Los Angeles doomgaze outfit Iress bring cathartic elegance on third full-length album Sleep Now, In Reverse – an absorbing collection of tracks that sees the band at their most elevated.

There’s a yearning for escapism that Iress tap into on Sleep Now, In Reverse that is hauntingly visceral. This record reveals a tapestry of emotions woven by a ghastly infatuation that which you can’t help but be completely sedated by it. Add to that their enchanting (but no less heavy) take on doomgaze and you’re left with possibly one of the most revealing rock and metal releases of this year. And for this to be my very first exposure to them – it’s truly an insane thought to have.

Sleep Now, In Reverse marks the Los Angeles-based outfit’s third full-length album and it’s apparent the confidence instilled in each of these songs, beginning with the record itself and how it sways like candle flames lit in an empty room: strikingly intimate yet viciously overwhelming. Moody and somber are for sure feelings you’ll immediately experience upon first listen, but you’ll soon find out that there’s an intoxicating quality to the record’s sound; a sense of completely giving in that permeates throughout it, only heightened by the ardent blend of emotionally raw vocals and hefty instrumentals. Or at least that’s what I felt when I first stumbled upon this band through one of the album’s singles “Falling”.

‘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.‘

The above comment made by the band makes so much sense after having given the record various listens. Which is interesting to think about since one of the things that captivated me about Sleep Now, In Reverse was the way the songs leaned towards being anthemic, albeit in a manner that denoted a vital moment of cleansing rather than merely seeming grand in scope. “The Remains” is a great example of this; glimmering doom passages give way to a commanding vocal performance whose sardonic lyrical tug-and-pull makes the track that much more palpable. Similarly, “Mercy” tunes the doom down a notch to offer a shimmering iteration of slowcore that really shows how enveloping the instrumentation is, particularly the drumming.

Speaking of drums – the groove laid down on “Lovely (Forget Me Not)” is absolutely tasteful. Through this album, you’ll easily notice that Iress have found the satisfying balance of playing with dynamics, being able to shift tempos and volume without things ever seeming out of place. Whether it is the balladry of the goth rock-tinged “Leviathan (The Fog)” or the miasmic grit that takes hold on “Knell Mera”, the cohesion in their songwriting is very much a catalyst to lose yourself in the album with no struggle whatsoever. The guitars notably take charge on the latter, starting with a pummeling intro that flourishes into a beautifully harrowing waltz-esque piece of work slightly reminiscent of Katatonia‘s later outputs.

“Sanctuary” then follows suit, a song I consider to be the record’s crowning moment. It’s as if all the previous tracks were setting a precedent for this one – the brooding, almost cavernous cut merging all the sonic qualities presented thus far into a riveting exhibition of doomgaze that Iress have successfully achieved with this album. Plaintive arrangements roam around in shimmering carelessness that builds up into a stirring sonic tempest, with the vocals being subtle yet also displaying some of the most impassioned vocal showcasing you’ll come across this year. The ‘I see red‘ refrain throughout the song is especially hair-raising considering how the line is delivered through cracking whispers, imposing reverence, and agonizing wails.

There is one word that ultimately describes Sleep Now, In Reverse, and that is poise. Even with the record’s bereft meanderings and the fervor that characterizes the band’s overall performance in it, there’s delicacy to all the emotional heft that set Iress apart from other doomgaze acts. Sure enough, this is the album that will mark them on the map – or at least that’s what I hope for – because there is so much here to reflect, appreciate, and enjoy. It goes without saying that this is a record you do not want to miss out, and it’s truly luck to be introduced to a band such as this one in this fashion.

Sleep Now, In Reverse is de derde langspeler van het Amerikaanse Iress. Een band die naar eigen zeggen ‘dream metal’ maakt. Zangeres Michelle Malley wordt kennelijk door haar omgeving ‘de Adele van de metal’ genoemd. Dat belooft dus wat. Is het Iress to impress? We gaan het meemaken.

Het eerste nummer, Falling, opent met wat shoegaze-achtige gitaren die zweven in een dikke laag nagalm. De dromerige zanglijnen bieden hiervoor de mysterieuze omlijsting die het nodig heeft. De vocalen hebben een iets intensere ondertoon dan we van bijvoorbeeld Slowdive gewend zijn. Mede hierdoor weet Iress echt een eigen geluid te creëren. Echter bevindt de zang soms wat te veel op de voorgrond in de mix, waardoor ze op die momenten een te overheersend karakter krijgt. Dit leidt soms een beetje af van de dromerigheid van de rest van de nummers. Als een sterke wierook die even aanwezig als bedwelmend is. Maar ook in de geur van wierook zit schoonheid. Dit geldt ook voor Iress.

Want op Sleep Now, In Reverse is veel om van te genieten. De snik in de stem van Michelle en het slepende drumwerk zorgen voor een intrigerende luisterervaring. Aangezien ze al op de planken hebben gestaan met bands als Hexvessel en Blackwater Holylight én dit jaar te bewonderen zijn op het Engelse Arctangent Festival, denk ik dat het niet lang meer zal duren voordat ze op het Tilburgse Roadburn Festival geboekt zullen worden. Ik kijk er in ieder geval naar uit.

Tijdens The Remains lijkt het alsof we langzaam opstijgen, maar net wanneer het nummer zijn climax lijkt te bereiken, is het alweer afgelopen. Het nummer In Reverse heeft vervolgens weer een wat meer ingetogen karakter, en biedt een mooi rustmoment voor het daaropvolgende Knell Mera. Een nummer dat opent met een ietwat dreigende riff die ook wel op zijn plek was geweest op het meest recente album van Hexvessel. De imponerende zang van Malley pakt je vervolgens wederom bij de lurven en sleurt je mee. Als een psychedelische trip, of een koortsdroom. Deze laat je ook op slotnummers Sanctuary en Deep niet meer los.

Iress presenteert hier een zeer aangenaam album dat bij liefhebbers van shoegaze en andere dromerigheden goed in de smaak zal vallen! Als je op zoek bent naar het forsere zwaarmetalen beukgeweld, ben je hier aan het verkeerder adres. Op de vraag Iress to impress?, zeg ik dus: “yes!”

Score:

80/100

Iress – Sleep Now, In Reverse

Los Angeles doomgazers Iress have been at it for a while, building up a following the old fashioned way, though a hectic routine of live shows and writing great, epic dirges that echo the gothic atmosphere of Chelsea Wolfe while infusing them with the intricate post-metal roar of Isis. Sleep Now, In Reverse is a new personal best for the group, an album of nuanced devastation and graceful destruction, balancing moments of quiet vulnerability with impenetrable walls of guitar. It’s worth noting that these aren’t merely their best songs, but likewise their prettiest, leaning into the knack for melody that’s set them apart from the get-go and bolstering it with an awe-inspiring physical force.

We hyped Iress‘ last full-length, Flaw, a lot when it came out a couple of years ago – now the band is back with a more modern, fashionable aesthetic and a slightly updated sound to fit in with the trend of the more gaudy side of modern doom. And they pull it off fantastically.

Church Road Records have followed the progress of LA alt-rock quartet, Iress, for some time, and it’s clear that signing them to their label is a highlight for their staff. We know that co-founders, Sammy Urwin and Justine Jones, like three things – extreme metal, metallic hardcore and shoegaze. For every death-doom, black or prog metal artist, you’ll find something more ethereal and sorrowful. After all, this is a label that hosts hardcore death metallers, Burner, and New Zealand post-punk quartet, Landlords.

Given the resurgence of shoegaze over the last fifteen years, it becomes harder to find anything interesting in this renaissance, especially among those that cite Deafheaven as an influence. Iress are one such band, but you’ll find nothing to dislike in their new album. In fact, it might annoy you how good they are if you’ve already decided to write them off as another doomgaze experiment for NME elitists and subscribers to The Guardian newspaper.

Iress tease you into a solipsistic dream as soon as Michelle Malley’s introspective vocals and the electric guitars enter after twenty seconds of light bass strumming in opener, ‘Falling’. Words soothe and sever from their meanings like splitting dew drops. The vocal lines are pleasant but tinged with an undefined sorrow. Music like this can be relaxing despite the distorted guitars and intangible chord shapes. An accompanying video showing the slow metamorphosis of a butterfly would be ideal. Everything seems to be in harmony without a conscious effort. Observe how the longing in the lyrics match the mood of the instrumentation: “Always waiting for you to call my name / Always waiting for you / You say you will, you won’t / You push and you pull.”

Of course, we’ve heard the great paradox of this record in shoegaze and in the alternative rock of the Smashing Pumpkins. Seething guitars contrast with a tone and tempo that venerates the simplistic beauty of, say, snow-covered trees or harmless sneezes in a meadow of buttercups. The verse parts in ‘Ever Under’ quieten the tempo with crystal clear drum snares guiding the direction of the words. “I can touch the pain in your eyes / I know what it’s like to be broken,” cries Malley. Much of this feels like a lullaby from a benevolent but sombre guardian who struggles to hide their burdens from those under their care. An analysis of the two guitar channels reveals some interesting mid-range chord-play and abstract pedal effects in the wet humidity.

The blurry textures are a permanent feature of this music and can become oppressive if you let them affect your listening experience. So, don’t. Instead, follow the emotions of the louder dynamics and let these be your passages underneath the waterfalls. ‘Mercy’ is not too far away from the dream-pop-meets-doom of the new GUHTS record. A gentle breeze and a misty drizzle are all you crave in your autumn solitude. The peace of being alone is sublime in ‘Leviathan (The Fog)’. You don’t need human company to be content. Here, Glenn Chu’s rim clicks mirror the soft and vibrant beats of your heart. Malley’s words pine with tuneful regret: “Didn’t wanna go / Sick obsession / Didn’t wanna go / I don’t want more.”

Michelle Malley knows how to unleash a brooding chorus at just the right time, but you need to be in a melancholy mood to get the most out of this form of art. ‘Lovely (Forget Me Not)’ is like The Sundays with intrusive electric guitars and the sorrowful fairyland melodies of Cocteau Twins. The debut Curve album feels more important than ever after thirty-two years. Those harmless whirlpools of melody emanating from the amps are easy to follow and appreciate. After all, this is just as much an album for guitarists who value the supremacy of textures over flamboyance and red emotions.

It’s not always dangerous to be in and out of consciousness – that’s the effect Iress have on you. Something as simple as heavy-gain guitars playing seventh chord shapes can be as soothing as a wet flannel to the forehead. But this record is also the band’s heaviest in their catalogue. Listen how the bass strings hang by the thread in their drooping encasement of the powerful drumbeats in ‘The Remains’. Here, Malley forces her emotions into an aching lament, dwelling on her words for a longer suspense than usual. A surprise growl of metallic guitars fights with a reverb-drenched arpeggio in the outro. Likewise, ‘Knell Mera’ evolves in the manner of a shoegaze interpretation of post-metal with luscious vocal arrangements that sparkle like empurpled petals in the early morning mist.

The albums you want to dismiss as overrated can be the most enjoyable when they connect with you. This is a prime example of the virtues of an open mind.

Iress is feeding my obsession with shoe-gazy and hazy guitars with evocative vocals that make the whole room shimmer. Sleep Now, In Reverse may seem like an oddball selection, but every now and then heavy can be more of a thick quilt than a jackhammer to the temples. Iress has beautifully heavy moments interspersed with undulating waves of tenderness. Put this on at 3 AM after a Lamb of God concert or something, and you’ll feel what I mean while you chill your badass bones.

Let the doom become your dream, Iress present lucid bliss with Sleep Now, In Reverse.

LA doomgazers Iress have wandered the plains since 2010 becoming a force of nature exquisitely sculpting themselves within the shoegaze realm, with two albums and 2023 EP Solace to look back on with pride this latest effort executes a less is more approach with joyous results.

Iress are delicate and authentic in their presentation as vocalist Michelle Malley’s angelic drawl is a core element gliding and swooning with a heavy heart into the melancholy of opener ‘Falling’ in which a perfect tandem is formed with the bands Hum-like atmosphere. The swathes of distortion from guitarist Graham Walker are shackled to each other in complete understanding as we enter the eerie warbles of ‘Mercy’ with the moody and creeping toms of drummer Glenn Chu only to erupt into a menacing and devastating spectacle.

Just as capable of being an effortlessly somber experience Malley’s vocals levitate during its slower passages to create ominous intrigue as the layers and textures weave together to enable the euphoric crescendos anchored by low end of bass player Michael Maldonado. Some remnants of more optimistic days can be found in ‘Lovely (Forget Me Not)’ as the instrumentals cantor with brightness into the albums catchiest melodies. Just as quickly as it arrived the optimism evaporates in an instant to give way to the more metallic elements of the bands repertoire as emphatic breakdowns are used sparingly but are all the more effective as the omnipresent Walker swells in and out of existence.

Lyrically left up to interpretation but no less haunting and evoking an eternity in mourning “You talk, mourn in my head” is an imprint left forever on the listener during ‘In Reverse’ as it fills the air with a crushing sorrow. The overwhelming emotional presence within the album runs deep and its difficult not to be hooked and let it carry you and even during ‘Knell Mara’ where Iress are at their heaviest and the doom influence leads the way the emotional intensity from Malley is not lost. Towards the end of this journey there is gravel and torture in the vocals, urgency in the instrumentation as if a body in its final throes before we are left with a ponderous closer, as if staring into a river of calm waters, seeping with reflection and anticipating an unknown future.

After more than a decade mastering the swing of the heavy pendulum Iress build upon unwavering unity, group catharsis and an eagerness to make waves. Never more comfortable in their skin and ready to be welcomed and celebrated into the renewed and feverish shoegaze scene. Fans of Chelsea Wolfe and A.A. Williams should flock, because your new favourite band is on a plate. Be sure to catch them this August as they make a jaunt over to the UK supporting the occultist rockers Hexvessel which includes an unmissable performance at ArcTanGent.

Score: 8/10

Sleep Now, In Reverse is Los Angeles-based Iress’s latest inky, black pool of highly refined doomgaze. Distortion and chorus/reverb guitar effects jockey for position over the spooky contralto of vocalist Michelle Malley. While this hypnotic 50-minute dosage of dark thoughts and musings fills its genre-carved role quite well, it may not stir all of one’s senses.

On their second release for their label, Dune Altar, no boundaries are broken. There are no feats of intricate or mesmerizing songwriting. Iress doesn’t stray too far from their formula as Sleep Now, In Reverse marks their third LP. The formula? Lull the listener into a sense of eerie self-reflection via droning guitars, slow, no-frills drum parts, and softly uttered vocals – then slowly turn up the heat and distortion (but never the speed) into a full-body crescendo. “Mercy” and “Falling” are prime examples of this.

This general framework supports the whole album but there are some tracks that spread the talents a little more evenly. “Lovely (Forget Me Not)” offers some very welcome grooviness and serves as the stand-out for the album not in function but in form. The track was not a single before the album’s release but its broadened parameters make it the best on the album.

The most redeeming quality on the album, and moreover of the band, are the vocals of Michelle Malley. They give a chiaroscuro effect to the vast, foreboding landscape that Alex Estrada’s mixing establishes, where individual musical parts feel spread widely apart. Malley’s voice shines like a beacon through the dark. Sinewy track transitions tie some of the songs together and further service the themes of isolation and loss, particularly the muffled talking at the end of “Mercy.”

Lyrically Sleep Now, In Reverse is a series of inwardly baleful reflections. Remorse, regret, and pain line the halls of this haunted mansion. “I can’t separate accident or fate//Ever under gaze,” Malley croons on “Ever Under.” “Until you met me//All to forget me” Malley laments on “Lovely (Forget Me Not).” Under a careful reading between the lines, something that was once good has gone awry.

Moments with truly heavy riffs like the end of “The Remains” or the beginning of “Knell Mera” are the chewiest bits on the record and they add some much-needed iron to what can feel like a rather anemic collection of songs. Glenn Chu’s drums open up a bit on “Sanctuary” for a very welcome texture change. The final track “Deep” does the same in a much more subtle fashion.

Sleep Now, In Reverse is Iress at their most distilled yet, but at times strays from some of the creativity and substance of their previous releases in favor of style. The result is still a well-crafted and very well-produced dark delight, but its bursts of energy are outweighed by their longer and less interesting build-ups. As individual songs, there are few flaws, but also nothing particularly memorable or engaging.

Iress have been working towards this album for a few years. Waiting for the rise of shoegaze to meet the acceptance of fans of doom filled metal. Now the time seems perfect. The stars are aligning, and the world should finally be ready to move them from underground Los Angeles band to well-known international act. Michelle Malley's vocals form the centre of everything on this album. The clever bit is that she pins it all together without ever feeling like she's dominating the sound or going OTT with her delivery. Please take note other vocalists, you don't need to bark, growl or bite to be the centre of attention.

That not to say that the rest of the band are just mere passengers. The entire Iress family is knocking out of the park on this album. The sign of a truly great band is knowing exactly what the required amount of presence or space is. On every single track there is a restraint shown that is the domain of the truly tasteful - take a bow Graham Walker (guitars), Michael Maldonado (bass), and Glenn Chu (drums).

This is not an album of bright moments or big singalong choruses; this is an album for people who enjoy melancholy and want to swim in the deep dark pools it can create. That's not to say it's an album that depresses you, as it's littered with so many moments of staggering beauty.

If you're the kind of person who likes Deftones tracks like Minerva and Change (In The house Of Flies) then this album is for you. Equally if you're coming from the more indie side of shoegaze, there is nothing to fear. The album delivers beautiful melodies over walls of guitars. The main difference being that the rhythm sections are punchier and more technical. By the time you reach the outstanding In Reverse, you can't help but feel seduced into submission.

VERDICT: A stunning album with one of the most haunting vocal performances of the year.

4.75 / 5