Iris Divine - Iris Divine EP

 Genre: Progressive Metal/Rock

 Release Date: 2008

 Label: Unsigned

 Band Web Site: http://www.myspace.com/irisdivine

When the Alexandria, Virginia-based progressive metal band Encompass ground to a halt in early 2008, many progressive metal fans in the Washington, DC area and the Mid-Atlantic (including your humble reviewer) were saddened. Their 2006 debut album was simply brilliant, and I was disappointed that I would hear no more new music from the talented group. Thankfully, neither I nor any of the band’s many fans had to wait long for guitarist/lead vocalist Farhad Hossain to showcase his talents in a brand new project. Just a few short months later, Hossain was back on the scene with Iris Divine, a progressive metal outfit that plans to raise the bar even further!

After the dissolution of Encompass, Hossain hooked up with Navid Rashid, another talented guitarist and songwriter whose body of work includes bands like The Trustfall and A Farewell Mercy. The two started writing songs and decided to seek out musicians to form the basis of a brand new project. A very technically skilled drummer was needed, so they called up Encompass drummer Tanvir “Missletoes” Tomal. Rounding out the lineup was bassist Brian Dobbs…formerly of Encompass!

So…while the lineup is ¾ of Encompass…this is not Encompass! Iris Divine is a whole new animal that features a much harder edge and a much more technical approach. The lineup entered the studio in 2008 to record their debut EP. Now, the band is pounding the pavement in the DC club circuit and honing their attack, as they have since recorded more excellent material. But for now, let us focus on the EP, shall we? It will be well worth your ears!

Fueled by an explosive mix of melodic modern rock riffs and slabs of heavy metal hellfire, “Unspoken Tragedy” is a tightly composed masterpiece that encapsulates everything that Iris Divine is about. The axes of Rashid and Hossain attack with force and purpose, the bass and drums of Tomal and Dobbs are in perfect sync, and the vocals are brilliantly sung with bell clear harmonies. The time changes hit you so unexpectedly, but the song never loses its coherence. This track kills!

Metalcore stomp riffs and aggressive vocals are glued together by some exquisite, gently played and sung acoustic passages on “Intention Experiment,” a song which sounds perfectly ready made for modern rock radio airplay. It’s complex, catchy, balls out heavy, and all topped off by verses and a chorus you can easily sing along with. Another fantastic song!

The pace takes a turn for the softer side of the street on “Halfway To Nowhere.” I really love the harmonies on this one, and the lead vocals are emotional and powerful. While the instrumentation is superb as always, the vocals take center stage here on this track. Not an aggressive riff monster that dizzies your mind with 1,000 time changes, but then again, it’s a ballad…and a great one at that!

The EP closes its doors with “Iris Divine.” Powered by a beautiful echoey riff and some well placed piano, it’s another track that begins by showing off the more melodic side of Iris Divine…but some heavy moments do come to the fore with a hard hitting rap metal style breakdown, and some more interesting mood and time changes give way to a Dream Theater-esque ending that is pure prog metal. Very cool.

At the end of it all, I am left wanting…MORE! I WANT MORE! GIVE ME MORE! Hopefully a full length is in the works soon!

Wow…after all of that, all I can say is wow. Iris Divine has made one hell of a brilliant EP. You’d best be served by not sitting here and listening to me prattle on about it. Go and buy now. NOW!

Review written by: Matt B.    
Date: January 5, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5