IRIST is a 5-Piece Modern Metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. This is their debut release and according to many reputable websites out there including Blabbermouth, Brave Words and Kerrang, they are definitely one of the bands to look out for in 2020. Let's see if the hype is real about them and what they can offer to this casual listener.

I don't know exactly why they call it Modern Metal. I don't think it has that modern twist about it, maybe because it's a newer band and they blend so many influences together, they called it Modern Metal. I don't really like the term and it does not fit the mold of the band at all. They do have a tendency of juggling different genres but it's not like the powerhouse Nu Metal we got back in the late nineties that was considered of the flavor of the month.

They do shuffle back and forth with a number of genres. You can hear so many influences it's mind boggling. At first glance you can hear some GOJIRA, PANTERA or even some old-school SEPULTURA and when you listen to the album another time, you hear even more bands. I think that's what Modern Metal was supposed to mean to them and the listener out there. I believe wholeheartedly that really achieved in bringing something rather original to the table.

They are a very cohesive band and also very tight. They have acquired a lot of wisdom and those influences from the aforementioned bands and their South American heritage makes for something so fresh. It is definitely a breath of fresh air and in only 5 years they have forged a great work ethic and an identity like no other.

When you have a producer like Lewis Johns at the helm, you know you are going to have an album with a lot of richness. The production is impressive and it definitely crushes the competition. They have all the tools of the trade and now some great production, you have the perfect combination. They are a rare and new breed of artists branching out and mixing so many styles to make it their own. It's like rediscovering GOJIRA again back in the day.