Release Date: July 10th 2026. Record Label: Small Stone Records Co. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Human - Tracklist
1.Altar
2.Confessions
3.Seeds
4.Delirium
5.Mirrors
6.Slipped
7.Goodside
8.Daystar
Members
Jason Ward: drums, keys, vox
Jon Case: bass, vox
Owen Burd: vox, guitar, keys
Review
Sludge/Stoner Metallers IRATA return with their emotionally charged fourth album Human which sees the band offer their most melodic record to date. IRATA uses a greater musical creative palette for this record with areas of Grunge, Shoegaze, Prog Metal and Cinematic based storytelling being added. With a mind-expanding use of sludgy psychedelics giving Human a cautionary sound which sees IRATA experiment with their music even further and even applying gloomy modern Doom-Pop hooks.
IRATA draws upon the likes of HUM, TORCHE, FLOOR, KYLESA and TOOL with influences appearing from other areas of the Nineties Alt-Rock scene which has become a constant staple of the band’s music whilst still sounding remarkably just like IRATA. The record may take a few listens to take everything in compared to their 2019 effort Tower and that’s down to IRATA’s great use of Progressive melodies and switching into heavier distorted sounds which gives a frenzied and grounded approach to their music.
The sound constantly switches between harsh environments and lush sounding Sludge Rock grooves with a heavy support of distorted Progressive atmospherics. IRATA depends more heavily on keyboards for this album which gives way to some of the best trippy and spaced out elements that IRATA have created to date. I still find it hard to believe or accept that IRATA have been going as a band for nearly two decades and this is their only fourth full length album. They always find the best time to return and this record does feel like a cause for celebration at times and despite the bleak subject matter the record contains you can’t help but feel the gloriously euphoric jams when they appear that leave you in a highly peaceful meditative state.
The first half of the album sees IRATA within their “business as usual “ phase by playing fast-paced and highly psychedelic grunge sounds which made their last two records personal favourites of mine. The music is constantly heavy with areas of distorted fuzz and grunge that’s played against a wall of destructive moments of Psych, Sludge and Stoner Metal with a developing sense of Shoegaze and Alt-Rock developing that turns into something heavier in the later stages of the record.
The vocals from Jason, Jon and Owen are universally excellent throughout with shades of The Smashing Pumpkins, FLOOR, TORCHE and HUM appearing highly confident but with their own great style being superbly delivered.
My favourite tracks on the first half of the album are: Altar, Seeds and Delirium as they bridge the gap to the classic sounds of IRATA but also allowing them to develop a new found sense of creativity especially when the music is stripped back and a forceful Progressive Sludge energy appears. Human becomes more evolving but offering moments of wonderful sing-along moments which you ultimately lose yourself in once more.
The lyrics are super-fresh that taps into the Nineties nostalgia scene perfectly but adding that subtle modern day vibe that adds a level of darkness when you least expect it. Things change quite dramatically within the second half of the record as IRATA switches musical directions with a firmer grasp of Prog Rock/Metal with swirling TOOL-esque compositions being heard with IRATA putting their own great take of modern DOOM-POP into the mix.
IRATA always seem to be thinking five steps ahead when delivering the heaviest and sludgiest sounds on this part of the album with tracks Mirrors, Slipped and Daystar bringing a more focused and cerebral style of music which retains that classic IRATA energy. The record manages to convey that classic IRATA sound with outbursts of bleak sounding Sludge/Stoner Metal with melodic Psychedelic grooves being delivered from the highest point of MOUNT AMPLIFIED DISTORTION.
IRATA ends the record in the most perfect and complete way. You feel highly satisfied by the whole experience as Human actually feels like a record that has a beginning, middle and end. The musical performances from Jason, Jon and Owen are first rate, which is perhaps their best recorded musical performance to date. The production values are of the chart with Human being expertly produced with some eye-catching aggressive sounds being played from the speakers throughout.
Human is an outstanding album on all levels which IRATA should rightly be proud of. This is perhaps my favourite album from IRATA. It may not be as riff-centric as Tower but there’s a lot more progression and musical variety that allows the band to play some intense grooves we haven’t heard from them before which is perhaps the greatest thing you can take away from this record.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Earsplit PR for the promo.
Human is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Small Stone Records Co.
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