Iron Lung Corp

Big Shiny Spears (Re-Constriction)
by Scott Hefflon

Bringing together someone, somewhere’s version of a supergroup, Iron Lung Corp is the combined effort of two entire bands, Fifth Colvmn’s Acumen and Re-Constriction’s Clay People. If you were generous enough to read the above Clay People review, you get the impression that I don’t feel they’re building a band wagon strong enough to support 30 zillion Internet-addicted dopes looking for the next new thing. The infusion of Acumen’s influence is dramatic. Now they’re lifting influence from those thrashy metal days with a distinctly chaotic loop-da-loop of electronic whiz bang tomfoolery. The Nitzer Ebbian medley, “Join in the Murderous Chant,” is like lighting a cigarette with a flamethrower. For some reason, the hyperactive keyboards remind me of Bronski Beat’s “Hit That Perfect Beat, Boy” (I just wanted to mis-reference that), and the rest of the stacked-to-the-ceiling percussion/ vocals combo remind me of the gruff, Queen-fronted Cubinate, but that’s an insulated way of saying I like it. And the rest of the disc repeats the same slaughterhouse guitars and Skinny-Puppy-on-an-off-day keyboards. A few dull-as-a-dead-fuck instrumentals ensure their searching artiste credentials, and the White Zombified vocals ensure that the kids’ll just love it.