Psychedelic heavy rock band IOTA is set to release their eagerly anticipated album, Pentasomnia, on March 22nd through Small Stone Recordings.
Nearly sixteen years have passed since IOTA, hailing from Salt Lake City, established their presence in the heavy music scene with their debut album, Tales, under Small Stone Recordings. The album, featuring drummer Andy Patterson (of The Otolith and former member of SubRosa), guitarist/vocalist Joey Toscano (later founder of Dwellers), and bassist Oz Inglorious (formerly of Bird Eater and Suffocater), captured a unique blend of heavy rock, marked by the epic twenty-minute track “Dimensional Orbiter.” Despite their move to other projects, IOTA’s influence quietly grew among a dedicated fanbase. Hear “The Returner” below:
Their latest work, Pentasomnia, embodies a collection of five dream-inspired tracks, signifying a revival of a project initially started by Toscano around 2001. This album is not just a hasty sequel to their previous work, but a well-crafted and surprising advancement, exhibiting the atmospheric and emotional depth of Toscano’s vocals. The band, consisting of Toscano, Inglorious, and Patterson, explores a blend of groove and rhythm in these tracks, ranging from the introspective “The Intruder” to the ambient “The Returner,” which echoes the blend of cosmic and desert rock that defined their early days.
Toscano describes Pentasomnia as a blend of “five dreams,” with each song representing a different mental state. The album challenges conventional views on identity and our role in the world, questioning the concept of self. It’s a reflective journey through the complex and darkly comedic aspects of their musical evolution. Toscano invites listeners to experience the album as a collection of moments from a vivid dream, with live performances set to reveal the deeper layers of their artistic exploration.
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