Ireland is a lot of the time forgotten and lumped in with the UK in most things but we have a nice little scene here and hence the title ‘This Is Ireland not UK‘ About 4 years ago I did a post about Irish bands to check out, and once again for the week that’s in it here is some Paddys playing punk the perfect way to spend your St. Patricks day seeing as you can’t go to the parade or to gigs either, I guess I will create a parade of bands for you here.
In the time between my last post, we have had two compilation 12″s of Irish punk the Karate Klub practice space 12″ and Lampaign 12″. The Irish scene is small and mixed there isn’t an exclusive D-Beat, Oi or Hardcore scene on the island everything is all interconnected between borders and scenes. So incase some of you are hoping for an exclusive list of Irish crusty D-Beat I am sorry this is just everything.
But with that said lets start with Surge queercore raw punx from Dublin are set to lay down a new record in May when they enter the studio with plans to record in at No Masters Voice Copenhagen in May and they are due to play some northern Europe gigs for anyone in that area go check them out, hopefully this pandemic wont impact them. Although no longer with us I would be a miss if I did not mention Disguise who ceased making noise early this month and since then the world has seemingly fallen apart. Disguise played a played raw hardcore that was like a wrecking ball live. Native from Dublin released a demo a couple of years ago of some patched up crusty dark hardcore that take influence from Irish crust of bygone time. Pozoga intense punk coming out of Dublin but are an international consortium of punks who have all settled here and have been making some of my favourite noise.
Talking of International punks in Ireland, the Irish scene has a strong Polish contingent so I would be a miss of highlighting two Polish bands that have been active in the Irish scene Zona zla and The Blow Ins. Zona Zla are a Dublin based with a street punk sound lyrics in polish and recently released a limited edition 12″ off 100 units which includes a cover of the track by Defiance “No Future No Hope”. The Blow Ins moody melodic post-punk for all you fans of the dark wave punk with a name coming from a term meaning a person from out of town settling in another usually nearby town.
ZONA ZLA & The Blow InsThrow back to 4 years ago there ain’t to many bands still active, Okus are still on the go and have been promising me a new EP but I am still waiting since their ‘Scourge’ 12″, Subordinate are still on go with a slight line up change. Overbite are still bringing some lo-fi hardcore noise and have since released a 7″ and cassette.
Okus, Subordinate & Overbite
Heading out West or Whest according to the regional dialect, Galway has always been a great scene but had suffered since the demise of Only Fumes and Corpses and Bacchus but has been hitting hard in the last couple of year, Fiend featuring most of the members if not all of Overbite, have been playing some reverbing hardcore and a band I rate very highly they put out a 7″ two years ago on Donor Records. Mongrel have been blasting out some raw mongrel noise having released a demo last year. Greif Eater are new to the scene with a hefting dark hardcore sound that features members of Bacchus so any fans will rejoice on Grief Eater.
Heading down south to Cork things start to get a bit more metallic with Bailer playing an unrelenting punishing hardcore with a new album out this year and Worn Out are also ripping a metallic gritty sound and are due to release an EP this year. All things aren’t just metallic as Audible Joes bring some more catchy melodic punk sounds. I can’t forget Oi! punks The Jollars who are no longer active after the untimely passing of Bob a few months ago, an Irish punk hero and gentlemen and also played with Ska punks The Hacklers who have a new record out soon.
Keeping things on the Oi! side of things Oi/punk influenced punks Grit have been a major punk export with members having previously played in Burnchurch, Rats Blood and Easpa Measa. No Collusion give some hope for the future of Irish punks with there Cockney Rejects sound, Takers & Users have been a great addition to the Belfast scene and have a new record outsoon listen to a new track here, United Bottles who formed from the ashes of legendary Runnin’ Riot and hold up a strong Oi contingent in Belfast.
Grit, No Collusion, Takers & User, United BottlesStaying with Belfast although the Warzone Centre is no longer a physical space the bands are still active fast with biting vocals Lawfucker deliver a dose of anarcho hardcore due to release a 4-way split with Krass Kepala(Ind), Feral State(UK) and Ravage (Ind) out this summer. Death Grip blistering hardcore punk with a dash of d-beat. Speaking of Belfast fans of old anarcho band Toxic Waste maybe happy to hear there is a re-issue of their Belfast 12″ coming out on Sealed Records.
Of course Dublin is not just all based in one practice space of the Karate Klub back from recent hiatus Destriers play a hefty intense bout of blackened hardcore compared to the sound that ‘ran alongside the Boston/Hydra Head scene. Long running punk band Paranoid Visions are still active regularly teaming up with Steve Ignorant. A pallbearer of the Irish scene the Nilz have been active putting on gigs and pumping out releases supporting the scene in Dublin.
Although this is only just a few bands from the Irish punk/hardcore scene and I rushed to write this so no doubt I forgot people but I would encourage you to check about both compilation 12″ I mentioned previously Karate Klub Compilation is based around the bands that came from the Karate Klub Practice Space and Lambpaign a 12″ compilation compiled by the great guys over at Dead Lamb Record. Enjoy and have a good Paddys Day.
