Release
date: May
24th
2019. Label: Small
Stone Recordings.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Tower
– Tracklisting
1.Tower
2.Waking
Eye
3.Weightless
4.Innocent
Murmur
5.Leviathan
6.Crawl
To Corners
7.Golden
Tongue
8.Constellations
Members
Jon
Case: bass guitar, vocals
Jason
Ward: drums, vocals, synths, percussion
Cheryl
Manner: guitar
Owen
Burd: guitar, vocals, trumpet
Review
Irata
finally release their new album Tower after a four year absence. This
time Irata feel influenced by bands such as Floor and Torche. As
their music has a hard-rocking “Doom-Pop” sensibility whilst
carrying on the sludge vibes from their debut album.
Opening
song – Tower – is a fast-paced Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal song with
elements of Psychedelic Rock giving Irata a heavier sound. The song
is heavy and has a cool progressive sound from start to finish. The
song also has a soft Drone based riff being played in the background.
The vocals are excellent and have vastly improved from Sweet Loris.
Second
song – Waking Eye – is where Irata go for the jugular by merging
complex sludge/doom-pop melodies and gorgeous vocals to match. Maybe
not as heavy as the opening song. However, Irata start to create a
more expansive sound and the quieter moments are quite soulful in
places. The Sludge/Stoner Metal guitars are quite ferocious in places
but that doesn’t stop Irata switching to a more Ambient/Post-Rock
driven sound towards the end of the song. This is one of the best
songs on the album.
Irata
don’t waste any time in playing the heavy Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs
on the third track – Weightless. As they create a more progressive
and complex musical environment with both the music and vocals. The
lyrics are excellent and quite upbeat in places especially when the
singalong choruses appear. Add a few impressive guitar solos along
the way and Irata will impress you with the different styles of songs
they’ve written for this album.
Fourth
song – Innocent Murmur – is a strange song to initially listen
to. As this song starts off as a soulful and melodic Pop based affair
before this anthemic heavy sludge riff changes the musical landscape
for the better. The song does move into Post Rock and Psych Rock
territory and it’s good to see the band moving between Doom-Pop
melodies and the move violent Sludge/Stoner Metal sounds.
I
would love to do a song-by-song review but I will be here all day and
I don’t want to spoil everything for the listener. The second half
of the album is equally as good as the first half. If not better on
certain songs such as: Leviathan, Crawl To Corners and
Constellations.
Tower
has a sweet natured innocence contained within it’s DNA and a dark
violent side for when the heavy Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs
appear. Irata prove both musically and creatively they have come a
long way since their debut album as the band have made an almighty
leap to greatness with Tower.
There’s
no denying that Tower is a thrilling, complex and brilliant album
from start to finish. Tower will rank as one of the year’s best
albums. That’s how great it is.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Earsplit PR for the promo. Tower will be available to buy on
CD/DD/Vinyl via Small Stone Recordings from May 24th 2019.
