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Music

Iron Reagan Baptize the Thrash Faithful with 'Crossover Ministry'

Stream the Richmond thrash punk kings' gnarly new album, out February 3 via Relapse Records

It's hard to believe now, but there was a time when hardcore and metal weren't such comfortable bedfellows. Before Integrity, before Rorschach, before Converge began by kind of sounding like Biohazard, way back in the 80s, Kirk Hammett laying down some shred for a Septic Death seven-inch seemed like the most outlandish idea in the world. During those dark, uncultured times, the collision of thrash metal and punk rock might've worked out OK for you if you happened to see Nuclear Assault and Uniform Choice on the same bill or )picked up the first Crumbsuckers LP), but you were far more likely to end up buying some garbage late-80s DRI record than getting to the actual good stuff.

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Luckily, those dark days are behind us now, and Iron Reagan is currently leading the crossover charge. This kind of music requires a unique combination of love, riffmanship ,and sheer bloody moxie, and the Richmond, VA outfit has got all three in spadesWith their third LP, Crossover Ministry, they're staking their claim to be hailed the genre's latterday saviors, preaching the good word from behind a creaking merch table and baptizing their wild-eyed acolytes with endless guzzles of warm beer.

Crossover Ministry parties hard and riffs harder, bringing the mosh with a mix of Tony Foresta's trademark goofball humor and on-point jibes about the sorry state of the planet. True, nailing yourself to this particular cross means you won't end up in that fabled land of milk and honey, but at least you'll have fun while you head down towards a place where the guy in charge has all the best tunes…

The album is out on February 3 via Relapse. Stream it below, and enjoy thrashing like a maniac 'til your brain starts to bleed.

IRON REAGAN Tour Dates: 
---All dates 2/24 - 3/17 with Power Trip ---
Feb 22 Nashville, TN The End *No Power Trip*
Feb 24 Houston, TX Walter's
Feb 25 New Orleans, LA Siberia
Feb 26 Birmingham, AL Saturn
Feb 27 Raleigh, NC Kings *
Feb 28 Richmond, VA Broadberry *+
Mar 01 Baltimore, MD Soundstage *+
Mar 02 New York, NY Marlin Room +&
Mar 03 Pittsburgh, PA Spirit +$
Mar 04 Cleveland, OH Now That's Class +$
Mar 07 Boston, MA Elk's Lodge
Mar 08 Montreal, QC Les Foufounes Electriques
Mar 09 Ottawa, ON Brass Monkey
Mar 10 Toronto, ON Velvet Underground
Mar 11 Detroit, MI Marble Bar
Mar 12 Chicago, IL Reggie's
Mar 13 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock
Mar 14 Des Moines, IA Vaudeville Mews
Mar 16 Kansas City, MO Riot Room
Mar 17 Oklahoma City, OK 89th Street Collective
*w/ Genocide Pact
+w/Concealed Blade
&w/ Krimewatch
$w/ Protester

--- With Wrong 3/22 - 3/24 ---
Mar 22 Orlando, FL Will's Pub
Mar 23 Miami, FL Churchill's
Mar 24 Tampa, FL Crowbar
Mar 25 Greensboro, NC Blind Tiger

Alex Deller is running riot on Twitter.