Despite what everyone else is saying, I can't call Iron Age a hardcore band. I know they're on a hardcore label and have members that were in fairly big hardcore bands. But they're just not hardcore music. Their music is way to metal to be lumped in with hardcore.
From the opening track, "We're Dust / The Violator" it's obvious that Constant Struggle is dominated by killer riffs. The duo of Steve Norman on rhythm guitar and Wade Allison on lead guitar make this record. Their riffs are crisp and drive each song from start to finish with great intensity. I'm especially a fan of the sound of the guitars - it's very Metallica Kill 'Em All. You can't disagree! Listen to "Evil Ways" and try; you will fail! Let's not forget the killer solos, like the one on "Butcher's Bill." It's like being sent in a time warp to the mid-80's.
For the most part the bass playing of Matt Jackson isn't that prevalent as it's usually following the beat set forth by Reed Thomas' drumming. However it does shine in a few spots, the opening sequence of "Brainwreck," for example. Thomas' drumming is solid throughout and he helps give the album a nice full sound.
I had a hard time placing Jason Tarpey's vocals. They're gruff yells, almost screams, but nothing coarse. His yells reminded me of both Lemmy Kilmister and Dwid at times, but even those comparisons seem like a stretch. As for lyrical content, here is an excerpt from "Cheat Death" that sums things up: "No Gods will save you / No hell will have you. / We've entered the end / And we can't cheat death / It's the look of defeat as we face our demise / Just one wrong turn and we're gone."
Comparing Iron Age to what the bulk of hardcore bands are churning out these days would be unfair. Constant Struggle is of a whole other realm. It's more metal and rock-n-roll than hardcore, and this is a welcome change. My only problem with this record is the hype factor that has been built into it. Nevertheless, it is a good record and I like what I hear.
