I'm not sure if this has been a thread before, tried searching but couldnt find anything.
A friend asked me a while back, "what bands from Ireland do you actually listen to regularly?", and it got me thinking about some of the Irish records that have had real staying power with me.
So I find myself in need of an outlet to ramble about some of the incredible music Ireland has produced over the years, and would love to read some of the other members of the forum doing the same!
So, I pose the question to you lot too, of the Irish releases you've been exposed to, which do you find yourself drawn back to time and time again, and why? Whether frequently, every couple of years, or even some that are sorely in need of a deserved revisit!
By no means exhaustive as Ive omitted some recent stuff definitely worthy of a mention, such as the summoning bell or carving the causeway to the otherworld, because not enough years have passed for me to say that they're among my favorites...yet. Heres what comes to my mind anyway, likely most of you are familiar with em, but how and ever:
Abaddon Incarnate - Pessimist (2014)
https://abaddonincarnate.bandcamp.com/album/pessimist
Nadir is if course an incredible record which Ive waffled about its influence on my formative years before, but I don't hear much chatter about pessimist. I go back to this one more, as is fitting with the name, theres a real frantic darkness here. Utterly feral sounding. For me its their best, and among the best of its genre full stop.
Altar of Plagues - Sol (2008)
https://altarofplagues.bandcamp.com/album/sol
The follow up albums are great, but Sol is the peak of AoP. Theres something so raw and earnest about the sound and imperfections on this EP that I haven't heard elsewhere, and this lends itself to the compositions so well. A magnificent record with some of my favorite vocals of all time.
Crowd Control - s/t LP (2010)
https://crowdcontrolpehc.bandcamp.com/album/crowd-control-lp
Skullcrushingly heavy hardcore riffs. Not from a brakedown point of view, just massive simple riffs that are super effective.
De Novissimis - Worthy of Nothing (2008)
https://stitchypress.bandcamp.com/album/de-novissismis-wreck-of-the-hesperus
13 minutes of absolutely oppressive misery that undulates, ebbs and flows in delivery but offers no relief from the gloom until the drums batter your ears at the close. The snivelling sounding delivery of the high vocals is the icing on the cake.
From the bogs of Aughiska - s/t (2010)
https://fromthebogsofaughiska.bandcamp.com/album/from-the-bogs-of-aughiska
A truely unique record that leans into its Irish roots without wandering into the folky side of things, instead leaning into an atmospheric drone approach. I put this album on and can practically feel the rain battering my face from the atlantic. Their presence is sorely missed by me and I hope we see more in the future.
Scald - Fluke (2007)
https://scaldbelfast.bandcamp.com/album/fluke
Awesome grincore riffs which have a low end dissonance to them at times paired with unusually ugly vocals, all held together by some vicious drumming and clanking bass.
Sodb - Don Seantalamh a Chuid Féin (2012)
https://intothevoidrecords.bandcamp.com/album/don-seantalamh-a-chuid-f-in
To me the best of the purely black metal releases from here. Razor sharp riffs, hypnotic melodies, screechy distorted vocals, and a cold black metal production.
Wreck of the Hesperus - Eulogy for the Sewer Dwellers (2005)
https://fortevilfruit.bandcamp.com/album/terminal-eulogy
This record blew me away when I first heard it in 2007 or so, and have yet to hear anything like it. Stinky, murky, wonky grooves in abundance and each instrument brings something unique to the table. Their drummer is truely an incredible talent, could listen to him all day.
(Track 5-7 on the link, terminal dirge is sick too)
End of rant :abbath:
Abandon Incarnate - The Last Supper.
For me that the sounds of lighting been licked up the hike and smashed into a bottle. It's feral sounding. I think Steve Maher is falling into this with the Ancient Malice stuff
Warpath - Gorefare. I love this for its straight up, no frills riff driven DM.
Vircolac - The first 2 eps. Excellent dissonant stuff, that's what I hear anyway.
Primordial - Pretty much all of their catalog, bar To Hell Or The Hangman. I can't stand as that song.
Worn Out - have to love them Cork boys.
Slidhr - These albums are on another level.
Thin Lizzy - Nothing more to say on that really.
Lots more but these ones are instant reactions.
Great to see Scald given a mention, such a quality band. Amazing artwork.
AoP are another band whom I continue to enjoy. Very much missed.
From the Bogs..., I need to investigate more, I've somewhat neglected these guys bar hearing a few tracks here and there.
Most important one for me is that Asphyxia/Morphosis "Conflagration" demo anyway- that alerted me to the fact that there was actually a death metal scene here.
The Thy Sinister Bloom discography is never far from my ears. More recently the Unyielding Love discography and first two Malthusian eps. The Primordial demo is still my favourite thing they've ever done, best black metal to ever come off this island. Oh, the WoTh demos are up there too, still godlike.
Not metal but the Jackbeast discography is also impeccable and essential.
Rediscovered the Exploding Birds demo recently and it still holds up. I'll take that over Crowd Control (most of the same members)
U2
(https://i.ibb.co/HprHT0V2/couch.gif)
Some great stuff mentioned, a few which, for my sins, I have never heard. I have yet to hear morphosis, primordial or exploding birds demos so Ill try and remedy that. Haven't gotten round to checking out worn out either, but have heard good things so I'll give it a blast.
Thy sinister bloom were cool, I binged serein falls about a decade ago and subsequently forgot about it so its due a relisten.
Unyeilding love is another great shout, I gave sweat of augury alot of attention but should dedicate more time to flesh of the furnace. There's something extremely intimidating about their whole sound, quality band.
Warpath wouldnt be my particular brand of dm these days but its good stuff, had alot of time for both albums when they were doing the rounds. Speaks to the strength of the band when I can still distinctly hear the riffs in my head at the mention of their name deapite not having heard the albums in over a decade! They put on a great show the few times I caught them too.
The Last Supper is an obvious one for me. Nadir is great as well.
Several MB and Primordial releases fit the bill.
Arcane Sun. Their album is so unique and always has me returning to it 25 or so years on from picking it up.
Geasa- the Starside demo is perfect, and Angel's Cry, which only grew on me in recent years, is now a timeless classic in my eyes.
Hexxed- Transgression demo. Superb. Such a pity they didn't continue further down that route.
I try and pick Irish stuff off randomly off the shelves often enough.
But some favourites off the top of my head...
AI - Last Supper, Nadir, Pessimist
Arcane Sun - s/T
Altar of Plagues - Sol, White Tomb
Mael Mordha - Damned When Dead
Stereo Nasty - Twisting the Blade, Nasty by Nature
Mourning Beloveth - Dust, Disease for the Ages
Totally agree on Hexxed - that was a great release.
The three Irish bands I would return to the most are Primordial, Mourning Beloveth and Waylander. I'm sure Primordial and MB will get plenty of mentions but I still think Waylander - Reawakening Pride Once Lost is a great album. The second albums production makes it pretty much unlistenable to, but I liked next three and played the hell out of them when they were released, but haven't revisited in a while.
When I like something Irish I tend to really fucking like it
Altar of Plagues - Mammal and Teethed Glory
Abandon Incarnate - Nadir,Pessimist and The Last Supper
Mourning Beloveth - Formless
Malthusian - discography
Scald - demo, Headworm & Fluke
Soothsayer - s/t E.P & at this great depth
Graveyard Dirt - discography
Primordial - discography
Slidhir- Deluge
Visitor Q - Vile Regression E.P
People of the Monolith - No Hand to Comfort You
Chambercraft - The Last Cast
Owlcrusher - s/t
Drainland - and so our troubles began
Mirrors of Obsidion - Imminent Chaos Complete
Zom - demo
Mass Extinction: Creation's Undoing demo. The best thrash this country's produced IMO.
Another shout for Thy Sinister Bloom here, fantastic stuff.
I'm a big fan of Coroza, Partholón, Soothsayer, Nomadic Rituals, Slomatics, Elder Druid... listen to them regularly.
I haven't fired On TSB in a long time. Might have to rectify that.
Can't really add too much to what has already been said but where AOP are concerned, the Through the Cracks of the Earth demo is where it's at for me. I still think they had some cracking releases but some of it went a bit "post" for me.
More releases mentioned here than I would've expected that I don't know! Good stuff, lots to check out :abbath:
There's a load of Irish releases are part of my metal DNA, most already mentioned. Will add Dread Sovereign's first full length, always a blast to listen to and nothing else quite like it from Ireland, especially in terms of almost Culte des Ghoules level theatrics from AA.
Quote from: Anvil on August 23, 2026, 01:23:31 PMTotally agree on Hexxed - that was a great release.
The three Irish bands I would return to the most are Primordial, Mourning Beloveth and Waylander. I'm sure Primordial and MB will get plenty of mentions but I still think Waylander - Reawakening Pride Once Lost is a great album. The second albums production makes it pretty much unlistenable to, but I liked next three and played the hell out of them when they were released, but haven't revisited in a while.
Agree with Waylander debut been great. What the hell was wrong with their ears for the second album? Mael Mordha first few EPs I go back to as well. Primordial up to 'Spirit..., excluding their 1st album. MB- everything
Best song by an Irish band
EVER!
[r]evolution of a sun - discography
el bastardo - Versus you
Therapy? - Babyteeth
Pet Lamb - Sweaty Handshake
Mexican Pets - discography
AoP - White Tomb
Abaddon Incarnate - Pessimist
Quote from: Putrefaction on August 24, 2026, 11:22:26 AM[r]evolution of a sun - discography
el bastardo - Versus you
Therapy? - Babyteeth
Pet Lamb - Sweaty Handshake
Mexican Pets - discography
AoP - White Tomb
Abaddon Incarnate - Pessimist
I'd forgotten all about El bastardo, great stuff. Brains were another great Cork band
This is a hard choice, I often have tons of Irish bands in rotation, but sure here's a few releases not mentioned yet in no particular order:
I'll Eat Your Face - "Irritant" (https://illeatyourface.bandcamp.com/album/irritant)
Completely savage, wild, heavy, violent. Can remember coming across this soon after release and being blown away that it was just two lads from here. Regularly still have it on.
Nomadic Rituals - "Tides" (https://nomadicrituals.bandcamp.com/album/tides)
Unreal album. Huge, layered sludge/doom, can never get sick of it.
Partholón - "The Ocean Pours In" (https://partholonian.bandcamp.com/album/the-ocean-pours-in)
Only a few years old now but deserves a place here, again constantly have it on, love all their releases really but this is great.
We Come In Pieces - "Stop the Rot" (https://wecomeinpieces1.bandcamp.com/album/stop-the-rot)
Skimming my phone here and realised I actually listen to this and awful lot more than I thought. Love this album. Great songs, big hooks, big riffs, can't get sick of it.
Coroza - "As Within" (https://coroza.bandcamp.com/track/as-within-2)
Torn between this and Chaliceburner but will go for the most recent. Love both these albums but this one has gone on more often lately. The lads' style sits nicely in a cross section of doom/sludge/post-metal.
Tooms - "Karst" (https://tooms.bandcamp.com/album/karst)
Odd to pick a release this year maybe but it is their best in my opinion. On regularly here since release, definitive of their sound, great songs, surely will last the test of time.
Shardborne - "Oars in the Water" (https://shardborne.bandcamp.com/album/oars-in-the-water)
Again a toss-up between this and Living Bridges, both are class, LB got tons of listens until this came out and now I would rotate both. Savage album. Much like some of the posts above I find it hard to write about lads I know but look it is lethal :laugh:
There's tons tons more, and loads of bands locally I will make a point of seeing live, but just skimming my phone at the minute to see which ones I had in the MP3 folders and these were on here. There's also lots of stuff that's not metal that would go on frequently too. But anyway
Cheers for chiming in everyone, alot of stuff here Ive never heard.
Started off with the morphosis conflagration demo. It is seriously murky but that adds to the charm imo.
Lots of greats already mentioned here. One band I go back to often are Dyslucsic. Never got to see them play live but still check the demo and 2 albums out.
Speaking of Altar of Plagues, does James Kelly make music anymore?
Quote from: Dr Rockso on August 24, 2026, 12:23:43 PMLots of greats already mentioned here. One band I go back to often are Dyslucsic. Never got to see them play live but still check the demo and 2 albums out.
Serious great craic live...
Quote from: nimhiúil on August 24, 2026, 12:52:55 PMSpeaking of Altar of Plagues, does James Kelly make music anymore?
He's got an electronic band/project called Wife. No idea if it's still going.
Myrkr - Black Illumintaion
Sol Axis - ... To Mark The Ages
Vircolac - Masque
Halfmast from Cork were savage live, not sure if they ever recorded anything.
I'm 50/50 on whether or not they went on to be El Bastardo orRevolution OF A Sun.
I don't known how I left Therapy? off the list, they are surely who I go back to the most.
I suppose this is more for a where are they now but Brindkil Bombeat weee always brilliant as well.
There was definitely a Half Mast demo, a CDR I think
Pre both those bands in that Noel and Eoin were in all of them, but probably morphed into Rev
Has anyone digitized the Unearthly or Crypt demos yet? Two more old favourites
I have to give a shout out to Graveyard Dirt here and their all to brief discography.
Yeah!
Graveyard Dirt demo and album years later are phenomenal.
Therapy? Get regular spins, too.
Dyslucsic, for a kinda joke band, were absolutely brilliant.
As for Unearthly and Crypt...
Quirky has a box of tapes he's promised to let me digitise. Still waiting... years later. :eyeroll:
DO IT QUIRKEY
MB - A disease for the ages
Primordial - Journeys End
Zom - Demo
Sacrilegia - The Triclavian Advent
Zealot Cult - Spiritual Sickness
Coscradh - Nahangan Stadial
Coming into the darker months will probably also reach for the Geasa early stuff.