the money to return home, so Pro-Pain took over the costs from the profits of their merchandising . In response to the label's behavior, Iron Monkey demanded that Earache Records be terminated. When Earache refused to terminate the contract, Iron Monkey broke up in September 1999, ten days after the tour was canceled.

The band members remained active as musicians, but no longer in a full Iron Monkey constellation. Greaves, Rushby and Morrow formed shortly after the end of Iron Monkey Armor of God . Dalziel, Berry and O'Hara founded Dukes of Nothing . Greaves played in well-known projects such as Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine , Electric Wizard and Crippled Black Phoenix . Morrow formed My War and Murder One with other musicians . In the summer of 2002, Morrow died of a heart attack as a result of his illness.

Maniac Beast Records released the CD Ruined by Idiots in 2003 , a collection of rare recordings and live recordings. Earache Records released the box Iron Monkey / Our Problems in 2012, on the anniversary of Morrow's death, without consulting the remaining musicians . The box contained the album and EP, as well as liner notes by Steve Watson and a dedication for Morrow. Greaves described the publication as an affront and the dedication as "total bullshit". In January 2017, Watson and Rushby announced a reunion under the same band name, without the previous band members. Shannon Briggs, from Chaos UK , was presented as the new singer . The announcement went hand in hand with confirmation that I had signed a contract with Relapse Records . Greaves commented on the development on Facebook and called the reunion a mistake that he hoped would not be made by Iron Monkey. Such a step did not seem possible to him, especially after Morrow's death.

style

In Rock Hard the music was ascribed "rednecked southern flair on the one hand and plenty of nihilistic low-pitched rumblings on the other". The vocals have meanwhile been described as "pure Black Metal screeching [sic!]". The syncopated rhythm is attested to groove and swing , while guitar playing is referred to as “ Black Sabbath- influenced paralyzing and booming riffing”.

Musically, Iron Monkey are usually assigned to the Sludge and compared with EyeHateGod . Greaves called this reference obvious and added that the stylistic closeness arose from the same influences. Iron Monkey, like EyeHateGod, referred to Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus and Black Flag , according to him . A high similarity is ascribed to both bands, especially due to the "tortured and strained" vocals and the "slow but raw and ready riffing". Iron Monkey, however, are "catchier and less disturbing".

The music presented after the reunion was still attributed to the sludge in reviews. However, the music is said to have a higher tempo and a higher proportion of hardcore punk .

Discography

  • 1996: Iron Monkey (album, Union Mill)
  • 1997: Iron Monkey (Album, Earache Records)
  • 1998: Our Problem (Album, Earache Records)
  • 1999: Iron Monkey / Church of Misery (Split EP with Church of Misery, Man's Ruin Records)
  • 1999: We've Learned Nothing (EP, Man's Ruin Records)
  • 2002: Ruined by Idiots: Live and Unleashed (compilation, Maniac Beast Records)
  • 2009: Iron Monkey / Our Problem (Boxset, Earache Records)
  • 2017: 9-13 (Album, Relapse (Rough Trade))

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Paul Kott: Iron Monkey. Allmusic, accessed August 10, 2015 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h Harry Sword: The Strange Tale of Cult Sludge-Metal Band Iron Monkey. Noisey Music by VICE , accessed August 10, 2015 .
  3. ↑ Alex Henderson: Our Problems. Allmusic, accessed August 10, 2015 .
  4. ↑ a b Boris Kaiser: Our Problems. Rock Hard, accessed August 10, 2015 .
  5. ↑ Islander: OBSCURE BRUTALITY NO. 3: IRON MONKEY. No Clean Singing, accessed August 10, 2015 .
  6. ↑ J. Rushby: IRON MONKEY Sign To Relapse Records; Prepare First New Album Since 1998. Relapse Records, accessed January 25, 2017 .
  7. ↑ J. Greaves: I'm getting a ton of well intentioned nods about this Iron Monkey thing. Facebook, accessed January 25, 2017 .
  8. ^ A b Charles: Iron Monkey - Our Problem. Metal Reviews, accessed August 12, 2015 .
  9. ^ Paul Kott: Iron Monkey. Allmusic, accessed August 12, 2015 .
  10. ↑ Kevin Stewart-Panko: Iron Monkey: 9-13. Metal Injection, accessed March 1, 2017 .
  11. ↑ BKA: Iron Monkey: 9-13. Vampster, accessed March 1, 2017 .