Iress - Sleep Now, In Reverse (Church Road Records)

Classed as 'dream metal', Iress were formed in 2010 and the pair terror with beauty, imagine the end of the world coming almost in slow motion unfolding cinematically in front of you, then Iress are the soundtrack.

I suppose you could call it shoegaze but there's lots more too it than that. Iress could only be from L.A, they safe steeped in grandeur but beneath that there's an introspection, the moments of heaviness just stayed from erupting too much by a quiet reserve.

Bassist Michael Maldonado, drummer Glenn Chu, and guitarist Graham Walker, have evolved and melded their instrumental brilliance over the last 14 years, perfecting their emotionally resonant 'doomgaze' to the what you hear on Sleep Now, In Reverse. They build the atmosphere, slow burning and dramatic on The Remains, a steady, airy drumbeat that opens itself in to some doom crushing doom.

On a track such as Ever Under, the vocals of Michelle Malley are smokey and beautifully evocative, on tracks like Mercy, she presents a blissful, close quarters whispering before belting towards the cathartic end.

Leviathan (The Fog) continues with the whispered vocal style as In Reverse is beautiful, fully showing why Malley is referred to as the "Adele of Doom", soulful and impassioned she's got one of the best voices I've heard in years, literally causing chills even on the heavier moments such as Knell Mera as well as the dreamy Sanctuary.

For fans of bands such as Holy Fawn, King Woman, Sylvaine, Slow Crush, Iress' new album is stunning. 9/10

Formed in Los Angeles in 2010, Iress have just released their excellent new album Sleep Now, In Reverse (the band’s first release on Church Road records) and its glorious combination of ethereal shoegaze and heavier elements results in a sublime listening experience. To celebrate the release of the album, we caught up with vocalist Michelle Malley to hear all about Sleep Now, In Reverse, the bands forthcoming debut UK tour, and the past, present and future of Iress.

E&D: The new Iress album, Sleep Now, In Reverse is out now. How excited are you to be to be getting out there with this album?

Michelle: We are very, very, excited – that’s an understatement!

E&D: What were the biggest influences on the sound of this record?

Michelle: We were listening to a lot of Beach House and Cocteau Twins, and we are also big fans of Deafheaven. We had a mix of heavy and also dreamy influences. So it was like two worlds meeting. I definitely think that that this album is about the heavy and the soft intertwining.

E&D: Is that mixture what you wanted to explore even further with this album?

Michelle: I think so. I think we went a little heavier on certain parts – like more metal influences – with certain guitar parts that we wrote, and also we added a lot of synths and layers to the songs; so it was a little bit more extreme on each side this time.

E&D: Will you that explore that sound even more in the future?

Michelle: I think so. The metal influences came because with Glenn, our drummer, it was the first time with him writing on the record too, and he has some heavy metal influences; so does Graham, our guitarist. We’ve just been experimenting more with this new line-up, and it’s been really cool.

E&D: Does it feel more established with this new line-up?

Michelle: Yeah, Graham entered the picture two years ago and then Glenn one year ago, and yeah, it does feel more comfortable – and really inspired. It feels really, really good.

E&D: You mentioned the heavier sound there as well. Do you find that the shoegaze sound in your music, combined with your vocals, makes the music of Iress more ethereal?

Michelle: Yeah, I think so. I don’t ever want to lose the shoegaze. I like that. It’s hard to put us in a genre – we have different elements from different genres.

E&D: Did you mean to have a more of a cinematic sound this time around as well?

Michelle: Yeah. Do you hear that in it?

E&D: Yeah, very much so. Have you been happy with how all the new music has been received?

Michelle: Yeah, I think our second single got the most love, which surprised me, but it was exciting. I feel like people are digging it.

E&D: Was it a difficult task selecting singles that you feel are representative of the album and its sound?

Michelle: Yes, I mean, there were some that were obvious, but there was a song that I wanted to release as a single, but we decided about how fast the song starts, the vocals, and how long it is, you have to think about all that stuff sometimes. So, yeah, it is kind of hard. I definitely wanted to pick a couple others, but we had to, ultimately, choose the best options.

E&D: You are coming to the UK for a tour in August. How excited are you to be getting over here and playing live for us?

Michelle: We’re so excited. I just started to really break down the tour, and started to get some things in order, because we’ve been waiting to plan and we can’t plan too far in advance. So it’s getting me really excited. I’ve been reaching out to people about staying places and I’m really excited. None of us has ever been [to the UK], so it’s going to be a really cool experience.

E&D: What are you looking forward to whilst you are over here?

Michelle: I’m just excited to experience a new place. Someone told me that there’s a bar with Black Sabbath painted on the outside of it – I want to go there! I heard there’s a lot of cool metal bars. We have a day off in London, which I’m really excited about, so we’ll explore there. I’m just excited for everything. Honestly, I’m excited to meet new people and hang out with the bands. We’re also gonna play ArcTanGent, so that’ll be a really fun day for sure.

E&D: Are you going to be playing further afield in Europe as well, or is it just strictly the UK this time?

Michelle: We were gonna do more European dates, but we are just sticking with UK this time. But we are planning to come back and do more for sure.

E&D: Was planning the tour a challenging task?

Michelle: Luckily, we have a booking agent, Tyler. He has been a dream come true, and he’s doing all the hard stuff; he booked all the shows for us. So now I’m just trying to figure out, like, a van, a driver and all that stuff. it actually hasn’t been that difficult, knock on wood.

E&D: Who are some of your favourite ever UK bands?

Michelle: Oh my gosh, that’s hard; the Cocteau Twins definitely.

E&D: How are things working out with Church Road records, and how did you hook up with the label?

Michelle: It’s going great. I love Justine, and they’ve been very, very helpful. She told us that she had seen us around throughout the pandemic and stuff – and we had kind of been in touch – and it just kind of happened organically in the last year. It’s been wonderful. I’m excited to meet and hang out with her too.

E&D: You’re playing a few shows before the UK run, including with Blackwater Holylight, and you’ve got a record release party for Sleep Now, In Reverse: are you looking forward to those?

Michelle: Oh my gosh, yes! It’s going to be really fun. It’s also our guitarist, Graham’s birthday for the Blackwater Holylight show, so we’re going to have a whole big shindig; and it’ll be fun to play the new songs. We’re gonna play all the singles, and the release show is gonna be really fun too. We’re playing at a venue we love to play at – The Echo – and that’ll be like our launch party, because we’re gonna leave less than a week after that for the UK.

E&D: Have you thought about playing the new album in full at all?

Michelle: We have thought about doing that. I feel like it would need to be like a whole production. I don’t know if we’re going to do that for the release, but maybe we’ll do it when we get back, because the album is an hour long, and I have these ideas of getting some friends to do some harmonies with me. I want to make it like a whole thing, but I don’t think we’re gonna do that before the tour – but maybe after

E&D: Is the visual aspect and expression of Iress on stage important to you, as well as the music?

Michelle: Oh for sure, we’re getting better and better with that. We just got some new lights that we want to experiment with. I feel like that’s gonna be really huge with our stage performance. I feel like we’re still figuring that stuff out, but we have big visions. All that stuff costs money, so it takes time to dial it in, but we do have a lot of ideas for it, for sure.

E&D: How do you feel the songs from Sleep Now, In Reverse will go over in a live environment?

Michelle: I think it’s going to be really cool. We’re excited to play like some of the heavier ones. Like I said, there’s some of that and I did so many harmonies, and we sense that we really want to play them in full. I just have all these ideas, because there’s so many like cool parts that I don’t want to leave out, but sometimes you just got to play it raw and just skip all that stuff. I think it’s going to be interpreted well, I think it’s going to be going to be a cool vibe, for sure.

E&D: What have been some of your favourite Iress live shows so far?

Michelle: It’s hard because we played some really cool venues in the past, but I feel like I want to focus on the shows we played now with Graham. One that sticks out, actually was during the pandemic; the band was on a bit of a hiatus, just because one of our members had left. So we were kind of in limbo, and I was itching to play a show. I’ve known Graham for years and years, but we reconnected, and I asked him to play this solo show with me; I played it with him and I was overwhelmed with the amount of people that showed up. It was packed! We played the Silver Lake lounge in LA and that really inspired me to revamp Iress. I’m like, we gotta get back together. We gotta get the band together; and then Graham joined, and things just took off from there. So I feel like that was a really memorable show, like a restart of Iress.

E&D: Your voice is very powerful. Who are your greatest influences as a vocalist?

Michelle: Oh, wow. I feel like it stretches way back. When I was younger, I used to say I wanted to be a female Chris Cornell – I love him. It’s hard because I feel like I sing and play heavy music, but I also have this side of me that is influenced by pop artists. I don’t know if you’ve heard but I’ve been dubbed the Adele of Doom!

E&D: How did that feel?

Michelle: I feel like that’s such a big compliment. I grew up listening to The Carpenters, Carole King and stuff like that, so that’s an influence too.

E&D: What is next for Iress, and have you had any thoughts about new music at all?

Michelle: I really want to do an American tour, maybe this winter or spring of next year. We are talking about recording some things to release. I won’t give too much away, but we are talking about recording and touring – we’re not going to stop or slow down for sure!

E&D: What have been some of the highlights of Iress so far, and what do you still want to achieve in the future with the band?

Michelle: I think signing with Church Road and getting this tour has been a huge highlight of our career, because we’ve never been overseas at all. I feel like that’s the biggest highlight so far, and obviously, when we play big venues – like we played the Glass House and the Constellation Room [in California].This tour though, it’s kind of hard to beat. We’re really, really excited and grateful to Church Road for helping us. Also this record: we’re really proud of it. I feel like it’s our best release since we’ve been a band, so hopefully it just gets better and better from here.

Sleep Now, In Reverse is released on July 26 via Church Road Records in the UK and Dune Altar records in the US. It can be purchased and downloaded here on Bandcamp

Iress once again blesses us with another dose of beautiful sonic depression on their new album Sleep Now, In Reverse (Church Road Records). The Los Angeles-based band weaves between genres drifting between darker ominous tones ranging from emotionally heavy to lighter breezy speculation. This is displayed in “Ever Under” which takes you soaring into the sunset from the haunted places in the Hollywood Hills. Dynamically once again everything is perfect. Michelle Malley’s vocals lurk around the corner of grunge-influenced riffage recalling bands like Curve or Lush rather than the doomy zip codes they once occupied. This album finds Malley’s vocals sitting up front in the mix as more of a focal point than the more atmospheric texture they once created.

This is not to say that if you are a fan of their previous work, this is going to sound like the band is selling out or pandering for radio play. In fact, by making the vocals more of a focal point, they are phrased in a more articulated fashion so that the powerful nature of the content adds to the song’s intensity. The dreamier haze to “Mercy” is pulled together by Malley putting lung power to the chorus. This song is more atmosphere and driven with less rock intention, though still delivering more punch than some of their sonic peers like Emma Ruth Rundle who ventures into genres like folk. It plays to the band’s favor to stick to their guns as it creates a more melancholic longing.

The drums find an almost Police-influenced groove on “Leviathan,” though the eighties influences end there, since if you had to pin a decade to them it would be the nineties, they are not trying to recreate a particular sound, and while things sound quite delightful here they are more committed to songwriting. However, the soft-to-loud dynamic that bands like Deftones continue to carry the torch for, is also celebrated here. The key is that this is executed unpredictably rather than a set formula, which many bands default to. The bonus here is Malley’s hushed alto proves to be quite supple, as her voice reaches into new melodic corners.

This album might be another step away from metal, but it does balance a depressive atmosphere that translates into something more sonically heavy with the vocals as a counterpoint to that. The finesse of their drummer gives her plenty of catchy grooves to layer her beguiling melodies over that sometimes erupt in a more cathartic fashion. The drummer does lay into the cymbals when it’s time to get serious. The overall vibe of the album is less of an oppressive doom mood, though there are more intentionally metal moments one of them can be heard on “Knell Mera” though they take you on a journey with impressive dynamic breadth. Things take a different turn for the last two songs that work off more of a brooding tension, like a distant storm inching closer to the storm as the dusk settles, with her voice serving as the rain that falls to create the dynamic release. This album feels like a mature step forward for the band as songwriters.

Buy the album here:

https://weareiress.bandcamp.com/album/sleep-now-in-reverse

9 / 10

WIL CIFER

Der Soundtrack zur Sommerromanze 2024: Mit „Sleep Now, In Reverse“ erschaffen IRESS schwül-sinnliche Doomgaze-Träume.

Es gibt Nächte, in denen die rot glühende Sonne wie in Zeitlupe untergeht und den orangefarbene Himmel wie eine Verheißung anmutet. Wenn die schwere Luft steht, am Rande der Dunkelheit, dann vermischt sich Traum mit Realität. In den Betten wird gewälzt, auf der Suche nach etwas Kühle, während es mit der Erotik nicht so weit her ist. Und doch gibt es um die Zeit von Canis Major eine Sinnlichkeit die lockt, mit Eros in Lauerstellung. All das gießen IRESS in ihr Album „Sleep Now, In Reverse“. Die kalifornische Doomgaze-Band hat schon auf ihrer letztjährigen EP „Solace“ eine gute Figur gemacht, also was soll an dem dritten Album der Band schiefgehen?

Michelle Malleys entwaffnende Stimme steht im Zentrum der Musik: „Sleep Now, In Reverse“ lässt hin und wieder vergessen, dass IRESS eine volle Band ist.

IRESS liegen mit ihren sinnlich-atmosphärischen Songs irgendwo zwischen KING WOMAN und HOLY FAWN, mit einem Hauch „White Pony“-DEFTONES und SLOWDIVE. Ganz klar, hier gibt es große Gefühle, und das, obwohl sich IRESS in Sachen Pathos zurückhalten. Sängerin Michelle Malley muss mit ihrer gehauchten, rauchigen Stimme ihre Lyrics nur hinaussingen und schon mit dem Opener „Falling“ mag man ihr verfallen. Bei dieser Stimme gerät die Band fast in Vergessenheit, doch Gitarrist Graham Walker, der mal wavige und mal breitwandige Riffs spielt, mal subtile Melodien aus sich fließen lässt und hin und wieder nur kleine Akzente setzt, kreiert zusammen mit der Rhythmuseinheit die Basis der Songs.

Auch wenn „Sleep Now, In Reverse“ zehn Songs lang vor sich hin schwelgt, unterscheiden sich die einzelnen Stücke voneinander. Da gibt es die nahezu metallische, bisweilen dramatische Heaviness in „The Remains“ und „Knell Mara“, die der Band etwas weniger gut steht als die schwebende Melancholie von „Leviathan (The Fog)“ uns „In Reverse“. Und doch funktionieren beide Pole von IRESS, gerade wenn sie wie in „Ever Under“ und „The Remains aufeinander treffen. So schafft die Formation es, dass „Sleep Now, In Reverse“ in sich geschlossen klingt und subtil abwechslungsreich ist. IRESS funktionieren als Quartett, setzen keine großen Soundeffekte ein, jedes der Bandmitglieder hat im Soundbild seinen Platz. Und genau hier ist die Erfahrung der seit 2010 aktiven Band spürbar.

IRESS balancieren zwischen Verträumtheit und Heaviness: „Sleep Now, In Reverse“ ist gerade dann am besten, wenn beide Pole verbunden werden.

„Sleep Now, In Reverse“ ist gleichermaßen heavy und gefühlvoll, kann aber nicht immer zupacken. Zwischendurch gibt es da einige Momente, in denen sich die Musik ein wenig zieht, hin und wieder wirken die Instrumentalisten zudem etwas unterspannt – siehe „Mercy“ – und könnten etwas zwingender agieren. Und doch klimaxen IRESS mit dem unfassbar schönen „Sanctuary“, das sich zu einem kleinen Epos mausert und das Album sehr versöhnlich enden lässt. Am Ende der 50 Minuten ist von Abkühlung keine Spur – durch IRESS fühlt sich die Nacht noch etwas schwüler an. Der Soundtrack zur Sommerromanze? Bestimmt. Ob aus dieser Affäre eine Langzeitbeziehung wird? Die Chancen stehen nicht schlecht.

Wertung: 7,5 von 10 Pfeile Armors

Active on the Los Angeles underground since 2010, moody quartet Iress finally look set to attract wider attention after a clutch of self-released and low-key albums. That time has been spent becoming more than the sum of their parts, said components being the desolate beauty of singer Michelle Malley’s voice and her band’s considered blend of shoegaze and post-metal. On this new full-length, the latter’s straightforward appeal gains greater emotional impact from the mournful vocal melodies, which in turn benefit from the graceful power of the musical context.

Perfectly chosen singles Falling and The Remains encapsulate the appeal of Iress, slowburning tunes which cast a compelling spell as they gradually reveal their magic. Ever Under is a showcase for Michelle’s ability to project poignancy in both subtle and stormy settings, while sort-of title track In Reverse sounds like ethereal art school types Bat For Lashes or Florence & The Machine given a chunky-riffed makeover. Speaking of which, Knell Mera finds the band at their most explicitly metallic, even if the grandiose doom on offer co-exists with understated and portentous gothy verses.

The enveloping mood that persists throughout Sleep Now, In Reverse is conjured so wholly that some of its songs struggle to emerge through the gloom. Closing track Deep offers a modest corrective, stripping things back to just Michelle’s fragile vocals and a simple, heavily-reverbed guitar figure. The raw intimacy on display suggests that Iress would benefit from exploring the boundaries of their sound a little more next time. There is, however, plenty here in which to lose yourself, a sonic sanctuary for those willing to wallow in exquisite melancholy.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Slow Crush, Spotlights, Chelsea Wolfe

Los Angeles’ Iress is set to bring a beautiful touch of doom to this heavy summer with their fourth full-length album, Sleep Now In Reverse, out Friday on Dune Altar. Deepening their craft, blending shoegaze, doom, and post-rock, when asked to describe the album in five words or less, frontwoman Michelle Malley was considered in her response: “Seductive. Dynamic. Emotional. Melodic. Cathartic.” We couldn’t agree more. For fans of Faetooth and Chelsea Wolfe, you can preorder the record here. While you await its arrival, enjoy an exclusive full album stream below. As a special treat, we caught up with the “Adele of L.A. Doom” herself to discuss Iress’ evolution, creative process, and the themes that shape their music.

Sleep Now, In Reverse marks a decade of releasing records together as Iress. It’s a fun exercise to listen through your catalog, hearing the growth as artists while maintaining a through-line in your sound. From a fan’s perspective, the core emotion is still there, with a noticeable upward trend in everything from instrumental confidence to production dynamics. Does this ring true from the stage side of the auditorium? Better asked, are these conscious areas you discuss, or would you say this is just a natural evolution of working and performing together?

It has undoubtedly been a natural evolution and progression stemming from our long-standing friendships and years of creating music together. Our shared passion for music and Iress is evident in everything we do. As we have grown, so has our music.

I imagine 2020 was quite frustrating. You’re sitting there with an excellent record on your hands, yet limited in typical promotional abilities for Flaw. How—if at all—did those constricted activities influence your approach to Sleep Now, In Reverse?

As for many, 2020 proved to be a challenging time for our band. Each member faced personal struggles, and we also had to deal with the departure of a bandmate due to the trials brought on by the pandemic. Despite these obstacles, Flaw surpassed our expectations with its success. It opened up new opportunities and gained more attention than we had anticipated, which provided a glimmer of positivity during a tough period. During the pandemic, we also connected with Graham [Walker], our new guitarist and a longtime friend, which has been incredibly positive for us.

Many bands have talked about a tug-of-war between their pandemic and post-pandemic releases, almost as if they’re promoting two records simultaneously. Does that resonate with you? If so, how do you create the space for them to breathe in the world together as individual works and unified representations of Iress?

We didn’t have the opportunity to tour Flaw or have a traditional release show, but it still had a significant impact. Even though it wasn’t a standard release, we didn’t feel like we were simultaneously juggling the promotion of two records. Instead, we were all eager to progress, write new music, and embark on a fresh chapter for Iress.

It’s always interesting to hear the creative journey of a song—or collection of songs—from inception to final product. Did you enter the studio with the songs written, fleshed out as demos, and ready to capture; did the create and capture process happen in tandem, or a mix of both?

It was a true fusion of both elements. The songs were meticulously crafted, demoed, and structured, but we had only managed to rehearse a few of them a handful of times. Given the highly collaborative nature of this album, each of us had to instruct and absorb specific parts and engage in refining and altering certain aspects during our studio sessions with our producer, Alex Estrada (Silver Snakes). Coming together in the studio with Alex was a transformative experience, breathing new life into the music and allowing the songs to flourish right before our eyes.

Could you tell me about the production of Sleep Now, In Reverse? Did you take a familiar route, or did you try something new?

We worked with Alex to record both Solace and Sleep Now, In Reverse at The Pale Moon Ranch [a residential studio in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles], which was an unforgettable experience. We decided to incorporate some new and innovative elements [with the new album] while maintaining some similarities with the previous EP. For this project, we took a different approach by recording many of the tracks live, with drums, bass, and guitar all performed together. We also experimented with recording drums and vocals in separate rooms using different microphones and introduced synthesizers. Since this is the most collaborative album we’ve ever created, I had the most fun developing melodies because these songs are so different.

It’s reasonably well-documented that you like to leave lyrical meanings up to interpretation. Without asking for specifics of any song in particular, could you tell me about any personal or professional themes that informed the overall tone of Sleep Now, In Reverse?

The band knows I tend to wait until the last second to finish lyrics. This time, I had the basic framework and meanings of the lyrics, then Graham and I completed them together in the studio during the vocal recording phase – the desert setting of The Pale Moon Ranch brought us even closer to these songs. Though I do like to leave lyrics up to interpretation, I genuinely like to chat about the meanings of our songs. It’s just hard to do in just a few words. I will say that I really let go with these lyrics. I wasn’t in my head as much. I just put everything out there and was true to myself and my raw emotions.

Is there anything more meaningful or meaningfully different about this collection of songs than previous recorded outings?

It feels like the theme of Sleep Now, In Reverse is transformation. We have been through so much. I think we are finally where we need to be, and we know exactly where we want to go.

Is there anything you’d like your listeners to take away from Sleep Now, In Reverse? A thought, feeling, or contemplation?

As a listener, it’s important to see this album as a journey and let it carry you along. Alex joked that an intermission might be necessary because of the record’s emotional depth. When he played ‘Falling’ for his mother during a studio visit, she was moved to tears right before us! It was a powerful moment that made us realize these songs might deeply resonate with our fans.

As you prepare for your upcoming U.K. tour and dates beyond, are there any songs from Sleep Now, In Reverse that are surprising you energetically that you’re excited to perform for fans?

Oh absolutely! First of all, we are thoroughly excited to perform all of our new songs, but I know we have talked about potentially performing ‘Mercy’ at the Arctangent Festival. That would be an epic moment for us. ‘Falling’ and ‘The Remains’ are also super fun to play. I am personally eager to include some of our older songs in the setlist. This will be our inaugural performance of these songs for our UK fans, and it will feel like a fresh experience for all of us.

For over a decade now Los Angeles based Iress has been offering their own take on shoegaze, doom, alternative rock, and everything in between.  Where some of the other bands in this space used doom as their foundation and layered the softer, dreamier textures over top, Iress has often felt more rock and shoegaze forward with a metallic sheen.  Each of their full lengths has continued to tweak and revise this formula, with Sleep Now, In Reverse presenting the most complete version of their vision to date.  Like the path Spotlights took on their last effort, Iress has varied the tempo more and incorporated even more musical styles while still retaining their somber beauty and heavier foundation.  It’s a bit more immediate than its predecessors while providing plenty of details to uncover upon repeat listens, and showcases this group only seems to be getting better with age.

Where Flaw seemed to immediately emphasize the weightier and gloomier side of Iress’ sound, Sleep Now, In Reverse opts to start off on a brighter note with opener “Falling”.  The slower, methodical tempo and weight of the bass and drums still bring plenty of the shoegaze and doom elements that the band has showcased throughout their career, but the way the guitar melodies seem to dance over the recording give a more dreamlike feel right from the start.  From this point onwards it becomes clear just how much more variety the group has for listeners on this latest effort, as where some of their prior material was a bit more uniform in tempo and tonality that’s not true here.  Songs like “Lovely (Forget Me Not)” are perfect examples, as it moves at a brisker and almost playful pace while the guitar work feels like shoegaze and alternative rock crossed with some of grunge’s somberness.  On the other end of the spectrum, “Mercy” and “Sanctuary” slow things back down significantly, letting the instrumentation build from minimal textures and haunting melodies to crashing peaks where the metallic sheen is back on full display.  The back and forth between the more 90s alternative rock/grunge influences and the power and weight of the shoegaze/doom comes together in a way that’s more immediate than some of Iress’ back catalog, as there are more hooks that stand out on that first listen.  At times the sound treads closely to artists like Emma Ruth Rundle and King Woman, but the way that everything comes together still gives Sleep Now, In Reverse a feel of its own.  While it’s still a somber listen there are some hauntingly beautiful moments to the instrumentation, and the injection of some faster tempos and even more elements from across rock’s various sub-genres goes a long way.  My only critique is closer “Deep”, which feels a little unnecessary after the climax of “Sanctuary” and with the way it kind of just meanders for a few minutes with sparser instrumentation makes it seem better served as an interlude rather than the final track.

There may be plenty of lush textures from the guitars that will draw listeners in, but Michelle Malley’s soaring voice continues to be what sets Iress over the top.  Her pitch is pretty close to Emma Ruth Rundle’s at certain points with the way it seems to lightly hover over the recording before soaring into the clouds with a considerable amount of power during the song’s peaks, but I also hear a number of other 90’s singer/songwriters.  “Lovely (Forget Me Not)” is a favorite of mine, as the way that Malley’s more somber and reflective tone intertwines with the moodier bass lines and shimmering guitars is stunning, and there are plenty of other moments throughout Sleep Now, In Reverse that have a similar sense of beauty.  The album has also been mixed in a way that allows the vocals to take the spotlight without completely overwhelming the more subtle details from the rest of the band, giving listeners plenty to uncover as they spend more time with the material.

Iress has come a long way since their formation in 2010, and while their core approach of fusing alternative rock, shoegaze, and doom hasn’t wavered they’ve added even more outside influences and varied up their songwriting.  Where some of their earlier discography may have felt a bit uniform in how the tracks progressed and their slower, methodical approach, the shift towards a blend of tempos makes for more immediate hooks while still allowing for expansive atmosphere.  For me it also feels like the album from this group I’ve been able to connect with the most, and whether you enjoy the slowcore of the 90s, more recent “doomgaze” adjacent artists, or anything in between, this is a must listen.  Sleep Now, In Reverse is available from Dune Altar and Church Road Records.

-Review by Chris Dahlberg

Die ‚Adele des Doom‘ erhebt wieder ihre Stimme. Diesen witzigen wie liebevollen Spitznamen von ihren Kolleg*innen der Musikszene in Los Angeles hat sich Michelle Malley redlich verdient. Als Sängerin von Iress schafft sie es wie nur wenige, ehrliche Emotionen in jede (musikalische) Situation einzubringen. Samt Band ist sie nun, nach zwei Alben und einer EP in Eigenregie, bei den Feinschmeckern von Church Road unter Vertrag. Hier erhält der packende Mix aus Doom, Dark Rock, Shoegaze und Slowcore in Form der neuen Platte „Sleep Now, In Reverse“ die passende, verdiente Bühne.

Im Grunde sagt der Opener „Falling“ bereits so ziemlich alles und bereitet doch nur rudimentär auf das folgende Wechselbad der Gefühle hin. Langsam angeschlagene Instrumente, bleiernes Tempo und dazu die helle, ausdrucksstarke Stimme – die perfekten Zutaten für nahezu unendliche Melancholie, die sich vor allem in den Harmonien einbrennt. Binnen kürzester Zeit erzeugen Iress einen wahren Klangwall mit leichten Variationen, der selbst in einem von Heavyness geprägten Zwischenspiel kaum ausbricht. Das folgende „Ever Under“ wirkt reduzierter und dramatischer zugleich, lässt die sägenden Gitarren bewusst aus den Tiefen des Arrangements kommen, wirkt dadurch kraftvoller und zugleich luftiger.

Derlei Widersprüche setzt es immer wieder, siehe und höre auch „Sanctuary“. So avantgardistisch klingt das US-Quartett nur selten, setzt in der Zweitstimme sogar ein paar Schreie und Growls ein, mit denen die Nähe zu Chelsea Wolfe sogar noch deutlicher ausgelebt wird. Infernale Abfahrten und harmonische Süße zwischendrin liefern sich einen bewusst entschleunigten Zweikampf. Hingegen wirkt „Lovely (Forgive Me Not)“ von der ersten Sekunde an launisch, dockt an 90s-Alternative-Klänge an und lässt zugleich im Unterbau ein nicht näher benanntes Feuer lodern. Hier wird es bald rundgehen, meint man, doch intensivieren Iress letztlich ’nur‘ die Atmosphäre und ringen ihrem Sound ein Mehr an Strahlkraft ab.

Exakt dieses Spiel mit Klangräumen und Erwartungen macht das dritte Album dieser Band so faszinierend. „Sleep Now, In Reverse“ haftet zugleich etwas Vertrautes und doch Widersprüchliches an. Man glaubt zu wissen, wohin die Reise geht, lässt sich aber wiederholt und mit wachsender Begeisterung überraschen. Diese kleinen, überaus feinen Zuckungen, das Spiel mit intensivsten Gefühlen und das tiefe Eintauchen in die Untiefen des Seins, von bittersüßer Melodik und einer wahrlich herausragenden, einzigartigen Stimmung begleitet, schaffen immersiven Hörgenuss der herausragenden Sorte. Iress schütteln eine kleine Schönheit von einem Album aus dem Ärmel, der man sich nicht entziehen kann.

Wertung: 8/10

Join Dave & Duncan as they review the new album from Los Angeles-based dream metal band, IRESS.

Entspanntes Träumen in anderen Welten.

Als es in der Redaktion mal wieder darum ging, die aktuellen Bemusterungen zu verteilen, stand hinter "Sleep Now, In Reverse" von IRESS die wunderbar unkonkrete und für viele Metaller wohl antagonistische Genrebezeichnung "Pop/Metal". Obwohl die Begriffe wie Gegensätze wirken, sind sie im modernen Metal wohl eher Symbiose. Man denke nur mal an Bands wie SPIRITBOX, SLEEP TOKEN oder FUTURE PALACE, die harte Gitarrenklänge mit Ausflügen in den modernen Elektro-Pop verbinden. Gerade diese ungenaue Beschreibung der Musik weckte meine Neugierde, ohne jemals auch nur irgendetwas von der Band mitbekommen zu haben.

Tatsächlich handelt es sich bei "Sleep Now, In Reverse" bereits um das vierte Album der Band IRESS, die sich im Jahr 2010 in Los Angeles gegründet hat. Allerdings sind ihre ersten drei Platten ohne Label und im Eigenvertrieb erschienen, weshalb der Bekanntsheitsgrad der Truppe vor allem in Europa äußerst gering ist. Erst seit 2023 haben sie zumindest drei Singles in den USA über Dune Altar vertrieben. Das neue Album erscheint nun auch in Europa via Church Road Records.

Völlig ohne musikalische Vorahnung hörte ich also in die Platte rein. Der Opener 'Falling' beginnt mit ruhiger Gitarre und etwas Snare auf dem Schlagzeug, etwas später zünden die ersten verzerrten Sechssaiter. Fahrt nimmt der Track jedoch nicht auf, es kommen erste Gedanken an eine Band wie SLOWDIVE oder auch an die Künstlerin CHELSEA WOLFE auf. Wir befinden uns hier also nicht in einer modernen Symbiose aus Metal und Pop, es geht viel sanftmütiger daher. Dadurch lässt sich die Genrezuschreibung deutlich präziser fassen. Die Musik von IRESS schwankt irgendwo zwischen härterem Shoegaze, Slowcore und Atmosphere/Ambient.

Der fast schon traditionelle Nachteil an dieser Musikmischung ist, dass die Lieder alle sehr ähnlich klingen. Selbst nach mehrmaligem Hören kann kaum unterschieden werden, um welchen Track es sich genau handelt. Allerdings ist das wohl eher als zweitrangig zu betrachten, denn es geht auf "Sleep Now, In Reverse" um das Erzeugen einer Atmosphäre, die einen in andere Welten entführt. Kräfte, aber ruhige Gitarrenwände ohne Hektik treffen auf die herausragende melancholische Stimme von Michelle Malley, die in der lokalen Szene von Los Angeles bereits als "Adele of Doom" bezeichnet worden ist und deren Gesang ein wenig an Stefanie Mannaerts von BRUTUS, aber ohne Wutausbrüche erinnnert.

"Sleep Now, In Reverse" von IRESS ist ein spannender Longplayer geworden. Auch wenn keine einzelnen Songs hervorstechen, funktioniert die Scheibe mit ihrem Gesamtkonzept wunderbar. Wenn man sich auf die Musik einlässt, kann sie einen aus dem Alltag herausholen, zum Träumen einladen und in entspannte Sphären katapultieren.