Recently, the "Rock Is Dead" discussion has come back up in the media, prompting artists and other figures to speak their minds on this claim. Some people prefer words; others express themselves through their actions. Sweden's IRONBIRD falls into the latter camp, with a great debut album that is as heavy on the classic Hard Rock nostalgia as it is on creative, memorable songs for today's Rock listeners.

The thing that is most impressive about "Black Mountain" is how genuine it feels; this is no novelty act. It really feels like it could have been written in the heyday of 70s Rock, in a very natural manner. The music is often very heavy in a stoner Rock sort of way, though calling it "stoner rock" pigeonholes them in a way that is not really fair. "Hard Times Light Shines" kicks things off with a swinging, THIN LIZZY-like riff, but things really get going with the heavy title track. It has a dark, groovy, identifiably BLACK SABBATH vibe to it, which comes as much from the hazy, yet sinister clean guitar opening as it does the powerful riffing and bluesy solo. While IRONBIRD's sound is rooted mostly in classic Hard Rock, you can hear traces of Alternative Rock in there, somewhat in Rasmus Jansson's delivery on "Waterfall (The Sky Is Burning When Your Soul Turns To Ashes)," and more so in the chorus/main verse of "In Time," which reminds me a little bit of ALICE IN CHAINS. Other tunes like "Ironbird" and "Up On The Hill" are great for their moments of straightforward, rocking intensity, while the ballads, the dreamy "Nothing's Real" and the wistful "Tomorrow's Dream," are both very well done and add to the album's depth.

Not only do IRONBIRD have a knack for writing strong, classic-minded songs with substance to them, but they also have the chops to back it up. They are one of the few contemporary bands I've heard whose music champions the spirit of classic Hard Rock and Metal without sounding too derivative, and "Black Mountain" definitely holds up well after repeat listens. I would recommend it highly to fans of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal.