Review IRIST ‘Gloria’ – EP – Markus' Heavy Music Blog

Irist hail from Atlanta and have delivered with ‘Order of the Mind ‘ their debut album in 2020. The four musicians have now recorded an EP called ‘Gloria ‘, which is seeing the light of day these days.

Irist, that’s Rodrigo Carvalho, Pablo Davila, Adam Mitchell and Bruno Segovia. Already from the names you can recognize that the sound of the band is based on different influences and if you consider that ¾ of the band members have Portuguese or Spanish as their mother tongue, ‘Gloria’, as the title of the EP, is not surprising. ‘Gloria’ means as much as Glory and can be interpreted in different ways. In this case, it is the glory of independence, which runs thematically through the songs of this release. Freedom from preconceived opinions and boundaries is what the band portrays musically and lyrically on their songs.

After the release of the debut album, a few things changed. Carvalho moved back to Brazil, while Davila moved to Texas to work in a COVID station. Still, the foursome managed to keep the communication channels open and work on new songs could go on.

That the band and its members did not go through easy times is reflected in the songs. ‘Gloria’ has a certain gloom and in parts also reflects a dystopian view of the world. At the same time the tunes are characterized by melodic vocal lines. Electronic elements were added and simultaneously the four guys rely on the full force of the guitar riffs.

‘Gloria’ is a very emotional release, a kind of outlet valve for much that has accumulated not least during the last few years. Already the slowly intensifying gloomy drone at the beginning of ‘Gloria’ arouses emotions, which are intensified in the following ‘Heal’. The latter song is a mid-tempo attack full of melancholy, which is musically translated by powerful riffs.

The EP also comes to an end with full force. ‘Watchful Eye’ begins with a thundering storm of riffs, followed by a part that brings the electronic elements into focus. ‘Watchful Eye’ is a musical heavyweight and the right song to close such a release.

‘Gloria’ is melancholic, furious, fragile and hopeful at the same time. This EP is more versatile than the successful debut album and one can be curious about the further development of the four musicians.