Vol. #118: The Great Iron Snake -“Ophiuchus”
Rustbelt Rock Review
By: Z.M. Delgado
Rustbeltrockreview.com
Volume #118: The Great Iron Snake -“Ophiuchus”
December 2023
Greetings my friends and Happy New Year to you. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you back to the RbRR in this, the first new article of 2024. This week I am taking a listen to the new album “Ophiuchus” by The Great Iron Snake. This is an album that just recently dropped and The Great Iron Snake was kind enough to mail me a copy. “Ophiuchus” is a reference to a constellation, which is typically represented as a man grasping a snake. This is more or less what is depicted on the album cover art, with its image of some sort of space man battling a mechanical serpent. The album has eight tracks and runs about 35 minutes in length. With all that being said, I’m not sure there is anything left to do except dive into this beast and see exactly what makes it tick. So that’s just what we’ll do…
The album opens with “Looks Like New Destruction.” The song begins with four resonant gong hits ushering in a tripped out sort of guitar riff. This develops into some pretty heavy action as the song trucks along steadily. The vocals come in clean with a hard edge underneath. The song is hard charging and upbeat for the most part. It has a hard rock vibe with some Sludgy elements intermingled. There is an incredible little drum solo at about the 3:35 mark, that I just have to point out. Also the final minute of the song is comprised of some excellent Guitar work that is really shredding. All in all it is a very solid track and an outstanding way to open up the album.
Next in line is “Pungent Porcelain,” which starts out with a nasty riff that I absolutely love. It gives off some slippery Southern Metal vibes that go over huge. It comes out Rockin’ and has a very danceable rhythm. At about 1:45 there is a vicious and lengthy Guitar solo that really boggles the mind. This is followed by a killer breakdown with a gorgeously melodic riff. This melody carries you forward as the vocals come in and take you away. This is for sure one of my standout tracks on the record.
Third in the playlist is a bitchin’ instrumental called “Raised on Lies Under Poisoned Skies.” It’s very airy and mellow... acoustic Guitar work with light drums and some trippy little lead licks here and there. A good track for thinking deep thoughts or smoking fat joints, that’s for sure.
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“Chem Trails and Lizard Tails” is a Bass driven hard Rocker. With an upbeat tempo and more impressive Guitar riffs, this song picks up right where “Pungent Porcelain” left off. With impressive musicianship across the board, it is the Bass work that most stands out on this track. Fast and aggressive the four strings are right out in front here and it sounds fabulous.
“Ellipsis” is a chugging piece of Rock N’ Roll. This one is also very Bass heavy, with a grooving cadence. Things continue like that until the mid point in the song when it shifts gears and takes off at high speed. The riff picks up and with it the Drums and Bass follow suit. What follows is a rip, Rockin’ ride that is phenomenal. When the Guitar solo hits and the lead licks start flying, “Ellipsis” distinguishes itself as another stand out track.
“Another Place” is a serious change of pace and a wild ride unto itself. Grooving Bass, and a trippy Guitar riff are the hallmarks of this track. It has a weird vibe to it, that really distinguishes it from the rest of the album. As strange as it is, and even if it has a different tone, it is still a bitchin’ song that strengthens the album as a whole.
“1996” is another instrumental; this one quite brief. Clocking in at just under a minute. It is short but sweet and is a nice sort of bridge between “Another Place” and the albums final track. “August” opens up with the drums, which are shortly joined by the Guitar and Bass. The riff is strong, with a chewing sort of feel. Very bluesy in it’s style, there are nice little lead licks spattered throughout the composition. A monster solo rears it’s mighty head at about 1:40 and runs on for a good long while painting the airwaves in gorgeous notes. In fact, “August” has some of the very best Guitar work on the entire album, and that is saying something. “August” is another stand out track and in my opinion it closes out the album on a very high note.
So, in the end how do I feel about “Ophiuchus?” Well I have to say, that I dig it. This is about as solid of a collection of songs as you will find out there. The overall sound is very heavy and the songs are driving. With a style that dances between Hard Rock and Metal; The Great Iron Snake has also blended in elements of Southern and Sludge, while not completely falling into either subgenre completely. The end result is a cool, quirky and Rockin’ collection of songs that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. “Ophiuchus” is an album that I am glad I got the chance to check out, and I urge you to follow suit. I recommend this record for sure, especially for those of you who are big fans of Down or Corrosion of Conformity. On that note I will bring this edition to a close. Thanks for reading.
Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,
-Z.M. Delgado
Rustbelt Rock Review
Rustbeltrockreview.com
12/29-12/30/2023
(The Great Iron Snake -“Ophiuchus” A unique and interesting collection of songs that is equal parts heaviness and groove. The Great Iron Snake delivers an outstanding performance. Eight tracks that will have you banging your head and pumping your fists. Definitely recommend.)
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