Iron Reagan’s “Crossover Ministry” Will Exorcise Your Post-Election Demons

Editor’s Note: Move over, “Art of Partying.” My new anthem is “Fuck the Neighbors.”

If there’s any truth to the general predictions of more profoundly heavy music emerging due to our current political shitstorm, Iron Reagan is already ten steps ahead.  Crossover Ministry is the quick fix that pulls you away from CNN and into a whirlwind of craftily executed thrash magic.

There are two factors I believe make this album one to be reckoned with in 2017, the first which is the band’s extraordinary precision when cutting in and out of fast tempo riffs and breakdowns. “Dead With My Friends” and “Crossover Ministry” are prime examples of this technical skill, which—despite it being a common characteristic of this genre—not everybody can pull off as concisely as Iron Reagan.  The second huge factor is allowing the rhythm and low end instruments to play the role of the heavyweights in most every tune.  Bassist Rob Skotis savagely punches his way into one ear and out the other in passages from “Condition Evolution” and “Megachurch.” Drummer Ryan Parrish is a glorious, bludgeoning fiend on “Blatant Violence.” Meanwhile, many of these songs start out with a strong intro riff that bang out one hell of a first impression in the dynamic stomp-heavy duo of “Shame Spiral” and “Bleed the Fifth.”

Subjectively speaking, the highlight of this album is undoubtedly “Dead With My Friends.” It starts surprisingly more solemnly than a typically hyper-charged crossover intro that just screams “OH SHIT IT’S WALL OF DEATH TIME!!”  With the end of a brutal intro comes the morbid but ever-so angsty mantra: “I’m sick of this place, I wanna be dead with my friends.” Tony Foresta conveys incredible vocals inflections in the already strong message that were goosebump-inducing. An array of incredible guitar harmonies twisted into form by Bronzino and Landphil make sudden drops and stops that will have your heart pumping. It is indeed one of the more innovative and memorable songs of their whole catalog.

If you have a pulse—particularly one that flows at great speeds through your veins due to your rabid enjoyment of metal music—you are going to enjoy this 30 minute adrenaline rush immensely.