Birmingham based Shoegaze, Metal outfit Iroha are back with the follow up to their highly acclaimed 2011 self-titled debut album. Coming in December via Denovali Records, 'Shepherds & Angels' is another heavy slab of densely melancholic and yet extremely uplifting songwriting combining elements of shoe-gaze, metal and electronica. From the opening, monolithic riff of 'The Greatest Healer' through to the swirling atmospherics of 'Denial' (a unique collaboration with Hydra-Head's Pyramids), 'Shepherds & Angels' is equally as heavy as lead and as fragile as glass. Andy Swan (Final), Diarmuid Dalton (Godflesh etc.) and Dominic Crane (The Boaty Man, Rumble Fish) have a great feeling for melodies and know how to combine them with powerful sound elements to create a fuzzy warm mood. Time to immerse.