Iress es un grupo formado en Los Ángeles hace catorce años, tiempo más que suficiente para lograr dejar una impronta con su etérea mezcla de doom metal, shoegaze y slowcore (hay quienes dicen “doomgaze”). Formado por Michelle Malley (voz y guitarra), Graham Walker (guitarra y sintetizador), Michael Maldonado (bajo) y Glenn Chu (batería), esta banda se ha consolidado, con este cuarto álbum (aparte de dos EP), como un exponente cautivante en el paisaje del underground musical más sensible, donde las personas andan en busca, no tanto de experiencias catárticas, sino de sonidos cuidadosamente arreglados para acompañar determinados momentos de su vida. Hordas adoradoras de propuestas como Anathema, The Gathering, Katatonia, pero también Deftones, Chelsea Wolfe, Emma Ruth Rundle o A.A. Williams: denle una oportunidad a Iress.

Ya desde el primer track, Falling, resulta evidente el talento compositivo de Iress. Les anticipo que no es una banda con canciones mediocres: cada una encuentra la forma de tocar alguna fibra íntima. La voz de Malley es hermosa, emana una tristeza tan dulce que resulta atractiva. La propuesta instrumental es simple y concisa: se trata de ejecutar con extrema delicadeza las más melancólicas melodías, armonías y texturas. Ever Under eleva la intensidad con un riff que invita al headbanging sin dejar de evocar una cálida oscuridad envolvente. Amantes de la música dark: suban el volumen. Cada nota, cada golpe, cada palabra tiene su impacto. El despliegue vocal es brillante en todo momento, pero en el estribillo puede ser lacrimógeno.

Mercy se erige con fuerza, y mientras nos dejamos llevar por la magia de este cuarteto californiano, empezamos a percibir ese patrón como de oleaje, de idas y vueltas oceánicas en la potencia sonora de la emoción. Me animo a decir que Iress crea un metal con sensibilidad de balada pop: pero de las buenas, la de los 80’s. Las líneas de guitarra son de una sutileza estremecedora. Leviathan (The Fog) nos lleva a un plano más introspectivo, hasta con ciertas reminiscencias de Sade, no solamente por la preciosura de la voz, sino también por el trabajo percusivo. Todo estalla hacia la mitad del track, o mejor dicho: la marea rompe contra las rocas, siguiendo la metáfora que venimos elaborando.

Lovely (Forget Me Not) nos coloca ante otro tipo de energía, algo de la bruma se disipa para que lleguen algunos rayos de luz. La atmósfera se siente más liviana y podemos encontrarnos bailando sin darnos cuenta. La virtud estética mantiene el nivel, al punto de que sería difícil elegir las piezas favoritas en esta colección. The Remains tiene una base rítmica donde el bajo suena prominente por primera vez, en un in crescendo que va directo hacia la cresta sentimental con un gran solo de guitarra incluido, para volver a descender y acumular poder nuevamente. Aparece una distorsión más densa que la presentada anteriormente, y unos cortes y transiciones espectaculares, en uno de los tramos más pesados de todo el disco.

In Reverse… ¿Cómo puede una canción sonar a hit desde la primera frase cantada a los veinte segundos? Malley maneja las dosis precisas de dramatismo al cantar. Aquí la batería se destaca por su versatilidad y surgen otros lapsos de especial contundencia en la totalidad del conjunto. Las armonías conmovedoras son una constante. Knell Mera arranca a puro machaque para, inmediatamente, volver a hundirnos en las profundidades de nuestro propio ser, sabiendo que no nos darán tiempo de caer en el sueño. Un bajo melódico captura una mayor atención aunque, de todas formas, siempre la acapara la sirena que lidera la banda. Ciertamente, creo que Iress es un grupo del que puede no haber retorno.

Llega Sanctuary y nos vuelve a proponer un lento ascenso hacia un punto de desborde que genera un goce existencial. Creo que es el primer track que puede resultar un poco desafiante, en el sentido de que no nos roba la voluntad rápidamente. Aquí retenemos el control para ver qué sucede. Todo termina con Deep, un título que no podía ser más apropiado para cerrar el álbum y que suena bastante similar a lo hecho por Chelsea Wolfe. Claramente, optaron por un final relativamente calmo, para un trabajo excelente, de gran belleza y muy recomendable.

When I first heard Iress’ uniquely dreamy doomgaze sound live around seven or eight years ago (our bands shared a stage, full disclosure) it struck me as elegant and powerful, and it remains so now on Sleep Now, In Reverse, their strongest album to date. The Los Angeles group maintains a seemingly impossible balance between soaring heights and roaring lows, their sound anchored by an undeniable sense of power and muscle while their melodic sensibility aims for weightlessness. They’ve been compared to the likes of Emma Ruth Rundle and King Woman, artists whose music is more metal-adjacent than strictly for-the-riffs. And it’s fitting, but Iress have established a sonic identity all their own, one where a moment of delicate beauty can hit just as hard as a double-bass pummel.

L’aver detto, poco tempo fa, tra le risposte ai commenti di un mio pezzo precedente, che Sleep Now, In Reverse degli IRESS non mi avesse fatto impazzire, mi ha fatto guadagnare qualche canzonatura per la mia città di origine, non certo nota per la delicatezza di carattere di chi vi è cresciuto. A parte gli scherzi (scherzi?), la questione del doomgaze ancora non l’ho capita del tutto. Voglio dire, doom per davvero non mi sento dire che lo sia, ma un post-rock più fragoroso. Praticamente significa prendere i Mazzy Star e suonarli con le chitarre un po’ più pesanti (non troppo) e le batterie quadrate. Che occhio, non è affatto una cattiva idea, non mi trova affatto contrario. E in realtà, vi dico, sarà che son cominciate le brume quassù in Padania, ma ‘sto disco inizia ora a prendermi.

Insomma, gli Iress sono californiani e mi viene da dire che non potrebbe essere altrimenti. La gentilezza malinconica è prevalentemente quella di Michelle Malley, cantante chitarrista di nero vestita. Sussurra molto, per cui non so quanti altri lettori di Metal Skunk possano trovare interessante una proposta così. Ma il disco, nei limiti di stile che si impongono i quattro, è valido, in realtà. Sussurri senza troppi sussulti, anche se un brano come Lovely (Forget Me Not), in cui i nostri si muovono tra Cure e certi Smashing Pumpkins, potrebbe valere per far convincere, che so, la vostra morosa che un animo sensibile ce lo avete pure voi, anche se venute dal basso Lazio. Meglio ancora, dopo, The Remains, che gioca la carta della malìa sontuosa ma che lascia intuire che i tre musicisti, volessero, potrebbero fare più casino. Chissà che strada prenderanno mai, in futuro. Per ora vi bastino, se vi garbano, dieci brani omogenei di mestizia autunnale e femminea.

Iress “Sleep Now, In Reverse” (Church Road Records)

Gli Iress provengono dalla California. Si sono formati nell’instancabile, e poliedrica scena di LA nel 2010, plasmandosi intorno alla figura della cantante Michelle Malley, affascinante interprete del crepuscolare viaggio che la band ha deciso di intraprendere, e che li porta, oggi, a pubblicare questo altrettanto affascinante “Sleep Now, In Reverse”.

L’album, uscito in estate per la britannica Church Road Records, mostra un taglio spiccatamente cinematografico che, con grande intensità, guarda nel profondo in cerca di quella lieta tristezza che non può non ammaliare, andando a soddisfare la nostra sempre più difficilmente colmabile voglia di malinconia.

Il quartetto statunitense rappresenta una delle realtà contemporanee tra le più sottovalutate. La magia del loro tocco dovrebbe averli portati ai vertici di quel coacervo di band che si muovono tra il post metal meno aggressivo e lo shoegaze più sognante. E invece, come puntualmente accade per tutti coloro che non hanno santi in paradiso, non è così.

Gli Iress, al netto degli addetti ai lavori che ricevono puntualmente gli aggiornamenti sulle loro uscite, continuano ad essere un nome che resta relegato ai margini. Basta ascoltare questo “Sleep Now, In Reverse” per rendersi conto della magia che caratterizza le dieci tracce, e che sublima una tristissima depressione, portandoci a toccare l’estasi.

‘Dream’ and ‘metal’ aren’t two words usually heard side by side in heavy music. LA-based doomgazers Iress, however, are proud to be the first band to officially represent the subcategory. 

“Some songs of ours are really dream-like and pretty, whereas others are heavy and dark,” says frontwoman Michelle Malley, speaking of their new album, Sleep Now, In Reverse. “It’s two completely different sides of music coming together.” 

Recorded at Pale Moon Ranch, a studio in the Californian desert, Sleep Now, In Reverse marries the lush, shadowy soundscapes of dream pop bands Beach House and Cocteau Twins with the weightier and more ‘sensual’ end of metal as represented by the likes of Deftones. It’s an album of oppositional forces and transitions; from light to dark, loud to quiet, from feelings of euphoria to melancholy. 

“A lot of this album is like a tug of war,” Michelle says, noting how the songs cover the unstable nature of relationships. “People hurt you, betray you and wrong you. Maybe I don’t express my anger in the moment, but in my songs I let it out freely.” 

In response to her tender untangling of relationships, the frontwoman has been dubbed ‘the Adele of Doom’. 

“People can’t stop saying it,” she says with a chuckle, thinking the moniker over. “I love Adele, and I have a similar kind of soulfulness in my voice, so it’s fitting.” 

Looking forward, Michelle hopes that Iress will one day support their favourite bands from both sides of the musical spectrum, including Radiohead, Deafheaven and Beach House. 

“Do we want to be the heavier band on the bill, or do we want to open for somebody heavier than us? I’m still finding that sweet spot.” Liz Scarlett

Sleep Now, In Reverse is out now via Church Road

Sounds Like: Listening to crashing waves with a lovelorn, heavy heart
For Fans Of: Chelsea Wolfe, Beach House, Deafheaven
Listen To: The Remains

For me, autumn is the best season for gloomy and introspective music, whether it is Dark Folk or more heavier music, perfect time for Iress’ new record Sleep Now, In Reverse.

I don’t know about you but I’m one of those music fans that has a specific sound craving at certain times. We’re (finally) in autumn, I longed for this weather so much that I can’t hide the excitement for this season. If you have read something from me before you know that I tend to associate some genres to specific seasons/times.

Iress formed in 2010 and I will openly admit that I think it’s my fault that I discovered them only with this album. I have no excuses, I know, but I’m catching up!

The band has previously released two full-length records (Pray in 2015 and Flaw in 2020) and an EP (Solace in 2023); the singer Michelle Malley has been defined as the Adele of Doom, her vocal range and ability to blend in with the music is perfectly controlled (think about Messa’s Sara for example!). This is the kind of vocals I personally love in heavy music; Michelle is so expressive, and perfectly able to control her instrument any way she pleases.

Iress plays a kind of Doomgaze with preponderant vocals even though they don’t outshine the final result, it’s more like an even-tempered path where the instruments complete the vocals. Sleep Now, In Reverse is one of those records where I wouldn’t retouch anything, the band’s formula is right there, and it’s unique.

“Falling” is a great opening. There’s the perfect mix of gloomy lyrics and atmosphere backed up with loads of heaviness. Without any doubt this is one of my favourite tracks. It has everything I want to listen to during darker seasons like this (am I overly-enthusiastic about autumn? yes.).

Throughout the whole album Iress never lose track of their sound, we can have some “experiments” that don’t fall too far from the core of their identity. You may hear some soft Math-influences in “Ever Under”. “The Remains” starts softly, it makes me think about the old Hiss Spun-era Chelsea Wolfe, and since her name popped up … what about a real collaboration between Iress and her? I will pray to the music gods for this. On the other side “Knell Mera”, which may be one of the most powerful tracks on this record, has a heavy start but the verses made me think about a parallel universe where Blonde Redhead are heavier, I’d love that.

Overall, this record points out smoothly the band’s capacity and uniqueness, the balance between the whispered, softer parts is harmonized with heavier and doomer moments. Sleep Now, In Reverse could be defined as a record of melodic heavy ballads, that follows the Doomgaze path and adds the unique talent of their singer.

Too bad they already toured Europe this summer and I didn’t have a chance to go see them. Let’s hope for a comeback in the near future!

IRESS – Bixler Stage

Iress live @ ArcTanGent 2024

Since their formation in 2017, Church Road Records and ArcTanGent have been the perfect bedfellows and given the sheer beauty of their Sleep Now, In Reverse album, it’s clear to see why LA’s IRESS are on both rosters. They mesmerise the sizeable crowd with their dreamy doom-gaze, led by the soaring and impassioned vocals of frontwoman Michelle Malley, set against a wall of guitars and underpinned by a weighty rhythm section. The raw power and emotion Malley puts into the chorus of Falling is nothing short of astonishing, especially given how demure she comes across when she gives her quiet thank yous in between songs. The band showcases their versatility when they bring out the colossal riffs of The Remains, but it’s when Malley ditches they guitar to leave everything on the stage for closer Wolves that everyone in Bixler is wholly and unconditionally enamoured with these bright young souls.

Rating: 9/10

No one is prepared for the sonic and emotional journey Los Angeles-based Doomgaze quartet Iress will take listeners on with their new album Sleep Now, In Reverse. Spearheaded by vocalist and guitarist Michelle Malley, along with guitarist Graham Walker, bassist Michael Maldonado, and drummer Glenn Chu, Sleep Now, In Reverse is a powerful juxtaposition between beautifully rich and ethereal soundscapes paired with pummeling and colossal heavy arrangements. Sleep Now, In Reverse, which was partially recorded live, shows Iress firing on all cylinders and, in essence, captures the band’s undeniably rich live sound and dynamic, further brought to life by Frontwoman Michelle Malley’s evocative vocal performances and lyricism that can only be described as chillingly vulnerable. 

Released on July 26th via Dune Altar and Church Road Records, Sleep Now, In Reverse is already proving to be the band’s breakthrough album. With rave reviews from esteemed media outlets including Metal Injection, Decibel Magazine, and Flood Magazine — as well as successful tour dates across the pond in the UK, Iress may be heading into the most exciting era of their nearly fifteen-year career. In other words, Sleep Now, In Reverse is the definitive Iress album, a product of decades of hard work and creative evolution just waiting to be discovered. 

We sat down with Iress frontwoman and guitarist Michelle Malley to discuss the band’s new album Sleep Now, In Reverse, their recent UK tour, musical influences, dream collaborations, and so much more. 

Upon first listening to your brand new album Sleep Now, In Reverse, I was immediately intrigued by how warm and rich the recordings are. Not to mention, the songs have a very organic and "live" aspect. What was the recording process like for the album, and what did you want it to encapsulate sonically? 

Michelle Malley: Well, first off, thank you so much. We actually tracked all the drums and bass live, including some of the guitars. It was a really cool process. Of course, we had a lot of fun layering on top of them with synths, more guitars, and vocal harmonies. Our process of recording was very instinctive, improvised, and collaborative. We had all the songs pieced together before recording them, but a lot of the writing happened in the studio together. We stayed at The Pale Moon Ranch for a week at a time, creating and writing, making it very special. 

Another aspect of the album that really stands out is the juxtaposition of the ethereal tenderness of the vocal performances over such heavy arrangements. With your music incorporating everything from doom and metal to shoegaze and post-rock, what specific influences and artists inspired you this time around? 

Malley: I've always loved how eclectic our band's personal music tastes are; I believe that's why our music is the way it is. We channeled a lot of our metal roots with chugging guitar riffs and mathy outros. Still, we also embraced our dreamy shoegaze-y side with lots of atmospheric layers and synths. This album specifically is the most collaborative one yet which is why every track is so different from the other. Beach House and Slowdive were high in our music rotation, along with bands such as Cocteau Twins, Windhand, and Holy Fawn. We are all influenced by so many bands, and it's hard to name only a few, so I will leave it there.

It feels like you are holding nothing back in terms of vulnerability. Leading into this album, what did you feel like you needed to get off your chest lyrically? 

Malley: Well, that's definitely a loaded question. My lyrics are highly influenced by my emotions and what I'm going through. I have been my most vulnerable self the past two releases, especially lyrically. There has been a lot of change and heartbreak in the air over the years, and making music is definitely how I release it all. I actually invited Graham into my lyrical world, and he had a hand in the lyrics for Sleep Now, In Reverse, which made them even more vulnerable. He helped me bring them to life.

If you had to choose, what is your favorite song from Sleep Now, In Reverse, and why? 

Malley: That is so hard! I think they have all been a favorite at some point while we were writing them. “Falling” is currently my favorite to play live. I think today I am going to choose “Leviathan (The Fog).” It's the softer one on the record and quite different from the rest, and I absolutely love how it came together. 

At the beginning of August, you played your album release show at the legendary Los Angeles venue, The Echo. How did it feel to celebrate the release of this album in your hometown, and how has the city of Los Angeles shaped your music in general? 

Malley: That night was incredible. The amount of love and support we felt was surreal. It was the perfect way to send us off on tour. Being at The Echo, with our community, where we have so many memories, and the lineup was all friends we've known for years, including our label Dune Altar as the DJ. It was simply a beautiful evening, to say the least.

You are currently on tour in the UK at the time of this interview. How has the reception of the new songs been in a live setting, and what are some of your highlights from this run? 

Malley: This tour is magical. A reminder that I want to do this forever. People are singing the lyrics to our songs; we are meeting fans for the first time who have been listening to our music for years. We packed a venue in London, a place we've never been before. This was the most amazing thing we have ever experienced. The highlight was definitely performing at the Arctangent Festival. It was an emotional day and by far the coolest thing we have all ever done. I hope to play many more just like it next year.

What would be your dream tour lineup and dream musical collaboration? 

Malley: The guys and I have talked about this many times. I think we could answer this in a lot of different ways because there are so many amazing bands we all love and feel like we would mesh well with. Deftones would obviously be life-changing. Loathe, Nothing, or Deafheaven would be fun. We could also go the more shoegaze-y route and tour with Slowdive…just to name a few. As for a musical collaboration, I would love to work with an instrumental band like Explosions in the Sky, or This Will Destroy You and add some melodies to their beautiful music. I think it would be pretty epic and magical if you ask me.

With Sleep Now, In Reverse being your first new full-length album in nearly four years, it seems like critical reception has been very strong already. This album could very well change the entire trajectory of your career. With that being said, what do you hope the future holds for Iress? 

Malley: I hope you are right. We are very proud of our creation and thrilled that people like it. More festivals, more touring, and even bigger shows, please. That is what I want for us. We feel more inspired than ever, so more music is coming for you soon enough.

The Los Angeles metallic-dreamgaze outfit weathered years of uncertainty to finally reach a moment where they’re more creatively inspired than ever.

Iress may be a new name on the tongues of music listeners in 2024, but the band’s seen its fair share of storms. The metallic-dreamgaze outfit has been kicking around the greater-LA music scene since the mid-2010s, and has already weathered challenges that nearly dissolved the project.

But Iress persevered and not only conquered the obstacles holding them back, they emerged full of creative vigor more powerful than ever.

Iress’ third LP Sleep Now, In Reverse represents their most emotionally impactful and cathartic album yet. It’s the band realizing the sound they have, and stepping into all of the possibilities of where it can take them.

“I do feel like we all just really let go and went for it and did things [on this album] we've never done before,” frontwoman and guitarist Michelle Malley said. “I feel like we brought some pieces from Flaw and Prey and Solace, and now there's new parts that we're bringing in. It's almost like it's all encompassing to this moment.

“I'm just really proud of it, to be honest.”

Iress formed about 10 years ago when Malley and her former cohort, Alex Moreno, bonded over their mutual love for bands like Alice in Chains, Nirvana and Hole. They combined shoegaze, doom metal and more with those influences, and together with bassist Michael Maldonado and drummer Glenn Chu, they self-released Prey in 2015 and Flaw in 2020.

The latter nearly got shelved by the band due to the pandemic, but the songs proved too good to gather dust. Tracks like “Nest” and “Wolves” crashed over listeners like the California surf, drowning them with swells of fuzzed out guitars and Malley’s smoky, emotional voice. She’s been described in the LA music scene as the “Adele of Doom.”

But while Flaw trickled through the crevices of the underground, Iress itself nearly dissolved when the world stopped. They couldn’t play shows, Moreno left the band, and Malley wasn’t sure she’d be able to continue.

Eventually, the opportunity to return to the stage finally came and Malley opted to get things going on her own. She recruited a longtime friend and guitarist, Graham Walker, to play with her. It unknowingly sparked Iress’ resurgence.

“We kind of had to start over,” she said of the time after Flaw. “I remember, shows weren't really happening and I was like, ‘I'm just gonna play a solo show by myself and see what happens,’ and I was really nervous. That's when I asked Graham to play with me. That was a big turning point, because we felt this huge chemistry on stage together. That's when we started writing and that's when he joined.”

With Walker in the fold – and Maldonado and Chu still on board – the songs started flowing almost instantly. Before they knew it they had four songs they couldn’t wait to release, which became their EP Solace, released last year by Dune Altar.

“We put out Solace so fast,” Malley said. “We were just so excited and the dynamic of the band has just been amazing. We can't stop writing. Our sound is just getting better and better. I'm really, really excited for Sleep Now, In Reverse. It was so magical to create and I'm just itching to release it honestly.”

The natural connection between the members has allowed all of them to prosper, and has turbo-charged their ability to reach deep into the well of their emotions. Malley mentions their support as a reason she was able to dig in deep and compose lyrics she would not have been able to in the past, and why Sleep Now has a connected feel through all of its 10 songs.

“This album in general has a common theme of kind of a tug of war,” she said. “You're in something and you're breaking free, but you're [also] kind of stuck. You like it, but you kind of don't like it. You need to leave.

“I feel like maybe I was holding back a little bit in some parts of my writing process in the past. My bandmates really embraced my personal lyrics instead of trying to morph them into something else. I feel like I got to just really express myself.”

In addition to the chemistry within the band, Iress recorded both Solace and Sleep Now with Alex Estrada at The Pale Moon Ranch in California, which Malley described as instrumental to both finding their comfort zone and perfecting their sound.

“Alex has been a friend of ours for years and years,” she said. “He knows our band, he's seen us live, I've recorded songs for him on his albums so he knows my voice really well. He knows where to push me. He knows when I can do it better, and when I'm tired. He just knows us really well and our sound. He's heard all of our albums, and I just love how he makes our guitars sound.

“Overall it's just the chemistry that we have with him. I can't imagine at this point working with anyone else. You can tell that he cares about our band and our music. He wants us to do well, and he wants us to sound the best we can. And you can hear that, you know?”

That much is evident with just one spin of the new record. It’s a massive step forward for the band, both in what they offering to the world and how they went from being an independent band a few years ago to touring the UK in 2024.

Between the new creative invigoration surrounding the songs, as well as their most soul-baring lyrics to date, Iress present an album that will grab listeners by their emotions. That’s the hope the band have as they release Sleep Now, In Reverse to the world.

“I hope that it makes you feel something,” Malley said. “I hope it takes you to a place you've never been before. I feel like sitting in silence after [it’s over] is really good, just taking it in. Maybe it inspires you to write a song.”

Sleep Now, In Reverse by Iress is available everywhere now, via Dune Alter in the US and Church Road Records in the UK/EU.

No soy muy fan de poseer grandes amistades y siempre me he inclinado más como llanero solitario de tenerlas contadas con los dedos de la mano, de saber valorarla por la calidad de sus conversaciones, por lo que pueda aportar en tu vida cuando más lo necesitas o simplemente ganar enteros cuando se comparte la cultura desde sus muchas facetas.

Fue editor de nuestros muchos podcast anteriores y son tantas las horas disfrutadas hablando de música que hace unos días mi colega Paul me dio su última recomendación con esta banda titulada Iress.

Los escuchamos en nuestra última entrega de las novedades del mes de Septiembre (escuchar aquí) y para nosotros es la primera toma de contacto con este proyecto que el año que viene cumplirá su primera década de productividad al gremio del sonido pesado desde que lanzaron su álbum debut.

Desde California, este cuarteto se abre los marcos del shoegaze atmosférico y las cepas post metal entre sus sórdidas ambientaciones alternativas. Capitaneados por la coral voz de Michelle Malley, “Sleep Now, In Reverse” es la tercera entrega de los norteamericanos, lanzado a finales del pasado mes de Julio, que llega como novedad y buena costumbre de rozar ese lustro de separación entre cada lanzamiento.

De entre tanto fuzz y tanta psicodelia descargada últimamente, entramos en el trance de este palpitante “Sleep Now, In Reverse”, acurrucados a un paisaje sonoro en el que esos elementos atmosféricos, completa la amalgama de sonidos de unos Iress arrebatadores en este trabajo.

Zona de relax que no deja de ser espeluznante en algunos tramos del álbum y como en todo trabajo de su naturaleza, los estados de ánimo son los pilares que sostiene su enorme edificación.

El desarrollo del mismo, si nos citamos a las fechas, viene concentrada en esa época de aislamiento vivida durante la pandemia, por lo que “Sleep Now, In Reverse” tiene ese lado más receptivo dejando esas sensaciones debatidas entre las pérdidas y la esperanza, la melancolía y la emocionalidad de las circunstancias. Y que mejor para todo esto que construir un jardín de sueños etéreos, acogidos en la zona de confort producida por los sentimientos derrochados en el álbum.

Evidentemente para esta firma, cuanta mucho el trabajo de guitarra de Alex Moreno, muy fino en esa fila de riffs aflictivos, tan punzantes como penetrantes pero también bajo esa sofisticación de Iress creando un entorno ilusionista, interconectado por sus muchos paisajes.

Desde mi punto de vista, la experiencia que deja el nuevo “Sleep Now, In Reverse” plasma uno de los encuentros del año dentro de su categoría, y con instigaciones que reclaman las muchas influencias de la banda, pongo desde Chelsea Wolfe, hasta The Otolith, pasando por proyectos como Guhts o Brume.

Iress conforma un discazo abierto a la cavilación de muchos con una riqueza compositiva que por muy fina que parezcan sus bellas líneas sonoras, no deja de tener esa crudeza apasionada que completa las partes más camaleónicas de esta montaña rusa de conmociones.