Nuclear Blast Records have been on somewhat of a roll recently, releasing big new albums from the likes of Machine Head, Soulfly, and Behemoth in recent weeks. But one of their lesser-known bands Irist certainly deserve some attention, and their new EP Gloria (Nuclear Blast) is the first new music they’ve released since their debut album Order Of The Mind arrived in 2020.
Hailing from Argentina and Chile courtesy of founding guitarist Pablo Davila and bassist Bruno Segovia respectively, Irist brought in Brazilian vocalist Rodrigo Carvalho alongside Atlanta natives Adam Mitchell (guitar) and Jason Belisha (drums), and have formed an incredibly tight unit that received great acclaim for their debut, and have developed their sound in 2022 with the subtle experimentation of layering the use of synths and electronica into this EP.
As such the talented five-piece have created a record that fits firmly in the more experimental Post-Metal genre, with blasts of a traditional metal influence that combine perfectly to create an absorbing ride into the realms of sonic goodness.
The EP opens with the title track, building with an intro of atmospheric soundscapes which crescendo into a machine gun of a guitar riff, and snarling vocals strongly reminiscent of Cult Of Luna’s Johannes Persson. The distorted guitars blend eloquently with a cleaner tone, with the two perfectly interjecting to create an opposing mix of aggression and melody. The vocals in the chorus following suit with a distinct Demanufacture era Burton C, Bell (Ascension of The Watchers, ex-Fear Factory) vibe in the cleaner singing.
‘Heal’ follows similarly with a melodic lead weaving in and out of a crunching traditional metal riff, creating a tense but uplifting atmosphere throughout the track. While a beautiful wah heavy guitar solo leads into a powerful climatic finale, with a strong guitar riff that rolls lucidly through your body.
After a stormy interlude, ‘Surging Ablaze’ hits with the EP’s most epic chorus with Carvalho showing he has one hell of a pair of lungs on him. While a Mastodon-esque hypnotic guitar lead, and a complex arrangement building to another powerful climax makes this a stand out cut. The record closes with ‘Watchful Eye’, another song full of complexities in its music, polyrhythmic in places and with a strong use of synths adding to the absorbing atmosphere as the song plays out.
The only downside is that the EP is over just as your fully immersing your mind into the all-consuming music, without a doubt leaving you wanting more. Subsequently here’s hoping that Irist have so much new music up their sleeves, that this is just a mere taster for a full-length album that is going to land sometime soon, as this sounds like a band who are really on to something special.
Buy the EP here: https://www.iristband.com/
9 / 10
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