The beautifully brooding San Diego band Ilya took a break for a while, but came roaring back—delicately, that is—earlier this month with a new album, In Blood. The downtime has rejuvenated the group, as well as made room for a couple new members (including Kata guitarist Demetrius Antuña, a veteran of notable post-hardcore bands like The Trans Megetti and Sterling Silver). The proof is in the album’s melancholy pace, introspective darkness, and rich, orchestral atmosphere—not to mention the vocals of frontwoman Blanca Fowler, whose haunting presence recalls Marissa Nadler even as the band’s swells of cello, piano, and distorted guitar echo Godspeed You! Black Emperor at its most accessible. The video for the In Blood track “Another Day” more or less says it all—but why not sample the entire album, which is being streamed in its full, shadowy glory below?
In Blood is available now.