xIron Sharpens Ironx is immediately reminiscent of Proverbs 27:17: “Iron is ground against iron; / thus one grinds the character of another.” The English translation of the Bible verse in particular is often used in the fitness area or when it comes to strengthening one another mentally. In most cases, this trend can be found in the USA, which is not surprising. However, anyone who wants to see something martial behind it is wrong, because this is not about violence a la an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (which is basically less violent than is often interpreted), but about the fact that experience and wisdom are passed on and shape the character of young people. So there is something very positive behind it. So it’s not surprising if you quickly come across a Christian band during your research – which, however, has nothing more in common with xIron Sharpens Ironx than the name.

The latter come from Muskegon, Michigan, USA and were founded in 2018. The information is scarce: somewhere you can read that it was originally a one-man project that soon grew into a quartet. They themselves describe their style as something between Black and Death Metal, based on Converge, Vein or Dying Fetus. All not well-behaved bands and good harbingers of what xISIx have to offer. In early July, the band will release their new EP, The Aftermath of Tragedy, showing what they’ve got.

The disc starts with “Emotion Over Sincerity”. Right away full power with triggered drums. The string instruments provide a powerful riff, which also goes quite quickly into the ear. The growling is good, basically exactly what you expect. But are these advance praises, or can the guys keep what the first song promises? There is still a bit of room for improvement. “Silence Is Violence” immediately bangs away and is anything but quiet. Here is so much social criticism in it, that you could really find it a pity that you have to listen very carefully through the growling or best have the lyrics in front of you, it says here: “Silence is Violence, destroy this. Stand up for all those who suffer.” Musically, a board hits you in the face here – or the auditory canal, if you will. It’s a fully matured, good number that shows a lot of potential. It continues with “The Weight Of Lies” – the song title alone suggests that again better attention should be paid to the lyrics. xIron Sharpens Ironx have a good lyric work, but it doesn’t come out so clearly in the first moment. After a minute, guitar and bass really get going here. This absolutely pulls along, a very good riff that the guys have composed here, more of it, please! Of course there is more, the fourth song “The Deception Of Escape” also offers again nice heavy guitars and bass. Unfortunately, I find that exactly this good sound is a bit destroyed here by the triggered drums, which brachially interrupts this heaviness and power of the strings. In the further course you hear the drums in places rarely, but exactly when a little more speed comes in, it hits. Yes, of course this belongs to the genre and of course the drummer can not sit idly behind the skins for a number. But it is a pity. Just leave out the triggering and the song is the highlight. “Cloak of Difference”, oh yes, this starts right away with what I just criticized. But here it does not disturb so. Around 1:30 there is great guitar work, there you like to rewind and listen to the solo again. However, this also briefly raises the question of why they do not do more in this direction? The cut at the end is hard, like cut off, takes you out of thinking about the guitars a bit. The final song, “No Salvation” has gotten prominent support from Jaaron Sanford. Should be part of Blood In Blood Out, if I’m not mistaken. And here you can also tell that there’s someone else in the mix, that the band isn’t quite in it anymore. The last number stands out a bit and is mega! This is what you want to hear in this genre. Keep it up and you have a great way ahead of you!

xIron Sharpens Ironx do a lot of things right. They have well thought-out lyrics, with which they go through current topics and denounce what is annoying. However, one must not forget where they come from, namely from the USA, in order to understand their thoughts and points of view. Singers and instrumentalists know what they want and do and do it really well. Hopefully there’s more to come from xISIx on the market and in our auditory canals – live they probably tear down every hut, you can well imagine that if you close your eyes and just listen. What does the band do wrong? Musically quite little. One could criticize that they now and then put too much variety in a song, incorporate too many different elements. But it is still within tolerable limits. If you like growling and hardcore, you should definitely listen to xIron Sharpens Ironx and continue to watch them, there is certainly much more to come!

4/5
—
xIron Sharpens Ironx – The Aftermath Of Tragedy
Independent, 2022
Download über die bekannten Portale

Tracklist:
Emotion Over Sincerity
Silence Is Violence
The Weight Of Lies
The Deception Of Escape
A Cloak Of Indifference
No Salvation (feat. Jaaron Sanford)

>> click here for German original <<