No del todo metal, shoegaze o slowcore, sino una mezcla catártica de esos géneros

El cuarteto de Los Angeles Iress es el sonido de un tsunami que se acerca, en cámara lenta, masivo pero con una melodía, cargado de fatalidad inminente pero también con una sensación de asombro. No del todo metal, shoegaze o slowcore, sino una mezcla catártica de esos géneros.

Para repasar: la banda comenzó con el nombre de Iris, y pronto se dieron cuenta de que demasiadas bandas se consideraban mensajeros de los dioses y usaban ese nombre. Así que se decidieron por el pseudo-baúl de viaje Iress: "ire" para la ira, el sufijo "-ess" que denota su feminidad. Lanzaron un álbum en 2015 y un EP en 2019 y se convirtieron en un elemento imperdible en los clubes de Los Angeles antes de unirse para un poderoso álbum de larga duración, 'Flaw', que sufrió el destino de ser lanzado en el primer otoño de la pandemia.

Ahora el cuarteto —la cantante y guitarrista Michelle Malley, el bajista Michael Maldonado, el baterista Glenn Chu y el nuevo guitarrista Graham Walker— regresa con "Ricochet", el primer sencillo de 'Solace', un EP que llegará el 12 de mayo a través de Dune Altar Records.

Es un refinamiento del sonido de IRESS, grandiosidad melódica pero no tan denso como para que la majestuosidad de la voz de Malley no produzca un exorcismo.

"Me emociono cada vez que canto 'Ricochet'", dice la cantante. "Empecé a escribirlo hace un par de años durante un momento realmente difícil de mi vida. Cuando la banda lo consiguió, realmente se transformó en algo poderoso. Es una canción sobre la pérdida y la angustia y el viaje hacia el autodescubrimiento y la aceptación".

Los fanáticos de artistas como Marriages, Chelsea Wolfe, Red Sparowes y Emma Ruth Rundle quizás quieran visitar el 12 de mayo para el lanzamiento de 'Solace'.

Thank you all for making 2023 a great year for Audioeclectica. I hope you all found new and old bands to love and delve into. As 2024 begins, there will be new things coming to Audioeclectica including the long awaited return of The Audioeclectica Podcast as well as Radio Show, also coming are new topics, a revamp to the look of the site and many more surprises. Also don’t forget, I am putting on shows with The Cobalt Presents (aka The Cobalt Cafe), so if your band is coming through the greater Los Angeles area, reach out to me and let’s see if we can’t make a show happen!

And now… The Results Of The 2023 End Of The Year Lists (the results are based on readers votes):

01) Best Drummer: Glenn Chu- Iress & Sebastian Thomson- Baroness

02) Best Bassist: Nick Jost- Baroness & Michael Maldonado- Iress

03) Best Guitar Duo: John Baizley/Gina Gleason- Baroness & Graham Walker/Michelle Malley- Iress

04) Best Producer/Mixer: Paul Fig- Filth Is Eternal & Alex Estrada- Iress

05) Best Guitarist: Brian McClelland- Filth Is Eternal

06) Best Vocalist: Michelle Malley- Iress & Lis Di Angelo- Filth Is Eternal

07) Best Album: Iress- Solace & Filth Is Eternal- Find Out

Thank you all who voted!!!

2023 nous a offert de nombreuses vidéos Post-Rock, et en particulier de belles productions françaises. Le traditionnel best of de Zirck Radio vous propose une sélection de 20 vidéos de ce millésime, qui ont été partagées sur la page Facebook.

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.

“…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.

Iress, known for their mesmerizing live shows, effortlessly transported the crowd to a realm where shadows danced to the eerie melodies. The ethereal vocals of Michelle Malley seemed to echo through the Paramount, casting a bewitching spell upon all in attendance. Their setlist, a mixture of new tracks and fan favorites, showcased their ability to evoke deep emotions with each chord progression and lyrical delivery.

In a year of remarkable performances, Iress undoubtedly earned the title of “Band I’ve Seen The Most.” Their sonic sorcery left the audience yearning for more, setting the stage for a night filled with musical wonders…”

“…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…”

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.

“…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…”

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!

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.

It’s the middle two cuts on the EP that best show off the band’s range—as a result, they’re the most immediate standouts. At less than two and a half full minutes, “Vanish” is the shortest non-intro track Iress has ever put out, but that’s all it needs to demonstrate the full range of the LA quartet’s capabilities. The track unspools over its runtime from a slowcore crawl to a bleak, almost suffocating climax, pounding drums and overdriven guitars bouncing ear to ear before it all cuts out suddenly. It’s a jarring moment—Iress at their best. Single “Ricochet” stitches soft dream pop verses against metallic, squealing choruses, building and building until even those feel like floors against the heights of the song’s punishing coda. These are the moments where SOLACE feels the most expansive. It’s that balance of light and dark, and it’s not unique to Iress, but few of their peers pull it off with the same weight. Grab SOLACE on Bandcamp and let it soundtrack your stormy summer nights. [Zac Djamoos]