Ironiclast

Last updated
Ironiclast
IRONICLAST.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 14, 2010 (2010-12-14)
Recorded Chicago, Illinois; MetroSonic Studios (Brooklyn, New York)
Genre Heavy metal, hard rock
Length39:15
Label Mercury, Island
Producer Rob Caggiano, Joe Trohman [1]
The Damned Things chronology
Ironiclast
(2010)
High Crimes
(2019)
Singles from Ironiclast
  1. "We've Got a Situation Here"
    Released: October 25, 2010 [2] [3]

Ironiclast is the debut album by American heavy metal supergroup The Damned Things. The album was released on December 14, 2010 internationally and a day later in North America. [4] The supergroup includes Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy, Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano of Anthrax and Keith Buckley and Josh Newton of Every Time I Die. Newton, however, was only a touring member of The Damned Things initially, and did not write or record anything for Ironiclast. The album was self-produced by Caggiano and Trohman, and was released through Mercury Records. [1]

Contents

Promotion

On October 21, 2010, the band released the song "Friday Night (Going Down in Flames)" for free via their Facebook and Myspace pages. [5]

On October 25, 2010, the band released the first single from the album, "We've Got a Situation Here", on iTunes. [3] Previously a demo of the song, along with the demo of the title track "Ironiclast", were released on the band's Myspace page on May 30, 2010.

On December 1, 2010, a music video for the song "We've Got a Situation Here" premiered and was directed by Brendon Small.

On December 6, 2010, the song "Handbook for the Recently Deceased" premiered for free streaming on GuitarWorld.com. [6] On December 7, 2010, the song "Black Heart" premiered for free streaming on Spin.com. [7]

Musical style

With this album, the band was aiming for a heavy/classic rock, blues-oriented, riff-oriented sound, while trying to avoid the cliches associated with those styles and combining elements from their own bands. The result is a classic hard rock sound combined with the heavier aspects of Anthrax and Every Time I Die and the hook-laden choruses of Fall Out Boy. [1] Guitarist Joe Trohman cited Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy as influences on the record. [8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk 92% [9]
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [10]
BLARE MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
FasterLouder Favorable [12]
Melodic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Rock Sound 9/10 [14]
Sputnikmusic3.5/5 [15]

Drew Beringer of AbsolutePunk gave a positive review of the album, saying that "it’s heavy, hook-laden, and stuffed with huge riffs. It’s basically a modern take on the classic rock record" and that "this is just a straight up rock and roll takeover" with an overall rating of 92%. [9]

Charts

Ironiclast sold 6,200 copies in its first week, placing it at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart for "new and developing artists". [16] [17] It sold 31,000 copies as of February 2013. [18]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Keith Buckley, Rob Caggiano and Joe Trohman; except where noted [19] .

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Handbook for the Recently Deceased" 4:16
2."Bad Blood" 3:22
3."Friday Night (Going Down in Flames)" 3:49
4."We've Got a Situation Here"Buckley, Scott Ian, Trohman4:27
5."Black Heart" 3:18
6."A Great Reckoning"Buckley, Caggiano, Ian, Trohman4:35
7."Little Darling" 3:19
8."Ironiclast"Buckley, Ian, Trohman2:32
9."Graverobber" 4:51
10."The Blues Havin' Blues" 4:47

Personnel

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