Metal Underground.com

The Damned Things is the rare supergroup in which each member brings exactly what you thought he would. Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano bring riffs and solos that wouldn't have sounded out of place on a John Bush-era Anthrax record. Fall Out Boy's Joe Trohman on guitars and Andy Hurley on drums bring pop-rock hooks, while Every Time I Die's Keith Buckley and Josh Newton do a great job holding down vocal and bass duties. The band's debut album, "Iconiclast" doesn't exceed the sum of its parts (with a pedigree like that, how could it?), but it is an excellent metal-tinged hard rocker in the Foo Fighters mold.

The single, "We've Got A Situation Here," was well-chosen, given that it's basically a distillation of the best things the band has to offer, with some great guitar work, with Ian definitely working some "Anthrax-isms" into what is otherwise a radio-rock tune. He definitely seems to be having fun here, as evidenced into goofy video for the song.

There isn't a bum track on the album, but two of its tracks, "A Great Reckoning" and "Little Darling" are a little over-produced, with many of the rough edges that made tracks like "Black Heart" and "Graverobber" sanded out. But hey, at least there are no ballads!

The band does go in some unexpected directions, particularly on the closer, "The Blues Havin' Blues," with some backing vocal moments that wouldn't necessarily sound out of place on a Ray Charles album. Meanhwhile, "Iconiclast" features some throat-tearing guttural screams and spry lead guitar work.

Fans of metal-tinged hard rock will find plenty to love on the Damned Things' "Iconiclast." I wouldn't have thought that Fall Out Boy contracting a case of Anthrax would work out nearly as well as it does.