By GRACE DETWILER

IRESS, a Los Angeles band equally influenced by doom metal and shoegaze, has released their first single since the 2020 album Flaw, entitled “Ricochet.” The following EP, Solace, promises more of the dark beauty of Flaw and its predecessor Prey (2015). Featuring Michelle Malley, Michael Maldonado, Glenn Chu, and Graham Walker, IRESS alchemizes Malley’s rich vocals with the heavy instrumentation of her bandmates. 

On “Ricochet” Malley laments, “Ricochet on me, I can feel us dying / I could blame you, drinking your life away.” Their band name, as reported by Buzz Bands, is a pseudo-portmanteau – “ire” for anger and the feminine suffix “-ess.” With its poignant emotional content and deep, dark musical landscapes, the music of IRESS is a sharply sorrowful balm for the deepest of wounds. 

Listen to “Ricochet” by IRESS below, and add the single to your music library by clicking here. 

A Los Angeles-i székhelyű heavy slowcore / doomgazey banda az Iress május 12-én kiadja új EP-jét Solace címmel. A csapat 2010-ben alakult az “Adele of Doom“-nak becézett Michelle Malley énekesnő és Michael Maldonado basszusgitáros által. Zenéjükben a  shoegaze, a slowcore és a domm metal sötét, parancsoló elemeit keverik a filmszerű crescendo pillanataival, ami által műfajilag is valami újszerűen brutálist, egyben fájdalmasan gyönyörűt alkottak. Hamarosan megjelenő kislemezükről elsőként Ricochet című daluk hallgatható meg.

Müziği dalgalar halinde yayılan post-metal topluluğu Iress, 2010’da Amerika’da kurulmuş bir isim. Kadın vokalist Michelle Malley‘nin sesinden güç alan ekip, Mayıs ayında yeni bir EP yayımlayacak. Şimdiden hayli kasvetli ve doom atmosferinde olacağını tahmin ettiğim EP öncesi Ricochet parçasına kulak kabartıp Iress müziğiyle tanışabilirsiniz.

Style: Doomgaze, Doom Metal, Shoegaze
Like: King Woman, True Widow, Chelsea Wolfe
Label: Dune Altar
Adjectives: Emotional, Atmospheric, Dynamic
Description: Iress rose to prominence when they published their album Flaw a few years ago, and they now have plans for releasing their new EP, Solace. The first example, Ricochet, is a very heavy and dark shoegazer which is drenched in melancholy and features excellent guitar work and lovely vocals. Frontwoman Michelle Malley says: "I feel emotional every time I sing ‘Ricochet’. I started writing it a couple years back during a really rough time in my life. When the band got their hands on it, it really transformed into something powerful. It’s a song about loss and anguish and the journey to self discovery and acceptance."

There is something to be said about finding beauty in darkness. In this case it’s found within the band Iress. The moment I heard this band, I knew there was something more to it than just a “dark/moody vibe.” What I found was a band that sonically devastates while at the same time draws you in seductively. Iress derives their name from two concepts that when put together perfectly describes what this band is all about; Ire, as in fury, indignation, rage, and wrath and  -ess as a noun suffix meaning “female”. Now that combination has been recorded and now gearing up to be unleashed upon us all. Dubbed the “Adele of Doom” by her local LA music peers, frontwoman Michelle Malley’s vocals are subtle yet powerful as she sings of love, loss, pain, and anguish but, with such restraint that it’s almost hypnotic how the melodies seep into your pores and make your skin crawl in a fantastic way. The band itself brings all this to life with their willingness to serve the songs and provide the right amounts of atmosphere, heaviness and an unrelenting passion that really makes this all come together. Iress’s sound stretches across different sub-genres but the way it all comes together is tremendous. By mixing, doom, shoegaze, metal, dream pop and ambient/psychedelic sounds, Iress has the recipe for one of the best releases of 2023. The first single “Ricochet” from their upcoming EP, Solace is absolutely stunning. Once you listen to this song you’ll feel compelled to play it again and again. One more thing I have to talk about is the production on this single and EP. It’s truly stunning. Being able to capture the rawness and real emotion of these songs is astounding. Producer/Engineer/Mixer Alex Estrada did a phenomenal job on this record. I’m personally really stoked on this band and can’t wait to hear more and see this all come together live. Do yourself a favor and on May 12 via Dune Altar Records (one of my favorite Indie Labels by the way), pick up a copy of this EP!

One of the most anticipated returns in the world of heavy shoegaze and beyond, finally starts to unfold, as Los Angeles-based doomgazers, Iress, deliver their killer new track, Ricochet. The song is the first reveal off the band's upcoming EP, Solace, arriving on May 12th, 2023 from the eclectic roster of Dune Altar.

"I feel emotional every time I sing Ricochet," says frontwoman, Michelle Malley. "I started writing it a couple years back during a really rough time in my life. When the band got their hands on it, it really transformed into something powerful. It’s a song about loss and anguish and the journey to self discovery and acceptance."

The Solace EP represents the harsh truth of change, which is both inescapable and exquisite, and Ricochet brings a massive supply of emotionality. Impressive and unquestionably a worthy continuation of the band's great 2020 album Flaw, the new song is an absolute standout.

Iress are composed of Michelle Malley (vocals, guitar), Michael Maldonado (bass), Glenn Chu (drums) and new member, Graham Walker (guitar).

One of my favorite underground bands over the past few years is Iress, a Los Angeles-based doomgaze band that’s reminiscent of Alice in Chains with a heavy dose of 90s grunge.

Vocalist Michelle Malley has been dubbed the “Adele of Doom” by her LA music peers
Iress has generated a tremendous underground following since their 2nd self-released album, 2020’s must-hear Flaw.

The band returned from a long pandemic show break with a sold-out headlining show at LA venue The Echo and have now shared “Ricochet”, the first track on their forthcoming EP, Solace, arriving May 12 via Dune Altar Records!

“I feel emotional every time I sing ‘Ricochet’,” the singer told Buzz Bands. “I started writing it a couple years back during a really rough time in my life. When the band got their hands on it, it really transformed into something powerful. It’s a song about loss and anguish and the journey to self-discovery and acceptance.”

The site notes that fans of artists such as Marriages, Chelsea Wolfe, Red Sparowes and Emma Ruth Rundle might want to circle May 12 for the release of Solace.

“Ricochet” is officially out on Friday. Listen now.

L.A. quartet IRESS is the sound of a tsunami approaching, in slow motion, massive but carrying a tune, freighted with impending doom but also with a sense of wonder. Not quite metal, or shoegaze, or slowcore, but a cathartic brew of those genres.

To review: The band got its start under the name IRIS, soon realizing that far too many bands considered themselves messengers of the gods and used that name. So they settled on the pseudo-portmanteau IRESS — “ire” for anger, the suffix “-ess” denoting its femaleness. They released an album in 2015 and and EP in 2019 and became a must-see item at L.A. clubs before coalescing for a powerful full-length, “Flaw,” which suffered the fate of being released in first autumn of the pandemic.

Now the quartet — singer-guitarist Michelle Malley, bassist Michael Maldonado, drummer Glenn Chu and new guitarist Graham Walker — return with “Ricochet,” the first single from “Solace,” an EP arriving May 12 via Dune Altar Records.

It’s a refinement of IRESS’s sound, melodic grandiosity but not so dense that the majesty of Malley’s vocals don’t deliver an exorcism.

“I feel emotional every time I sing ‘Ricochet’,” the singer says. “I started writing it a couple years back during a really rough time in my life. When the band got their hands on it, it really transformed into something powerful. It’s a song about loss and anguish and the journey to self-discovery and acceptance.”

Fans of artists such as Marriages, Chelsea Wolfe, Red Sparowes and Emma Ruth Rundle might want to circle May 12 for the release of “Solace.” “Ricochet” is officially out on Friday.

LOS ANGELES, CA- I’ve opined about this on multiple occasions, but Michelle Malley’s voice is otherworldly. It’s one thing to sound good on a studio recording, but she’s equally- if not more- amazing live. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten chills listening to her longingly wail into the microphone. Even when I know it’s coming, I get that tingling down my spine and the few hairs I have on my arms prick up a bit. I mean … I KNOW when those glissandos are coming in “Next”, but every time I hear them, it’s like a virgin experience.

What I love about Michelle’s vocal performances the most is how each time I’ve seen her perform, she seems to get more and more confident and comfortable in her skin, which makes the performances and music that much more powerful. When the band swells into a fuzzy crescendo of riffs, and Michelle’s voice gets powerfully louder with angst, you feel that glorious heaviness push down on your shoulders telling you to pay attention.  Even when she whispers the lyrics, “I’m not ready” there’s this palpable sense of intense vulnerability you simply can’t just ignore. Mesmerizing.

Iress’ Michelle Malley is one of my favorite “indie” rock voices in Los Angeles. No other band gives me melodic doom like Iress, and I long for the next time I get those tingles down my spine again. Luckily, they have new music on the horizon, so more future shows are definitely in order. Their new single “Ricochet” (which they performed live at this show) that drops on March 3rd. Pre-save “Ricochet” here and check ’em out.

Iress – Flaw (doomgaze/slowcore)

What better time for some strong new doomgaze, seeing as we are basically gazing at our own doom on a daily basis here in the States. Los Angeles’ Iress hits a really engaging sweet spot somewhere between the crushing, smoky drone of Tunnel Blanket, the mysticism of Holy Fawn, and the powerful vocal performance of Emma Ruth Rundle and Chelsea Wolfe. Had I not discovered the release of that Giants EP, this would have been my longer review this month. But please consider this essential listening, and if you want to get an immediate sense for it, check out the penultimate track “Wolves,” which is a legit stunner.