![IRISDIVINEPROMO-64 [credit Robert Fortenberry]](https://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/IRISDIVINEPROMO-64-credit-Robert-Fortenberry-e1427311703375.jpg)
IRIS DIVINE‘s Northeastern US Summer Tour begins this Thursday, as the band prepares to bring the raging anthems from their acclaimed Karma Sown debut album to the stage.
Beginning this Thursday, July 30th, the Washington DC-area’s IRIS DIVINE will embark on the mini-tour which will see the band’s running through Worcester, New York City, Baltimore and will come to a close in Pittsburgh on August 2nd, with support from their friends in MindMaze. Additionally, the modern progressive metal trio will perform in their hometown area with a show in Fairfax, Virginia on September 19th.
IRIS DIVINE‘s Karma Sown debut saw release via New Jersey-based Sensory Records in late March, the album met by widespread critical acclaim from all levels of the metal media. Though a mere trio, vocalist/guitarist Navid Rashid, drummer/programmer Kris Combs and bassist Brian Dobbs unload waves of dynamic, top-tier progressive metal with dark, crunching undertones and intense storylines. The record was produced by the band, engineered by Drew Mazurek and Farhad Hossain, mixed by Drew Mazurek, and mastered by Brian J. Anthony, and its cover art conceived by Kris Combs and executed by Visual Decay.
Karma Sown is playing in its entirety alongside an interview with the band at BraveWords RIGHT HERE.
Physical orders for Karma Sown can be placed via Laser’s Edge HERE and digital HERE.
IRIS DIVINE Tour Dates:
7/30/2015 Ralph’s Diner – Worcester, MA w/ MindMaze
7/31/2015 Gussy’s – New York, NY w/ MindMaze
8/01/2015 Club Orpheus – Baltimore, MD w/ MindMaze
8/02/2015 Howler’s – Pittsburgh, PA w/ MindMaze
9/19/2015 Fat Tuesday’s – Fairfax, VA [info]
IRIS DIVINE is also currently writing the follow-up to Karma Sown. While immediate recording plans are not imminent, the skeletal designs of nearly the entire second album are complete, and the band will continue to shape these structures into their final forms over the coming months.
Nova Metal Review praised IRIS DIVINE‘s debut in an early review with a perfect review: “Most often I would pick a couple of tracks as favorites, but in this case that is a pointless exercise. All the tracks are standout and I can play them in any order and still walk away with a smile on my face… it is a no-brainer to score this a straight 10/10.” Hardrock Haven championed the record with an early 9/10 review, including, “when you hear them you’re simply stunned that they’re not signed to a major label and making a huge impact on the scene. They’re immensely talented, not content to stay within the genre lines, and have released an album that can go head to head with any of the ‘name’ prog metal albums this year.” MetalSucks excitedly previewed the album issuing, “If bands like King’s X, Porcupine Tree and to a slightly lesser extent Dream Theater get you all hot n’ bothered you’re absolutely gonna LOVE IRIS DIVINE, as I do… The most impressive thing to me is that their ear for songwriting is uncanny: their songs are just so fucking immediate, but without being corny or heavy-handed about it, and though the members are all clearly phenomenal musicians they don’t beat you over the head with that fact.” In an 8.5/10 review, Dead Rhetoric wrote, “Not very often in the progressive/alternative metal world do you find a set of musicians subscribe to a less is more membership philosophy. We all know about the power trio groups like King’s X and Rush through the years, but normally the heavier acts require four to six-piece lineups to create their sonic elements the meld together. Northern Virginia based IRIS DIVINE are one of the rare breed three-piece acts that on their new album Karma Sown fill the aural space as if there were twin doubles amidst the eight songs.” We Love Metal’s glowing 9/10 review of the album offered in part, “There isn’t a single song, or even a moment, that isn’t interesting. The more I listen to Karma Sown, the more I find, from incredible riffs, tremendous instrumental interplay, superbly executed vocal harmonies, and some of the best prog songwriting I’ve heard in a while… The band’s use of syncopation is a thread that runs throughout Karma Sown, whether in the riffs or the drumming. It isn’t necessarily something never heard before, but IRIS DIVINE‘s use is well done and is guaranteed to keep your attention. Their mastery of the odd time signature is killer.”
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