REVIEW: Ironrat return with riffs and power on Beneath It All

Back with their second album and a revitalised lineup, Bradford quartet Ironrat - consisting of members of Wolves In Winter, Lazarus Blackstar, Psychlona, Hollow Earth, and former members of Monolith Cult and Khang - have produced a real statement of intent with Beneath It All, their first record since 2015. My introduction to them was at Bloodstock Festival in 2017, with tracks like the low-tuned Weed Machine (which was re-recorded in 2023) sticking out in my memory. However, as circumstance would have it, Ironrat had a quieter spell for a few years, but the boys are firmly back in town with forty minutes of power, melody, riffs and groove.

Kicking off with high octane rock and roll attitude, title track Beneath It All gets the record spinning with a simple guitar riff that sets the tone nicely. Its energy is clearly designed for live shows, before the song develops and drops into a slower stoner blues breakdown, given character with some vocal harmonisations, before the fist pumping verse comes back. Tip Of My Tongue then carries on with a plodding blues rhythm that thumps away. Rich in guitar as well as vocal harmonies, somewhere in between Mastodon, Alice in Chains and Thin Lizzy, we see Ironrat stretch their sonic wings and really show off their range for the first time as they ease into a gentle, meditative psychedelic interlude. Still, it's not too long before they crush our skulls with a sludgy section to get the heads banging for the later part of the song, its different passages giving a nice progressive feel.

Lead single Lost is up next, with a chugging main riff that drops satisfyingly into a half time beat as it kicks in. As the track evolves, Ironrat’s soulful, grungy dual vocals really shine. Their sense of melody really stands them higher than many of their sludgy contemporaries without sacrificing the intensity of the riffs. This track is sure to become a live favourite in time. Burn, the longest track on the album, follows, with a harmonised guitar line and marching drums leading into an epic, droning riff and uplifting, powerful vocal lines. Melodic and weighty, after a couple of verses and choruses it builds into a more upbeat swing that snaps the neck of the listener in rhythm. It retains the sense of darkness that the rest of the track holds, but the groove is supremely heavy and makes one of the most memorable moments on the record. Ironrat up the heaviness even more for a breakdown in a different key near the end when they’re back to the slower tempo, again proving that you don't have to sacrifice melody when you've got something with the sheer sonic power as found here.

Wasted offers some breathing room as it changes the mood completely, starting off with a pit-worthy riff and a dirty punk beat. After a couple of minutes, they are back to more familiar territory with a classy ascending stoner rock riff and some Corrosion of Conformity-esque undertones. Using guitar harmonies and trade offs to thrilling effect, the song's grand sense of power lies in the strong melodies and harmonies within, with a soulful, psychedelic section to keep the flow interesting. Again, this is a very strong moment for Ironrat. Obscene then closes the record with a pounding intro and epic, doomy chords that arguably offer the most crushing sections across the whole thing. A chiming clean guitar section, a false finish and a hair-raising vocal bellow from Martin towards the very end keep it full of interest and detail as the chords progress cleverly, battering the listener’s ear. The album feels monumental as it closes out, ultimately leaving you wondering if it'll be another ten years before the next full-length (hopefully not!).

Beneath It All, to me, is full of high points across the whole thing that showcases what Ironrat do best in 2025, with multiple dimensions that bring you back for repeated listens. Whether you're returning for the raw emotion, the bluesy soul, the gritty heaviness, the wide ranging musicality, or the way that sonic power and rich melodies sit comfortably together, you may find yourself with a new favourite on each of your first few spins as the layers within uncover themselves. Each track is delivered with conviction and class, commanding respect from any doom, stoner or sludge fan. It's apparent that the record has been carefully structured and put together to be free from filler, showing with high standards what can be done with the genre in a way that feels natural, free of pretense, and simple, though far from simplistic in its composition.

This one's got to be worth your time.

8.5/10

MN

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Beneath It All is out now on Argonauta Records