Ironed Out are part of L.B.U. – London Black Up. If you have been to any UKHC shows in the last two decades – or indeed any shows from overseas bands, you would have seen folk who are part of this HC Crew. Whether they are onstage in scene legends such as Knuckledust and Ninebar, putting on the events, behind merch stalls as part of Ruktion records or reliving karate fantasies in the pit these guys and gals are part of bricks and mortar that make up the hardcore scene in London.
Ironed Out are the latest in a long line of LBU associates to release an album. They feature Wema from Knuckledust and mix up metallic hardcore with grime influenced lyrics to form gang shout street punk.
The Grime influence is interesting. It is a genre that has had a bit of a resurgence in recent years with Wiley hitting the net with notoriety and a few mix tapes causing a stir. It must be said that this is a genre, a bit like drum and bass that gels with an older demographic – mainly folk that were teens when the original scene exploded nearly twenty years ago. As such it’s application in Ironed Out gives it a retro feel – which seeing their videos and London gangster/street warrior image is appropriate.
This is an album that acts as a rallying call to their LBU brothers and sisters. An us vs them common throughout Hardcore’s long and angry existence. Whether this will ostracize those outside the capital or their group is to be seen and frankly, I doubt they give a fuck.
The “mandems” and “Endz” colloquialisms may jar some folks – especially those from up north but this street talk for street music so brace yourself.
We Move As One is not all angry bombast and fast picked riffs. Sure, there are big gang shout alongs and the calling out of middle-class hangers on – Pagans and the clear message given to those that don’t like London in Pavement Strong. It is pretty much what I expected from an LBU band. Music that makes you want to be part of something one second then run away the next. However there is more suppleness and melody than I expected.
Crazy Old World is a bopper with a whiff of Venice about it – worth a two-step or um two with a melodic chorus and Ain’t Raw continues the crossover vibe with some nice big metallic hooks.
The resurrection of ACAB in graffiti and in popular culture in recent years has amused me. I even see 1312 sprayed on trees round my ends. Of course, punk and the boys in blue have never really seen eye to eye – and so they shouldn’t and Ironed Out appear to have their own run ins with the Met. What surprised me is that this track seems more pensive and resigned to the oppression it depicts than rabble rousing. I suppose there is only so much people can take. There ae plenty of hardcore anthems to keep the pulse and fists pumping on here. Stranger Than Fiction had me jumping around whilst trying to work from home earlier.
Yes there are cliché’s here about struggles and family etc etc but this is a UKHC album and you wouldn’t knock metallers for talking about Satan or dragons would you ?
The album ends with the title track which feels like LBU mobilising as a massive unit of multicoloured skin, sportswear and Stella coming to a town near you – once this pandemic is through.
This is a fun slab of street music that is pumped full of machismo and asking you if you spilled it’s pint. They may just buy you one after though.
(7.5/10 Matt Mason)
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