Austin, Texas' Iron Age have been slugging it out in hardcore and punk circles since the middle of the decade, touring the North America and abroad with such contemporary hardcore luminaries as Rise And Fall, Cold World, Fucked Up, and Trash Talk while steadily honing the riffed-out hardcore sound established on their 2006 debut Constant Struggle.

With The Sleeping Eye, Iron Age remains a modern torchbearer for the long tradition established by the crossover classics (Corrosion of Conformity's Animosity, Crumbsuckers' Life of Dreams, Cro-Mags' Best Wishes, etc), but twists the NYHC-inspired thrash of their debut to create something bigger and darker, enhancing the violence of their former efforts with mammoth Lovecraftian atmopshere. Gargantuan guitar riffs conjure images of astral behemoths while unnamed terrors lurk in the unwavering, resolute rhythm section. The demon doesn't truly emerge though until the blood-curdling, blasphemous growls of Jason Tarpey crawl to the startling forefront. Fans of the vocal madness of King Diamond or G.I.S.M.'s Sakevi can rejoice at this reverb-drenched shrieking.

The Sleeping Eye is a sprawling modern heavy metal opus that doesn't forsake its hardcore roots, but follows them to their sonic extremities, forging a sound that honors the crossover forefathers while treading new ground in brutal atmosphere and doomy ambiance.

Fans of unconventional hardcore, ripping thrash, and heavy music in general should look out for early June dates with Sex Vid and Mind Eraser around the North East, a July-August west coast tour, and more as 2009 unfolds.