Dune Altar (DA-042)

The sonic equivalent of standing on a beach as a tidal wave approaches, listening to IRESS is to be aware of certain devastation, yet grateful to witness something so terrifyingly beautiful, and transfixed in anticipation for whatever happens next.

Formed in Los Angeles in 2010, IRESS employ dark, commanding elements of shoegaze, slowcore and metal, swelling in moments of cinematic-like crescendo. Dubbed the “Adele of Doom” by her local LA music peers, frontwoman Michelle Malley’s vocals have the power to envelop with smokey warmth, destroy with anguished belting, and arrest with unbelievable restraint. Bassist, Michael Maldonado, provides the much-needed anchor in the bewitching melodies and reverb, while drummer, Glenn Chu, pushes unrelentingly forward. Guitarist, Graham Walker, joined in 2022 instigating a new, more collaborative way of working for the band. This chemistry is undeniable on stage as the intentionality applied to live performances leaves audiences stunned to silence in moments, brought to tears in others when impaled by Malley’s emotional screams, all the while supplying a satisfying amount of crushing distortion to head bang through.

The success of Iress’ newfound anatomy can also be heard in the exceptionally composed, staggering wave of doomgazey sound on the upcoming Solace EP, which tells the story of the brutal reality of change: inevitable, painful and beautiful.

Solace

Blush

IRESS - Blush

Dune Altar (DA-054)

Los Angeles-based IN COVERT crafts a shadow-drenched fusion of gothic punk, noise rock, doom metal, shoegaze, and industrial—an unrelenting soundscape where dystopian nightmares and raw emotion collide. Their music is a fever dream of searing riffs, suffocating atmospheres, and pounding rhythms, channeling sci-fi horror into a visceral sonic assault.

Originally the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Wes Lopez (La Ghost, Channel), In Covert expanded into a full band in late 2022 with the addition of drummer Oscar Ruvalcaba (The Warlocks, All Your Sisters, Flaamingos), bassist Victor Guitarrez (Phaeic, Sodaboxx), and guitarist/vocalist Kris Balocca (Phaeic, Urns & Argyles). Together, they formed a powerhouse of crashing drums, pulsing bass, and layered distortion, building a sound that is both hypnotic and punishing. Drawing inspiration from the primal intensity of Christian Death, the mechanical grind of Godflesh, and the bleak sonic landscapes of Have a Nice Life, their music blurs the line between beauty and brutality.

Following the blistering intensity of their run of early singles, In Covert is set to unveil their debut album Bleak Machinery on May 9th via DUNE ALTAR—a record that lurches and howls––an appropriate soundtrack to a world currently unraveling.

Produced by Wes Lopez
Blood Moon & Dead Weight recorded by Chris King at Moonpalace, LA in January 2023.
Nowhere to turn, Death Embers & Night Captivity recorded at Paradise Recorders, Fullerton in July 2023
Shivers Down the Spine, Darkfields & Cemetery Nights recorded at Paradise Recorders in September 2023
Blood Moon Rises, The Truth Is Out There, Gates of He// recorded at Wes’s room in Lynwood, CA / Moonpalace in November 2023
Mixed by Chris King at Moonpalace Productions, Los Angeles
Mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, Portland
Artwork by Chris Friedman (Hercules Larva)

Dead Weight

DUNE ALTAR

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