Psychedelic hard-rock with an authenticity and weight that’s quick to take you back through the portal of music history. Iron King Stag carve out a classic four-track collection, with their explosive and raw, self-titled EP.
Storming into view with the gritty power chords, riffs and drum-work of Crooks & Hooks, the band are swift to assert themselves, employing a timeless near-falsetto rock vocal akin to the days of Guns n Roses or Pink Floyd. The overall style, however, leans much more notably towards the distorted hard-rock aura of those simpler days, and features a soaring guitar solo to help maximise the nostalgic push and presence of this EP introduction.
Things get all the more slick and inviting from here on in, Out All Night injecting a powerful riff and a clear level of passion that naturally gets you moving in time with the music. The vocal is rhythmic, the lines short and scenic, the build up energising as we rise towards an intense hard-rock and alternative hook. This is easily one of the project’s most distinct tracks for that bending riff and the wave-like vocal fluidity alongside it.
Arrangement matters, and after the high-octane first half, Fight On takes things back to the ambient essentials of thoughtful songwriting. The voice is quiet now, contemplative and gentle, another likable riff but dreamy and delicate for the reflective and inspiring writing at hand. The track refuses to maintain a predictable humility, but also doesn’t run wild with the chaotic drop. The passion builds, the drum performance is sensational, the bassline equally outstanding, and the song feels like a creative yesteryear masterpiece in many ways.
Wrapping things up, the arena-rock reverb and wonder of Bad Woman secures the versatility and talent of Iron King Stag in both songwriting and performance. Here we hold close to that dreamy, distant sort of atmosphere – letting the mind wander as the music works its magic instrumentally, things later evolving into the classic passion and power of the full Iron King Stag set-up and sound.
Vocals born to perform, a band unity second to none, and a free-flowing jam-like approach to help elevate some finely-crafted and rather intoxicating hard rock songs. The Iron King Stag EP is something like a slept-on classic from a simpler era, and it’s well-worth the time it takes to let the four tracks ring loud around you.
Following a five-year hiatus, Iron King Stag are now set to release a brand new full-length album later this year. Find the band on Facebook & Instagram to stay updated.
