Review by Carl on July 18, 2026.

Iron Steel, it could be the name of a fake metal band in either an 80's slasher movie or a cheesy 90's sitcom, but in this case, it's a Hungarian speed/thrash unit featuring a couple of members of Repulsion worshippers Retorsion, which is coincidentally also the connection that made Iron Steel land on my radar. Just in case you happened to be wondering.

So what is it that Iron Steel has to contribute to the already pretty bulky 80s throwback speed/thrash hoedown? Musically, these guys are operating in a space located somewhere between acts such as Motörhead, the earliest Bathory, Whiplash, and Iron Maiden's Di'Anno years, delivered with a heaving dose of high-octane punk gusto. The short songs speed ahead, brandishing the fiery weaponry of razor-edged speed metal riffing spurred on by a straightforward and laboriously pummeling drummer, delivering the pointedly executed music with lots of conviction and energy. The true star of the show here, however, is bass player Patrock, a guy very intent on making his presence not go unnoticed by furiously channeling his inner Steve Harris as if his life depended on it. The guy lays down his lines in a thoroughly executed and technically very adept manner, supporting the speedy music while throwing in sweeps and other tricks galore. The guy even gets his own spots to lay down a bass solo here and there, and honestly, not doing so would've been a waste of this guy's talents. In its totality, this is a solid mixture that scratches that speed metal itch just right, complemented by an aggressive black metal-ish croak, solid guitar leads, and a well-placed surge of punk-ish rock 'n' roll vibe. Yeah, this stuff swings like an old lady's tits in a strong breeze, alright!

Of course, a fitting production is needed to get the point across in a convincing manner, and Iron Steel has got it covered in this department as well. Personally, I'd say that the sound mix sounds just that bit too tidy, but considering that everything comes roaring out of the speakers in a clear and tightly balanced way, it's a point worth ignoring in the grand scheme here. Kudos to the fact that the bass player has gotten as much as a centre stage in the mix as the vocals, drums, and guitars did, which, considering this guy's abilities, is the only way it could've been, really.

There aren't all that many of these neo speed/thrash/black/punk bands that manage to really grab my attention, but Iron Steel is one of the rare specimens that does. A big part of the appeal this album has for me is, of course, the excellent execution, focused energy, and powerful sound they got going, but the runtime of 23 minutes on the nose also helps in not overstaying its welcome. That which is presented here may not be all that super original (although the solid bass playing does give this band a certain taste of its own!), solid stuff this is for sure.

Rating: 8 out of 10