IRON FIST OF THE SUN

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I was listening today IRON FIST OF THE SUN "We Can Yield Our Own Footsteps" LP (Cold Spring). It made me wonder if there was topic of IFOTS here yet, but I guess not. I'm firm believer that even at this moment, when looking without jaded attitude, there are plenty of great and unique artists out there, what fit to "our side of noise", hah... 

IFOTS belongs among them, without doubt. It's hard to say which release of him is the absolute best, but I'd say this new one certainly is much stronger than "Who Will Help Me Wash My Right Hand". It was not bad, but this simply is better.

I have to say to my ears, LP sound way better than digital versions. Frequencies what gets boosted on vinyl adds a lot of character to thin and piercing electronic sounds. Also lots of grimly distorted fuzziness. Perhaps the surface noise artifacts are little too clear once in a while, but I can live with it, as sound is in general much stronger.

Strength of IFOTS is that he simply does things differently that almost anyone else. Odd way to treat sounds, what seems to have more to do with actual studio work and kind of "contemporary electronic music" methods than power electronics, yet overall the composition and atmosphere is strong part of industrial heritage. In this album, IFOTS is much more atmospheric. Very rarely screaming his lungs out, much more often focusing on very specific and distinctive electronic sounds, what go further than lazy "beat" or buzzing "oscillation". Something one could call either composed patterns of electronic sounds or just well chosen loops, that are also modulated with care. There is acoustic sounds as well as multi-layering, all done with taste.

I have feeling, that album will most certainly divide opinions, but from me, big thumbs up! It's hard to say what track would be essential to preview. I rather advocate full album listening, and as said: from LP!

[eyestrain]

A really exciting project to have followed from close to the beginning. Each release, typically, seems to be the strongest yet.

So many successes then obviously. I'm voting on this most recent one also, but "Behavioural Decline" would be second choice. Radically different in many ways; it has more of a power electronics lean when I listen to it lately. Funny to think, because it seemed so radically composed and far away from general noise when it first came out. I suppose it is, but "We Can Yield..." is supremely above in composition, experimentation, atmosphere...

I've always been really keen on his design elements since "I Will Never..." came out also. That "glitchy" cut-up of Diana. Really strange appeal. Recent one is more plain, but there's something gorgeous about it too. Brings to mind some classic film techniques (sorry, can't explain this technically at all).

Lee's work definitely demands an attentive ear, which certainly makes it polarizing. Even in the broad realm of noise, people are looking for simple comforts and predictability. Conceptually, stylistically, aesthetically, IFOTS does not give favor to easy listening.

His input here on the board was one of the first things getting me to broaden my listening horizons, as he explained some of his playing techniques and influences.

[burdizzo]

I think this LP stands out (although I did like Tears Royal a lot, too), and I think 'Born to Snake' stands out in the way 'Smile Like Sword' stands out on Behavioural Decline. Probably my favourite IFOTS track, with potential to be a big 'hit' (as it were).

His was probably the best set at the SE:UK thing last year (even though the Sut. Jug. was better for the moshing!)

[Dr Alex]

I've listened new album few times. I own cd and LP and I have similar feeling like Mikko about format. It's much better from LP!
My favorite is still "Tears Royal" LP but next to it is "Who Will Help Me Wash My Right Hand". For my ears, WWHMWMRH is a way better than new one.

[TS]

Absolutely brilliant project in my opinion. Very unique sound. Clean, but still at times very very intense. Lots of juicy synth action!

Still haven't heard "We Can Yield Our Own Footsteps", unfortunately, but Behavioural Decline, Tears Royal, I will Never Have the Right, the Embers 7", and the split with Burial Hex all get heavy rotation here, so I can only assume its good. The tapes are lovely as well, especially "Danny La Rue Died in His Sleep". Would have liked to have that on LP. I think the cold and clinical production of IFOTS is more fitted to vinyl and CD than cassette.

Only seen IFOTS live once at the UFOI festival. Good set, a shame it ended just as it was getting going.

[ONE]

Just <3 the cut of this guy's jib.

Singlehandedly rejuvenated my interest in PE after the death of Whitehouse.

Particularly outré iconography at work on the cover art too, that beautiful picture of Princess Di melts me a little; and as for Danny La Rue?  A heavy hitter, for sure.

Great act; impressed w/ both the back catalogue and the current material - though for me Behavioural Decline is still king. Certainly the more current material is better produced - and the general lack of production values within the genre is my only bête noir to date. Let's hope it continues to improve - as it has w/ Consumer Electronics.

[Leewar]

Very enjoyable music, always good to see somebody taking a different approach.

[BlackCavendish]

Loved pretty much everything I've heard from him.
'Smile Like Sword' is probably the power electronics hit single of the last 10 years.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Burdizzo says in playlist:

I must say, I like Iron Fist Of The Sun quite a lot already, but I think Blush - recently re-released on CD by Unrest - could well be one of their best. Hardly a weak track on it, and varied enough, too, between jabbing 'noise', and smoother synth stuff. Well worth it.

Yes indeed. For me it is hard to decided what would be ultimate favorite, as it depends on mood and what I'd be willing to hear. Blush would be very good for those who'd rather have less of hints of academic electronic music influence and more of the power electronics.

I was listening today this old Iron Fist Of The Sun tape called "Hate U". As there isn't information to be found about it, my assumption is that it would be sometime 2005-2007-ish? Nevertheless, this was the early stages of project, when I saw him in audience of the many Grunt gigs that happened those days. He gave me bunch of releases which seems more of private nature than "official publications". This one has pretty neat cover, hand stamped band name/tape title and spray painted/cut & paste technic unique cover for tape. Sadly the tape is recycled old classical music tape on emi label. In beginning of tape, deck has eaten tape itself wrinkled and this naturally affects the noise itself. When few minutes has been passed, it gets strong and bright. It is curious to hear still today how ready IFOTS was already then. And how different it was. Of course, compositionally simpler, sonically less adventurous, but at the same time makes me wonder if these tracks were exclusive for this tape or did he use them on some later releases? I remember I had some CDR's as well, but in times when decided to get rid of all the CDR releases, I guess they went along with them...  Anyways, if he'd be doing some more archive reissues, I'm sure many would like to hear these.

[martialgodmask]

Burdizzo says in playlist:

I must say, I like Iron Fist Of The Sun quite a lot already, but I think Blush - recently re-released on CD by Unrest - could well be one of their best. Hardly a weak track on it, and varied enough, too, between jabbing 'noise', and smoother synth stuff. Well worth it.

Yes indeed. For me it is hard to decided what would be ultimate favorite, as it depends on mood and what I'd be willing to hear. Blush would be very good for those who'd rather have less of hints of academic electronic music influence and more of the power electronics.

I was listening today this old Iron Fist Of The Sun tape called "Hate U". As there isn't information to be found about it, my assumption is that it would be sometime 2005-2007-ish? Nevertheless, this was the early stages of project, when I saw him in audience of the many Grunt gigs that happened those days. He gave me bunch of releases which seems more of private nature than "official publications". This one has pretty neat cover, hand stamped band name/tape title and spray painted/cut & paste technic unique cover for tape. Sadly the tape is recycled old classical music tape on emi label. In beginning of tape, deck has eaten tape itself wrinkled and this naturally affects the noise itself. When few minutes has been passed, it gets strong and bright. It is curious to hear still today how ready IFOTS was already then. And how different it was. Of course, compositionally simpler, sonically less adventurous, but at the same time makes me wonder if these tracks were exclusive for this tape or did he use them on some later releases? I remember I had some CDR's as well, but in times when decided to get rid of all the CDR releases, I guess they went along with them...  Anyways, if he'd be doing some more archive reissues, I'm sure many would like to hear these.

As Lee is a member here, he can of course correct anything that I may be wrong to say... Hate U was a self-release through his own microlabel Birmingham Nihilism (not listed on Discogs, as far as I can tell). From what I remember, most if not all of the releases were small editions, as cd-r and recycled tapes (I have one - Some Skulls Still Spin - that was recorded over Elton John's Candle In The Wind), a selection of other projects of his and of other peoples too. Packaging consisted generally of heavily spray-painted sleeves or cases, with collage elements adherered to the front. 2005-07 certainly sounds about right, as I first met him mid-2006 prior to releasing The Power Of September with him in 2007. This wasn't the first version of The Power Of September, as he had already released his own different version through Birmingham Nihilism (and also an additional and alternative tape version was released via another UK label around the same time too). He also had another label which I believe he ceased before beginning Birmingham Nihilism, called Experimental Seafood (which is on Discogs) - I never owned any of these releases but I remember being told they quite often incorporated fishy odours in the packaging. I don't believe any IFOTS releases were released via this imprint however. In terms of the evident transition in sound and style, I hear a very organic evolution in his work over the last 10 years. It is hard to not put a new IFOTS release on and almost instantly think it is the best one yet, but that is no discredit to his catalogue but rather more a compliment to his ability to continually produce better and better works.

[ironfistofthesun]

https://soundcloud.com/ironfistofthesun/ifots-live-at-fact251-manchester

ifots desk recording free download

[MMMM]

https://soundcloud.com/ironfistofthesun/ifots-live-at-fact251-manchester

ifots desk recording free download

My first contact with this project, been re/listening all day. Sophistication and savagery, sterility and rot(certainly helped along by the sound quality of the recording) all employed with skill and conviction. Fucking excellent!

[online prowler]

https://soundcloud.com/ironfistofthesun/ifots-live-at-fact251-manchester

ifots desk recording free download

Thanx!

[pentd]

most impressive live set at UFOI 2014, very well constructed arch.... damn where did i misplace your email lee, kontakt mik with your name on it ever since... get in touch if still relevant, or even if not, yeah!!

[Cauldhame]

Such a shame that Lee has decided to call it a day for IFOTS. What a legacy though!