Check it out

I know that the words "No Downloads" appears at the top of this blog, but in this case, since it's the band itself encouraging the download of their new album, and because it's a band I happen to really enjoy, I felt that I should help get the word out.

Australian heathen folk/metal band Ironwood has just self-released their fantastic new album, "Storm Over Sea," and, to hopefully draw in some new listeners, they've put the entire album up on their website (in 128kb mp3 quality) for free download, with the request that, if you like what you hear, you consider ordering the album from them or one of their distributors (in the U.S., so far Paragon Records, Red Stream, and The End Records have stocked the album, but there are possibly others).

Hopefully I'll be reviewing their music in the near future, once I get back to writing reviews, but, as a quick summary, Ironwood takes beautiful acoustic neo-folk music, mixes it with progressive and occasional black metal elements, and then tops it off with often-beautiful layered clean vocals. I suppose I could draw comparisons between their music and that of Agalloch, early Ulver, Opeth, and October Falls, though that would only tell part of the story. I invite you to go to their website (Ironwoodsound.com.au), listen to the music, give it some time to sink in, and then, hopefully, purchase the CD and support a great band.