Iron Monkey (band)
Encyclopedia
Iron Monkey was a sludge metal
band that formed in Nottingham
, England
in 1994. The original members were Justin Greaves (drums, ex-Bradworthy
), Johnny Morrow (vocals), Jim Rushby (guitar), Steve Watson (guitar, ex-Cerebral Fix
) and Doug Dalziel (Bass, ex-Ironside). The group's sound was influenced by the doom metal
and crust punk
genres and in particular by bands such as Grief
, Black Sabbath
and Eyehategod
.
The group wrote a six song album that was released originally on the small imprint Union Mill before being put out by Nottingham label Earache Records
. Before the deal was made however guitarist Steve Watson was fired and replaced by Dean Berry. The band's second album Our Problem was released to high acclaim. The next release was a split CD with Japan
ese doom metal
band Church of Misery
that was put out by Man's Ruin Records
. In 1999 the band played the Dynamo Festival in the Netherlands
and shortly after Jim Rushby left the band and was replaced by ex-Acrimony
guitarist Stu O'Hara. However due to a variety of personal and industry problems the band split in September 1999.
Justin, Jim and Johnny went on to form the short-lived Armour of God while Dean, Doug and Stu formed Dukes of Nothing. Steve has played in Helvis. Johnny then formed My War
and Murder One before suffering a fatal heart attack in the summer of 2002. Justin has since played in an array of bands that include Borknagar
, Silver Ginger Five, Hard To Swallow (also with Jim), Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine
, British doom titans Electric Wizard
and now plays in Crippled Black Phoenix
. Dean played for the underground post-doom/sludge/core group Capricorns (signed on Lee Dorrian
's Rise Above Records
), while Stu went on to play in Black Eye Riot. He's now playing with Acrimony members in a yet to be named stoner-groove outfit. Jim currently plays in Geriatric Unit. A live and rare tracks album entitled Ruined by Idiots was released in 2003 on Maniac Beast Records.
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
band that formed in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1994. The original members were Justin Greaves (drums, ex-Bradworthy
Bradworthy
Bradworthy is a village in Devon, England. The village is close to the site of the first Wind turbines in Devon, put up in 2005.****...
), Johnny Morrow (vocals), Jim Rushby (guitar), Steve Watson (guitar, ex-Cerebral Fix
Cerebral Fix
Cerebral Fix are an English thrash/death metal band formed in Birmingham in 1986. They became members of the UK thrash metal and death metal scenes through four albums, three of which were on major labels before finally disbanding in 1993...
) and Doug Dalziel (Bass, ex-Ironside). The group's sound was influenced by the doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
and crust punk
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
genres and in particular by bands such as Grief
Grief (band)
-Biography:Grief was founded in 1991 by Disrupt guitarist Terry Savastano and drummer Randy Odierno . They broke up in 2001 mainly due to drummer problems - something that was an ongoing problem for the band from the start. They also cited what they called a "hostile environment for doom metal bands"...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Eyehategod
Eyehategod
Eyehategod is an American sludge metal band from New Orleans who formed in 1988. They have become one of the most well known bands to emerge from the NOLA metal scene...
.
The group wrote a six song album that was released originally on the small imprint Union Mill before being put out by Nottingham label Earache Records
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
. Before the deal was made however guitarist Steve Watson was fired and replaced by Dean Berry. The band's second album Our Problem was released to high acclaim. The next release was a split CD with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
band Church of Misery
Church of Misery
is a doom metal band from Tokyo, Japan. Church of Misery's style melds early-era Black Sabbath style doom with psychedelic rock.-History:Most songs by Church of Misery are about serial killers and mass murderers...
that was put out by Man's Ruin Records
Man's Ruin Records
Man's Ruin Records was an independent record label, owned and founded by Bay Area artist Frank Kozik. After the 1994 release of Man's Ruin's first record, entitled Experimental Audio Research : Delta 6, Kozik worked with artists who he wanted to release; he also designed all of the sleeve art for...
. In 1999 the band played the Dynamo Festival in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and shortly after Jim Rushby left the band and was replaced by ex-Acrimony
Acrimony
Acrimony was a British stoner metal band who were active during the 1990s. Releasing their debut album in 1994, they are regarded as the pioneers of stoner metal in the United Kingdom, and an important influence upon the scene...
guitarist Stu O'Hara. However due to a variety of personal and industry problems the band split in September 1999.
Justin, Jim and Johnny went on to form the short-lived Armour of God while Dean, Doug and Stu formed Dukes of Nothing. Steve has played in Helvis. Johnny then formed My War
My War
My War is the second full length album by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag. It was released in 1984 on SST Records.Black Flag's founder and primary songwriter Greg Ginn played bass guitar in addition to his usual guitar; "Dale Nixon" is a pseudonym.My War was released after a long period...
and Murder One before suffering a fatal heart attack in the summer of 2002. Justin has since played in an array of bands that include Borknagar
Borknagar
Borknagar is a progressive black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines folk metal and black metal with progressive and melodic elements...
, Silver Ginger Five, Hard To Swallow (also with Jim), Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine
Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine
Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine are an English drone doom supergroup, formed in 2001 and featuring musicians from other metal bands.They take their name from the second song from the Earth album Earth 2...
, British doom titans Electric Wizard
Electric Wizard
Electric Wizard are a stoner metal band from Dorset, England that formed in 1993. The band have since recorded seven albums, at least three of which are now considered to be landmarks of their genre: their self-title debut, Electric Wizard, Come My Fanatics..., and Dopethrone...
and now plays in Crippled Black Phoenix
Crippled Black Phoenix
Crippled Black Phoenix is a post-rock supergroup from the United Kingdom. Several musicians have contributed to Crippled Black Phoenix's albums and play with them during their live shows.-History:...
. Dean played for the underground post-doom/sludge/core group Capricorns (signed on Lee Dorrian
Lee Dorrian
Lee Dorrian is a singer from Coventry, England. Originally the editor/publisher of the Cov punk fanzine "Committed Suicide" he then went on to be the singer and lyricist with Napalm Death and recorded one and a half albums with them, namely the second half of Scum and From Enslavement to...
's Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
), while Stu went on to play in Black Eye Riot. He's now playing with Acrimony members in a yet to be named stoner-groove outfit. Jim currently plays in Geriatric Unit. A live and rare tracks album entitled Ruined by Idiots was released in 2003 on Maniac Beast Records.
Discography
- Iron Monkey (Union Mill, 1995)
- Iron Monkey (Earache, 1996) (reissue)
- Our Problem (Earache, 1997)
- We've Learned Nothing (Man's Ruin, 1998, split CD with Church of MiseryChurch of Miseryis a doom metal band from Tokyo, Japan. Church of Misery's style melds early-era Black Sabbath style doom with psychedelic rock.-History:Most songs by Church of Misery are about serial killers and mass murderers...
and 10") - Ruined by Idiots (Maniac Beast, 2003)