Ironstone is an Australian quintet that offers a modern Progressive Rock with Djent veins, stylistically very varied and with a personal character. After a series of 3 singles, on May 29, 2020 they release their self-produced debut EP titled “Prophecy” containing 6 medium length tracks. The sound of the band is a right combination of harder and more aggressive moments and others that are softer and more melodic, easy to grasp, but never banal. The opener “Downpour” it is characterized by an Arabian atmosphere, rocky guitar riffs and a solid rhythmic session, while the vocal has melodic and aggressive traits that alternate and intertwine. An engaging song in which the band’s attempt to blend easy-grip traits and other more technical and elaborate ones succeeds very well, immediately immersing us in what are the pleasant atmospheres of the album. “Bound” which, on the other hand, is more intricate in structure and more aggressive both in melodies and in vocals, without however neglecting melodic openings that immediately enter the head. Here too the rhythmic session is massive and load-bearing and with good tempo changes, while the melodic structure follows the development of the piece well and alternates more aggressive and heavy moments with melodic openings. Heavier and more pulled instead is “Better Unseen” with a rhythm that presents dizzying accelerations that counterbalance more intricate moments. The clean vocal intertwines with the more ‘dirty’ vocal with the guitar offering massive and heavy riffs and inserts well processed. “Killed A Man” begins with more electronic and modern sounds, and then with the entry of the instruments return to the sonic terrain to which the band has accustomed us. Softer in the melodic parts and more complex in the Heavy parts, it is a good piece for development and playing technique. The vocal here, on the other hand, is mainly aggressive and the bass offers lines that are always pulled and articulated and truly load-bearing. “Hollow” pulled and elaborated on heavy but positive melodies and a noteworthy vocal section, especially in the clean vocals. The changes are continuous and the sound plot is original and well constructed and in the final a short piano insert takes the sound to another level. For construction, development of the plots and originality, perhaps the best track of the album, however one of the highest moments of this work. The closing track “Origin” is also the longest, taking 5 minutes, with a massive and melodic sound, with those melodies that remain even after listening. Always well developed, but less intricate and mainly played on tempo changes which, as Heavy as they are, maintain the right amount of melody. A good closing for a good album. An EP that on the whole is pleasant and smooth, with some really interesting ideas, both from a technical point of view and from the involvement with catchy but never banal melodies. In my humble opinion the only flaw is the almost total lack of solo cues, which would certainly have enriched the work, which instead favors a more choral sound while also giving a lot of space to the vocals. A good listening for all lovers of modern Metal sounds, with intertwining between Progressives and slight Djent veins. The foundations for a good future are all there and this EP is a good start, waiting for a full-length that we hope will confirm what we have heard until now.
Tracklist
1. Downpour (04:40)
2. Bound (04:43)
3. Better Unseen (03:09)
4. Killed A Man (04:24)
5. Hollow (04:29)
6. Origin (05:04)
Lineup
Dan Charlton / Voice
Edward Warren / Guitar, Vocals
Aidan Kalms / Guitar
Oliver Hosking / Basso
Jackson Whyte / Drums, Vocals
