Though Belarus is an exception, it seems that such dark creations can emerge from there as well. Had I not known their country, I would have probably guessed Australia. This fresh duo named Iron Bonehead, formed at the beginning of 2011, has already started haunting your nightmares and suffocating you under ominous growls with their six-track demo pressed in only 198 copies. They definitely give off the vibe that their next release will unleash a nuclear apocalypse, flooding listeners with radioactive devastation.
Starting with the killer main riff of the opening track “Stillborn Stench,” this recording has become my go-to for anyone craving a war-like atmosphere—a painkiller you’d rush to the pharmacy for. The blasphemy and depravity seep through every note, and the simple yet crushing guitar riffs deserve major respect for how effectively they nail the vibe. The vocals roar with a barbaric black-death metal rawness that might make you wonder if this guy is literally breathing fire.
The next track, “Funeral Rites,” arrives as a full-blown chaos march that kicks up dust and fury, closing with a solo that exudes pure primal savagery. Each song feels like a relentless assault of dark growls, while the sweeping guitar parts evoke moments when poisonous sulfurous clouds roll over you in deep shades of black and gray.
What impressed me most about this EP is the guitar tone, perfectly dialed in to the exact heaviness I crave. Recorded somewhere in the burning fields of hell (who knows where exactly), this demo has taken me on long journeys from introspection to fury. Without going too far back, I find clear kinship with new-wave infernal bands like Perversor, Diocletian, Weregoat, and Heresiarch.
Highly recommended!