PRESS: ART
Click to download high resolution images for use in print, etc...
1. Iamthethorn "You are the Lamb" cd cover
2. Iamthethorn promo photo (by Luna Azul)
3. Iamthethorn logos: one / two / three

PRESS: "You are the Lamb" REVIEWS

"A consistently overpowering record, and aural nightmare you'll be
only too glad to experience repeatedly."
-- www.kerrang.com

"Spark up the hellacious ganje-bus... Power lineup with vocalist
Johnny Pettibone (Himsa) and guitarist Aaron Edge (Ex-Himsa),
playing stoner rock, I can't help but be interested. What do I hear?
Some stoney rock, with a little more speed. Not quite as sick riffs
as those based in New Orleans. But on the other hand, the best
vocals for this style other than Phil Anselmo himself. The execution
is more deliberate and stronger than some of the predecessors.
And to be honest, I love JP's vocals, and he may possibly sound
most wretched and crushing (in a really good way) on this record.
A lot of potential lies on the horizon for this one! I just wish this were
a full-length. It ends way too soon."
-- Daniel Fitzgereald (www.amazon.com member review)

"Thundering metal core from Washington. Recommended for fans of
YOB and THE ABOMINABLE IRON SLOTH."
-- www.theomegaorder.com

"With such Seattle hardcore luminaries John Pettibone and Aaron Edge,
Iamthethorn use their experience to create a frantic, pissed off, down-
tuned style of metal that is influenced by bands such as Eyehategod,
Crowbar, Integrity and Cursed"
-- www.revhq.com

"Delivering a similar musical sucker punch as Eyehategod or Iron
Monkey, Seattle's Iamthethorn crank out a downtuned concoction of
malevolence with an intimidating delivery. Mocking religion, this five-
trackers is certainly one nasty little fukka of a record."
-- www.terrorizer.com

"Boy, John Pettibone sure is prolific. It seems that for every genre
represented in his record collection there is a side-project out there
with the express purpose of accommodating it, it's a miracle that we
haven't had him go Sludge Metal already. Iamthethorn have suddenly
appeared with so little fanfare that it casts doubts on their longevity.
To have them exit the world as soon as they entered it would be a
crime of near genocidal proportions because 'You Are The Lamb' is
dripping with promise. Pitched somewhere between Eyehategod, Cursed
and Ringworm, it sounds savage and raw, like the part of the delta
where the bodies all drift to the surface and the idea of a full-length
with lots of atmospheric FX and blue-grass guitar is too exciting to
pass up."
-- www.montagpress.co.uk

"We are the impressed. With Iamthethorn, musicians with ties to
Himsa sidestep that band's exuberant take on metalcore in favor of
a stab at crust/sludge. I hear you cynics out there: 'They ditch the
cookie cutter stuff and go for something a little more de rigueur in a
shallow attempt at restoring some credibility, perhaps?' Hell, no. While
attempting to mine the same territory seemingly cleaned out by the
likes of Eyehategod and Crowbar, the Seattle band emerges with a
remarkable handful of nuggets on 'You Are the Lamb', a 24-minute
crusher that is not only an authoritative exercise in all things sludgy,
but at times a ridiculously catchy one at that. Squealing feedback and
down-tuned riffs on 'Becoming Death' echo the slo-mo blues of Jimmy
Bower, while Pettibone actually sounds even more at home in this
milieu than with his regular band, his anguished roar well-suited for
the doom-ridden style. One can't help but detect a little political
commentary over the lurching riff and bassline of 'Cut Man,' while Edge
takes full control of 'Crawling Over Them,' sustained chords attempting
an Iommi-esque stateliness. It's when Iamthethorn shifts gears that
things really start to get interesting, as 'As the Night Rises' cruises
along comfortably thanks to a lazy, descending riff and a taut groove,
and 'The Hunt and Beyond' tosses some hardcore ferocity into the mix.
Don't stop now, guys; there's too much potential here to be just a one-off."
-- Adrien Begrand (www.decibelmagazine.com)

"While having former members of Himsa and Harkonen within their line-
up may not guarantee instant sales, it does hint at what to expect from
IAMTHETHORN. A dirge-laden metallic foray, 'You Are The Lamb' revels in
a type of cumbersome ferocity few bands have the bulk, let alone stomach
to successfully pull off. Driven by a relentless hunger, the bands sweeping
heaviness is often thick and murky and lives up to their naming of
Eyehategod and Crowbar as influences. In fact, it's not uncommon for
elements of doom and sludge to mix together long enough to form a
sinkhole that can swallow a track whole. The thing that keeps IAMTHETHORN's
head above the quicksand though is their ability to modernize and vitalize
their turgid songs with a harshness that echoes the likes of Will Haven and
their label mates Cursed."
-- Wookubus (www.theprp.com)

"Featuring Northwest hardcore/metal mainstays John Pettibone and Aaron
Edge (among others), IAMTHETHORN are more than well versed in all things
aggressive. The band's debut EP 'You Are The Lamb' (Goodfellow) is a shake-
up from the members' previous works, as it covers sludgemonster heaviness
with doom and gloom atmospherics, and an occasional tempo blow-out. At
times, the music is so slow and thick that it feels your skin is being mildly
scraped by a rusty hatchet."
-- Jordan A. Baker (www.pastepunk.com)

"Nevermind the seeming monopoly that John Pettibone has on vocals for
metal and hardcore bands in the Seattle area. The band, dubbed Iamthethorn,
that began as a project between he and friend Aaron Edge lays down its debut
EP 'You are the Lamb' via Goodfellow Records. 'You are the Lamb' is a noisy,
doom and hardcore inspired salvo of five crushing songs. The low-end density
of the music on this record is absolutely disgusting. To simply call this heavy
is ridiculous. The vocals work well and create a sound with the music that is
almost soul crushing; it also reminds me a bit of what Cathedral did on 'Forest
of Equilibrium', but with real coarse vocals, much less melody, and way more
of a beefy sound."
-- www.scenepointblank.com

"It's interesting how hardcore punk is reaching outside itself for inspiration
these days. More specifically, it's reaching back in time. Iamthethorn, four
Seattleites taking on the New Orleans sludge of Eyehategod and Crowbar.
Vocalist John Pettibone from Himsa is the marquee name here, but other
band members have done time in Harkonen, Skarp, and Splatterhouse (to
name but a few), so the ability to rock isn't in question. No overproduction,
no Hot Topic haircuts, no fashion at all, in fact. Just a bunch of dirtbags with
bad habits rocking out - I mean that in the best possible way. So can some
Yanks from the land of Microsoft conjure up the requisite filth? Mostly,
though this five-track offering is more calling card than artistic statement.
Downtuned riffs? Knuckle-scraping grooves? Scarred-throat vocals? Check,
check, and check. The balance between difficulty and catchiness is admirable;
this EP opens and closes with fairly trying six-minute numbers, sandwiching
more accessible groovers in the middle. 'Cutman' skulks along with nasty,
winding riffs, 'The Hunt and Beyond' cuts loose with crusty d-beats, and 'As
the Night Rises' walks at a measured half-speed, trying to prove it's really
not that drunk. 'Crawling Over Them' is the toughest nut to crack, but it
reveals a deep pit of despair a la Khanate, with some Godflesh vocal delay
for good measure. The production perfectly suits the material. It's big, dirty,
and natural; guitars sound electric, drums sound like drums, and the whole
thing glows with amp hum. Kurt Ballou could have produced this, but Katy
Kavanaugh and Paul Speer share the knob-twiddling credits. Don't let the
hardcore font of the artwork fool you. This is all beards, bongs, and beer -
more, please!"
-- metalinjection.net

"Canada's Goodfellow Records has consistently unearthed the kind of bands
that scrape, crawl, and destroy in fine sludge and hardcore fashion. Add
Seattle's IAMTHETHORN to that list. Debut EP "You Are the Lamb" is 23
minutes of EYEHATEGOD-style angry sludge and doom, in this case with
the boys pissed off about all things religion. The band includes several
familiar names from the Seattle scene, together they create a respectable,
if familiar, meal of hate stew. Making your way through these five tracks
you will of course hear the aforementioned godfathers of the style,
EYEHATEGOD, as well as snippets of CROWBAR and slivers of vintage
'90s hardcore. 'Becoming Death' with its ominous bass line and the doom-
laded despondency of 'Cutman' are slower paced, steamroller sludge.
Pettibone's sandpaper shouts are genuinely pissed off and strongly delivered.
His patterns and inflection on 'Crawling Over Them' are vaguely reminiscent
of the psychotic vocals heard on the live version of ROLLINS BAND's 'Gun in
Mouth Blues', a compliment of the highest order. The tempo is kicked up
considerably on 'The Hunt and Beyond', the closest to INTEGRITY's raging
hardcore approach heard on the disc (a video for the track is also included).
As far as the riff tone and sound mix are concerned, the band has nailed it.
It is as filthy and ironbound as you would expect for this kind of dirt covered
and contemptuous fare. Collectively, 'You Are the Lamb' is easily recommended
for fans of the genre, even if it does not quite fall into classic territory. I've
heard better, but that's no slam on the album, just an acknowledgment of the
genre's richness. I'm a sucker for this kind of thing anyway. Not too shabby."
-- Scott Alisoglu (www.blabbermouth.net)

"Sludgy metal that's all doom-riddled and fucking quaint in a small
industrial town sort of way? You betcha. Johnny Pettibone, Aaron Edge,
Joe Axler and Jerad Shealey forge one of the heaviest things since
Pantera left the building. Raw, throaty yells and dark guitars glean the
hollowed out demonized mayhem that Iamthethorn pummels out
throughout this dank album. Pick it up."
-- www.smother.net

"Available in February 2007, this is an agitated and ferocious work
that burns down the temples of religion. 'You are the Lamb' chokes
you with the same filthy rage and hopelessness of bands such as
Crowbar, Superjoint Ritual, and Eyehategod. It's a frothing mixture
of doom, hardcore, and sludge that towers like a mausoleum of painful
regret. Thick headstones of riffs with lightning flashes of guitar harmonics
lay down the framework for driving rhythms coupled with buzzing
detuned low end. The eye-opening feedback of 'Becoming Death' sets
a tone of hateful despair, one that permeates the 5 tracks of the 24
minute CD. 'As The Night Rises' and 'The Hunt And Beyond' are like
driving under treacherous conditions too fast on a winding mountain
road, only to see the vehicle in front of you crash through the railing
and plummet into darkness. All too suddenly you find yourself sliding
towards the gaping hole of the shattered fence, knowing that you're
condemned to crash into the wreckage below. Iamthethorn's 'You are
the Lamb' is an ominous yet auspicious introduction to a frightening
new heavy band. Check it out immediately."
-- Eric Kempton (www.slavetraitor.com)

"I can dig where Iamthethorn is coming from... a dark club, late at night
and fucking loud is where this band's brand of menacing metallic sludge
would translate at its best."
-- Robert Fish/Rasaraja (www.myspace.com/108music)

"From the musicians who brought you Himsa mixed with tortured
screams from one of the best front men in metal and hardcore today,
Iamthethorn blends an assault on religion and aural destruction into
a chaotic wall of sound. This is not a record to be missed. The band,
with their unique approach to intense sludge, combines a wide range
of dynamic elements to create their style. This is no one-dimensional
project, and anyone who hears it that way hasn't yet given them the
time of day. Quite simply, this is one of the most interesting bands
out today."
-- Greg Bennick (www.wordsasweapons.com)

"A truly crushing debut; when this album drops, it's gonna leave the
biggest stain on yer little sister's couch!"
-- Adam Bass (www.ladieschoicerecords.com)

"My, my... Goodfellow Records has made a fantastic decision with their
recent signing of Seattle's Iamthethorn. What a monster of a record
'You are the Lamb' is. Five tracks of seething hatred and aggression-
beginning with a squelch of feedback to signal the oncoming storm that
is 'Becoming Death', a mid-tempo track anchored by the bluesy, down-
tuned riffs. The pace picks up slightly for 'As The Night Rises', a short,
taut number with many memorable moments. 'Cutman' is next and
makes you feel like the world is crashing down around you- doubtlessly
the darkest moment on the record. 'The Hunt and Beyond' is a ferocious
three minute track that breathes fire and never lets up, already an early
contender for Best Heavy Song of 2007. The disc ends on 'Crawling
Over Them', a seven minute dirge that leaves you wanting more. If this
excellent release is any indication, Iamthethorn have a fantastic future
ahead of them."
-- Chase Middaugh (www.rspro.net)

"A charred slab of two thousand degree truth fired in a black kiln of
misery. Iamthethorn makes my lungs burn."
-- Stephen Kasner (www.stephenkasner.com)