Now this is exactly what I am talking about right here, bands sneaking releases out from under people’s noses in this day an age is a feat worthy of the sneakiest thieves and skilled hackers is a true feat; and while that is just what Iroha did with End Of An Era, the real important accomplishment for the three piece is that they brought this release out in a timely manner (unlike their debut LP), which kept the band fresh in people’s minds and prevented them from fading into obscurity so quickly. Yet, the best part of End Of An Era is the obvious progression the EP shows from their album and the growing cohesiveness and gelling of the band members into a strong songwriting unit.
Truthfully, “End Of An Era” is so damn catchy; and I mean everything about the song from the memorable keyboard melody to the huge and thick sound that creates a haze for the vocals to poke through and deliver melodic lines like “Another Day Pass By” and “How Did It All Just Drift Away” creating a bright sound that delivers a deliciously melancholic mood. Iroha use this as their pattern for the entire EP, delivering on the promise of melding shoegaze with heavy music and maybe a dash of “Cure-esque” moping sweetness; the hooks in these songs are drawn out and extremely well performed, providing the group with that little something extra on End Of An Era that their debut full length may have been missing (the vocal melodies are subtle but effective to the point of almost being sing along worthy).
These four songs show a huge leap forward for Iroha not just showing a group of songwriters but as cohesive unit that spends time developing a working relationship with one another in order to really learn how to hone their collect talent in the best ways possible, and it is this last aspect that truly sets them apart from the act for which people may tend to lump this band with in comparisons (Jesu) as Iroha is a band in every sense of the word, and ultimately that will allow them room for growth. The potential is there for Iroha to make a name for themselves and plough their own musical course, and their may come the time where people will point back to End Of An Era as a break through for the band in its oeuvre; even if this becomes a solitary blip on the radar, this EP is a great four songs and something that you may find yourself listening to more and more (like I do).
