So is it with a bang or a whimper that the monkey departs? Neither, really. It's more of a drawn-out protracted death roar as the monkey shows us it's arse and sticks two fingers up at commercial sense, by choosing to release three tracks dating back to their less accessible first album, for this, their highest profile release to date which comes replete with trademark fantastic Kozik artwork.

After placing the beautiful, smoky grey marble vinyl on the turntable the magnificently titled opening track, Arsonaut begins with the familiar squeal of monkey feedback, leading into measured, lumbering guitars, drawing each downtuned riff out to breaking point for maximum aural pleasure. Then come the vocals. For anyone unfamiliar with Jonny Morrow's "singing", it can best be described as super harsh rasping, almost black metal style. Described elsewhere as "annoying bitch vocals" it is Morrow's definitive vocal stylings that make or break Iron Monkey for many people. Love or hate it, there's no fence sitting here.

The theme continues through the remaining two tracks, Kiss of Death (a Corrosion of Conformity cover) and Sleep to Win which features producer Andy Sneap on lead guitar and a guest bit of shouting from Hard to Swallow's Bloody Kev.

So as a (Glasgow) kiss off, it's a typically obtuse farewell, from a fine band. We'll not see their like again. (9)

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