I’ve been impatiently waiting for this day so I could write about Iress’s new single, “Falling” from their upcoming album, Sleep Now, In Reverse (out July 26th via Dune Altar)!!! What a way to kick off a week! “Falling” is a beautifully dreamy and haunting song with an undercurrent of heaviness in the shape of a bit of doom and shoegaze. Then you add in the vocals that, send the chills right up your whole body. What a song AND a track one on the album! I personally can’t wait for this album to arrive and for what’s to come for Iress.
Iress- Falling (and Sleep Now, In Reverse Pre-Order):
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
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!
Review and Photos* By: Brian Lacy
*Photo’s aren’t the best, I was too into the show to really focus on taking pictures.
I’m sure we’ve all heard albums that have left a last impression on ones self. Sometimes these albums take us to different places be it in our minds, imaginations, etc. Then there are times when an album comes out that hits you at the right moment in all the right ways and it makes it feel like everything will be ok because of that album. A couple months back the band Iress, released the song “Ricochet” off their now released and utterly spellbinding and superb EP, Solace. The moment I heard that song, I knew there was something more to it than just a “dark/moody vibe.” What I found was a band that sonically devastates while at the same time draws you in seductively. Iress’s new EP, Solace is a piece of art and music that hypnotizes you while the words and vocals crawl under your skin and gives you the type of chills that you might find when you reach that moment of clarity. The life that these songs breathe is astounding. One of the most intriguing factors about Iress is their ability to utilize atmosphere and space to balance out the heavy nature of the songs. It’s a feeling you will notice as you listen. Through all the darkness on these songs, the hope and light found throughout is breathtaking. The depths these songs take you and the place it leaves you in the end is the light at the end of the tunnel. Fronted by Michelle Malley (aka The Adele Of Doom) her vocals and guitar take you on quite a journey of love, loss, pain, and anguish all while the band Graham Walker (guitar), Michael Maldonado (bass) and Glenn Chu (drums) create the soundtrack to all this and add the right sonic elements the leaves you breathless. Another aspect that makes this release so damn good is the production. Producer/Engineer/Mixer Alex Estrada (Touche Amore, Joyce Manor, etc) makes this all come to life by capturing the raw and emotional charged performances of each member. There is no mistaking the magnitude that Iress puts out and with this EP it’s not even close to where their potential lays. I personally can’t wait to hear what else this band does and goes musically. Solace is not just a superb release, it’s my favorite release of 2023. Congratulations to all involved in the creation and release of this masterful EP. Iress is here and they are coming for you! You can pick up your copy of the EP now via the one and only Dune Altar Records (one of the best indie labels around)!
Every year there are always a handful of albums I eager anticipate. One of the albums I am most eager to be released this year is the Solace EP from the wonderful, Iress. From the first moment I heard this band, I knew I was in for something special. When you listen to Iress, there is this vibe that overtakes you it becomes something more. Their first single off this EP “Ricochet” has been in constant rotation for me and now their newest release “Blush” is right up there as well. Both songs are astonishing and hypnotic. The way these songs hit at the right moments draws you in and never lets go. I love when I hear a band that has all the right pieces and the end result is something that is not only powerful but, it connects on a whole other level. Iress is a band that is not only great for now but, for the future, as I can tell that their evolution as a band is only going to get bigger and better from here.
AUDIOECLECTICA 