Well, they’re not lying
Normally, it doesn’t seem like eight minutes is a whole lot of time to accomplish anything. The thought of it sounds even more far-fetched in the context of an album. Bands in the metal world use that runtime as an average if not minimum length for individual songs, but for Iron Reagan, it seemed fitting for an album. Their newest EP, Dark Days Ahead, rushes by within the blink of an eye, seeming to end just as quickly as it begins. The Richmond, Virginia thrash act indeed borrow much from their sister act Municipal Waste, but with a more radical twist. On their Dark Days Ahead EP especially, Iron Reagan are poking at our present political system, at an incredibly fast pace.
According to vocalist Tony Foresta, the songs on the EP didn’t make the cut for their 2017 release Crossover Ministry, but their content doesn’t have any less authority. Opening up the album with that fierce power (and title), “Authority” contains blasting drums and murky riffs that pair nicely with the hostile vocal delivery. The record’s title track comes next and at just 90 seconds, it leaves its impression. The track was included on record label Secret Canadian’s anti-Trump song series Our First 100 Days. A fast yet melodic groovy beat backlines a catchy sing-a-long vocal approach, making it a more fun way to swallow a Trump response song of dissatisfaction and concern.
The longest track on the EP, “Patronizer,” is rife with pretty sick tonal riffs from bassist Phil “LandPhil” Hall. It’s the most circle pit heavy track on the EP and at just over two minutes, it’s the longest opportunity for it. Closing with the shouted energy of both “The Devastation” and “Watch You Die,” the Dark Days Ahead EP is a short but solid release for Iron Reagan. Because of its incredibly short length, it may be easy to consider it a blip in their discography, but the more and more it’s listened to, the more and more memorable it is.
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