The Spitz, London 24th July 2000
First off, any further mention of the fact that Dry & Heavy are a Japanese Reggae band can largely be dispensed with; so they are Japanese, not Jamaican. Well, there are Reggae and Dub groups from all over now – the Czech Republic, the Basque Country, Texas even. Other than to say of course that this particular set have got the format sussed pretty much completely, apart from maybe the boonie hats some of them seem to have adopted as a kind of identifying headgear. Well, that’s possibly quite Japanese.
Anyhow, after along wait for the band to show up on stage, during which time the arriving trickle of audience numbers are ably entertained by Dry & Heavy’s label stalwart Pete Holdsworth and his collection of classic Reggae and Ska vinyl both old and
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From the opening storm-warning of drones ahead, Iron fulfils all the promises its churning digital riffology and humorous dedication to “Heavy Metal fans all over the world” could possibly fulfil. Staccato loops click and swarm from one ear to the next, and possibly invite the application of a third. Deliciously dirty splutters and organic wafts of processed feedback or sample residue distract from the computer-based construction of this almost surprisingly visceral music, and keep the evil within the bounds of good humour throughout.