I remain a big fan of the EP. As a concept, it offers so many options to artists of all stripes. It can help a young band hone its sound to its sharpest as they gain experience in the studio and as songwriters. More established acts can release an EP as a way to experiment with their aesthetic with reduced stakes. And it’s simply a way to release a few strong songs on their own without needing to develop a full-length.
IRESS embraces the power of the EP with SOLACE. Across four strong songs, the band serves up immaculate slow core packed to the gills with heavy dirges and big crescendos. Each one starts with soft, dreamy tones that gradually ramp up for crushing conclusions. Elegiac and resolute in presentation, it’s excellent hard rock with pop-rock chord progressions and doom metal atmospherics.
Throughout this debut release, the gorgeous alto vocals of Michelle Malley enchant the ears even as the guitars, bass, and drums work their own magic. “Soft” and “Ricochet” are my favorite tunes, as they conjure up appropriate goth-rock comparisons to Evanescence, Chelsea Wolfe, and Zola Jesus.