It’s borderline impossible to not notice the desolate times we are currently living in. What’s even more blatant is how so many appear all too willing to accept the state the world is in and believe that there’s nothing we can do about the way the world is. East Coast America’s The Iron Roses don’t see things that way. Natasha Gray’s post-Boysetsfire project may not be as aggressive as the band that put her on the map, but the passion and fire that fuelled the likes of After The Eulogy remain as she joins forces with Becky Fontaine to combat the many injustices prevalent in today’s society and inspire others to take up arms beside them to fight for a better world.
The opening track and lead single ‘Dead Eyes’ perfectly sets the tone of what’s to follow for the next half hour. Frantic and distorted power chords with a melodic sheen combined with Gray and Fontaine’s soaring vocal harmonies as they sing about how numbed and desensitised we’ve become to seeing the images of people suffering in the various genocides going on across the world right now. It’s an incredibly strong start to the album – there’s no slow build-up; instead, we’re straight in there, and the rest of the album keeps up this breakneck pace throughout its short duration.
The twin vocal approach is one of the elements The Iron Roses use that helps them stand out in a genre that isn’t known for innovation. Rather than relying on constant back and forths between Natasha and Becky, instead they more often than not sing together with soaring harmonies, which gives each voice equal weight. There will be moments when one takes the lead more than the other, such as on ‘Body Count’, which sees Fontaine take the lead with Gray trading off her. However, these instances are brief enough so that neither vocalist outshines the other. This gives the impression that both have equal weight within the songwriting.
Another one of The Iron Roses’ many strengths is their ability to be catchy and melodic whilst still having an aggressive slant to their music. While there is a fine line between melodic punk and pop punk, it’s safe to say that The Iron Roses definitely veer closer to the likes of Strike Anywhere and Hot Water Music than they do to Green Day or Blink-182. Early highlight ‘All American’ is the best example of this, with the melodic power chords having equal amounts of punk energy and melodic sheen.
Lyrically, The Iron Roses clearly have a lot to say about the state of the world. Throughout the album, they tackle topics such as the corrupt nature of the police, the sexualisation of women, fighting back against oppression and not giving up. Combined with the passionate vocal performances, you get a real sense that both Gray and Fontaine really believe every single word they’re singing, which makes the messages they’re conveying that much more compelling than they already are through this sheer sincerity.
While this isn’t an album that revolutionises melodic punk, that probably wasn’t the intention. The Iron Roses is a vehicle for some punks to make some music they’re passionate about and try and inspire their followers to fight for a better future. One listen to Molotov Nights, and it’s pretty hard to resist the call to join their noble crusade.