[DESTROY//EXIST] 2023 End Of Year Lists: EPs Of The Year

From Los Angeles, doomgaze band, Iress, has made a highly awaited comeback, following their strong 2020 album, Flaw, with their new offering, Solace. The new EP comes very close to the melancholic and dark essence of its forerunner, and captures the brutal reality of unavoidable, yet, beautiful change, delivering a substantial dose of emotional intensity as a dense and powerful unit.

[BLURRED CULTURE] IRESS: DARK WAVES AND ENDLESS ENCHANTMENT FOR GALACTIC GRAVEYARD

The evening kicked off with the enigmatic Iress, a band that I’ve had the pleasure of seeing live four times in 2023 alone. Their “doom gaze” music has always captivated me, and this performance was no exception. With a penchant for crafting hauntingly beautiful sonic landscapes, Iress had the audience spellbound from the first note.

[BLURRED CULTURE] ETHEREAL MUSING MEETS SONIC INTENSITY: UNPACKING IRESS’ MUSICAL MASTERY AT RESIDENT

“…Iress, characterized by its sludgy, grungy, and enveloping sound, didn’t disappoint. From their “Flaw” days, they’ve consistently captivated listeners with their dark, alluring musical allure.

Michelle Malley, armed with her mesmerizing alto, guided the band through realms of ethereal musing and sonic intensity. Her voice, oscillating between soft whispers and roaring crescendos, painted an atmosphere that was as entrancing as it was eerie. Given her prowess, it’s unsurprising that she ranks high among rock vocalists today. The depth, passion, and melancholy resonated in waves of grungy, doom-gaze brilliance.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Michelle’s voice ranks among my favorite female rock vocals. As long as she and her band continue delivering these impactful, emotive tracks, they’ve secured a devoted fan in me…”

[Life Elsewhere] Music Vol 335

Iress – Ricochet

Ricochet is from the EP, Solace featuring the exquisite voice of Michelle Malley. Along with bandmembers Michael Maldonado, Glenn Chu and Graham Walker, Iress have crafted a powerful sound that clearly relies on talent rather than studio trickery. Expertly produced and delightfully listenable. I have an inkling Iress would be engaging to see live. Nice video for Ricochet, too.

[BLURRED CULTURE] DUM DUM FEST HIGHTLIGHT: IRESS… NUFF SAID

“…In an upcoming feature, I’ll dive deep into my latest encounter with Iress at Resident LA. But for now, let’s keep the suspense alive. A sneak peek into my thoughts? Michelle Malley of Iress is, without a doubt, dominating my list of top female rock vocalists at the moment. If you haven’t given them a listen, now’s the time.

And, for a visual treat, tap on the accompanying photo above for a curated photo gallery and some gripping video snippets…”

[AUDIOECLECTICA] Live Review: Iress at The Resident

It’s taken me a few days to truly process what I witnessed last Thursday night at The Resident in Los Angeles and I’m still a bit at a loss of words to properly describe it. The other night, I ventured out to finally go see Iress live and it was everything I’d hoped for and more. As the lights dimmed, the sold out crowd roared as Iress took the stage. From the first note till the last of their set, I was completely hypnotized. Musically, the band moves from shoegaze, doom, slowcore and rock in such a seamless way that it all feels cinematic in how it plays out. Bassist Michael Maldonado has a menacing tone that as the songs play, you become connected to them even more as each note hits your heartbeat. Drummer Glenn Chu propels the beat even more with his precision drumming and guitarist Graham Walker adds a delicate/brightness to the songs. Then you add in the vocals of Michelle Malley, which are quite powerful and absolutely beautiful. When you put all of these elements together you truly get one hell of a tour de force. Iress’s set covered songs from their debut Prey, to their latest EP, Solace. Songs like “Blush,” “Ricochet,” “Shamed” and “Wolves” were beyond stunning live. I’m not kidding when I say that I was hypnotized watching and listening. The raw and gut wrenching power being delivered song after song was seductive and astounding. The chills I got from listening and watching, I haven’t felt that at a show in quite some time. When you listen to and or see Iress, not only do you get a band that is truly passionate about what they do but, you can truly believe it all through the journey of love, loss, pain, anguish and more. Being able to weave intricate webs of heaviness with ambience is no easy feat but, when you see Iress live it all comes to life in a hypnotic way that will leave you breathless. I can’t wait for the next time I can see Iress live. They are without a doubt one of the top 5 bands in all of the greater Los Angeles area. Do yourself a favor, go listen to Iress and see them live!

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Iress’ music falls into the space where slowcore bleeds into doom metal. On their latest EP, SOLACE, they pull from both extremes like never before. The cumulative effect is a sound not terribly far off from Midwife’s recent work, a blanket of riffs that manage to sound both sludgy and wispy at once. “Blush” opens the EP on a heavy note, never once letting up despite the way Michelle Malley’s croons cut through and allow the song to retain a strong sense of melody; ender “Soft” pulls in the other direction, leaning into smoky dream pop, the only song on SOLACE that never erupts. For five minutes Malley’s impressionistic lyrics waft over twilit riffs, languorous and droning.

[BEARDED GENTLEMEN MUSIC] APN’s Indie Inspection – May 2023

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.

[SPUTNIK MUSIC] Iress - Solace - Review

Review Summary: if you have the time to read this you also have the time to listen to this record

In the three years that have passed since Flaw, Iress’ excellent sophomore album, not much has changed for the band. The L.A. outfit remain highly sludgy, grungy and engulfing, with the brand new EP Solace presenting a snapshot of this unwavering quality. Michelle Malley’s gravelly voice continues being the star of the show as she guides the four new tracks through ethereal ponderings and crushingly intense sections with ease. The massive “Ricochet” ebbs and flows before swaying its soundscape into an uncompromising yet deceptively vulnerable climax, exemplifying everything Iress do best in just a few minutes. However, as wonderful as this record may be, its main problem can be summarised in a sentence that many Sputnikmusic dot com users will be highly familiar with: it’s too damn short.

 
 
 
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