Andrew Danso

It’s difficult to stay objective and accurately review Fire:Water:Ash. There are periods of excelled atmosphere with majestic overtones, but ultimately there’s a definitive cog missing throughout this entire release. ‘If you are searching for something with a canny pagan resemblance, then this is certainly one to pick up’ – at least that is Ironwood’s assertion that we cannot fully agree with. There is somewhat a traditional-esque overhaul on some aspects of their work, but fundamentally the final exorcism is received very much in a different way (quite conventional and atypical themes are mostly present).

I have since never been able to recall anything within my collection which warrants to loosely be pagan oriented metal, thus I was hoping for something to blow me out of the water. Instead the introduction to Fire:Water:Ash, is a diluted affair, with a particularly dull approach – especially on Ironwood’s folk progressions (which I certainly mean in the literal sense). This culminates to a formula throughout the twenty-five or so minutes, that stagnantly comes to a halt. However, if you can get through the first three tracks of the record, the ambition, the acclaim, and the rich atmosphere portray ilks of soundscapes that are in themselves very unique to the group. The metallic component of Ironwood does work to a justifiable means, but we can’t help but feel a missing link with that of the folk progressions and the periodically extreme metal reoccurrences.

Fire:Water:Ash, is an experience, positive or negative that does manage to appeal ever so slightly form the competition. But for all of the production, all of the acclaim, and all of the meaty presentation, Ironwood lack an integral design on the record that missed an adept insight into becoming something close to a masterpiece.

7/10 Metal-Mayhem.co.uk