• The Conncert at The Lodge, Co. Mayo

    It’s been our decade-plus pleasure to remind readers that, beyond the bigger cities on this particular floating landmass, we are extremely fucking blessed to have myriad sound heads making it all happen for independent Irish music – very often for the love of it, above all else. Throw in the fact that what those heads are making happen is often wonderfully world-beating in quality, not to mention how it builds and supports communities where they would literally otherwise cease to exist, and we are positively consecrated with the absolute craic. Should you wish to experience the square root of this…

  • Hands Up Who Wants To Die – Nil All

    For years, Dublin’s Hands Up Who Wants To Die have been obliterating the eardrums of audiences across the continent. Previously led by the nihilistic poeticisms of one Barry Lennon, the group’s amicable split with the formidable frontman allowed the quartet to refocus on composing their third album, with new recruit Rory O’Brien from Ten Past Seven taking over lyrical duties. On the resulting Nil All, the band’s first release in six years since their split with B.O.B, Hands Up Who Wants To Die expand upon the beautifully brutal soundscapes of the band’s previous releases Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo and…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – March 3rd

    It’s Bandcamp Friday once again, and it’s been yet another stacked week for Irish releases. Dig into the best of them featuring Lankum, Aoife Nessa Frances, Gareth Quinn Redmond, Conor Mason, Hands Up Who Wants To Die and more Lankum – The New York Trader False Lankum by Lankum Aoife Nessa Frances – Automatic Love Automatic Love by Aoife Nessa Frances Gareth Quinn Redmond – Ar Ais Aris Ar Ais Arís by Gareth Quinn Redmond Hands Up Who Wants To Die – Nil All HANDS UP WHO WANTS TO DIE – Nil all by FONORADAR brawni – Amber Brawni –…

  • Premiere: Hands Up Who Wants To Die – Nil All

    If there’s been a better, more defiantly emphatic noise rock band to come out of Ireland in the last 15 years than Hands Up Who Wants To Die, we positively haven’t heard them. On albums including 2014’s Vega In The Lyre, they have served up their singular brand of trouncing, skull-blasting heft. Now, six years on from their last release – a split with B.O.B. following the amicable departure of original frontman Barry Lennon – the band are back with their long-awaited third LP, Nil All. Teaming up once again with long-time collaborators John ‘Spud’ Murphy (Black Midi, Lankum, Caroline) and…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 20th January

    It’s a real red letter day for Irish music, with new music from some Ireland’s finest acts. Check out our pick of them, featuring Lisa O’Neill, Arborist, New Pagans, Frog of Earth, David Kitt, CMAT, Danny Carroll, Ailbhe Reddy, Hands Up Who Wants To Die, No Spill Blood and more. Lisa O’Neill – Silver Seed Arborist – Dreaming In Another Language CMAT – Mayday Robbie Stickland – Time To Say Goodbye To My Old Self Time To Say Goodbye To My Old Self by Robbie Stickland Hands Up Who Wants To Die – L’inconnue New Pagans – There We Are John No Spill Blood –…

  • A4 Sounds Presents: Hands Up Who Wants to Die & Fixity

    Having brought together some of the country’s very best acts (Silverbacks & Extravision, The Altered Hours & Jogging) in its previous two outings, A4 Sounds returns on Saturday, August 24th with another stellar two-act bill. Kicking off in the St Joseph’s Parade community art hub from 8-11pm, the BYOB show brings together the boundlessly forward-pushing Dan Walsh aka FIXITY and Dublin noise rock leviathans Hands Up Who Wants To Die. Best bring earplugs. Central to A4 Sounds’ ethos as a not-for-profit organisation is “to shift the cultural norm of undervaluing the work of musicians by providing a fair wage.” As such, tickets for…

  • Four Irish Acts set to play London St. Patrick’s Day Show

    In the kind of lineup we’d kill for back home, London is lucky enough to bear witness to a St. Patrick’s Day celebration that we’d hold our watch to, packed with fiercely singular hibernophiles & noteable outsiders. It’s the first edition of the national stereotype-subverting Cushty Gamut, and takes place at New River Studios, Ground Floor Unit E on the Eade Road. Five live acts perform in the main venue, comprising four of our own who’ve made the trip across the pond. They are: Cork cosmische, drone voyagers Percolator – who released our Irish album of the 2017, Sestra. Dublin noise rock quartet Hands Up Who Wants To Die, who’ve returned recently with new frontman Rory O’Brien…

  • Hands Up Who Wants To Die Announce Lineup Change & Return Show

    For several years, arguably Ireland’s finest noise rock outfit, Dublin’s Hands Up Who Wants To Die have devastated rooms across Ireland & Europe, led by the singular stage presence of one Barry Lennon. His ominous presence read death knells over the unified metallic discord conjured by Paul Clynes, Matt Hedigan and John Breslin – known for respected DIY-spirited acts like No Spill Blood, Wild Rocket and Vatican II. Two spectacular records rose out of that particular alchemy: Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo, and Vega In The Lyre. The band have announced Lennon’s unfortunate departure from the band with the following statement: “It’s been a…