The Virginmarys –  ‘The House Beyond The Fires’ (Self Release)

The Virginmarys –  ‘The House Beyond The Fires’ (Self Release)

“There ain’t no future, Halle-fuckin-lujah!” Spits Ally Dickaty two songs into the magnificent new opus from Macclesfield duo The Virginmarys. That diatribe sums up the frustration, the anger and the pent-up aggression of not just a small-town northern band, but the collective of a whole generation who face an uncertain future in 2024. 

Right now feels like a time where bands with something to say will shine. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ren, Delilah Bon and Bob Vylan, The Virginmarys join a whole host of artists who are pissed off and shouting from the rooftops social/political commentary, tackling the subject paths others fear to tread.

For a band who came close to throwing in the towel a few years back, The Virginmarys sound invigorated and ready to take on the world with ‘The House Beyond the Fires’, their fourth album, produced by Ally and go-to-guy Dave Draper.

The picked chords and sweeping strings of cinematic opener ‘White Knuckle Ride’ creates atmosphere in the same way ‘Ends Don’t Mend’ closed the debut album ‘King Of Conflict’ over a decade ago. Intentionally or not, maybe The Virginmarys have come full circle in that time? Sonically at least the duo retain all the fire and energy of a band on their first record. The big riffs, melodies and powerhouse beats remain as solid as the friendship of singer/guitarist Ally Dickaty and drummer Danny Dolan. 

‘The House Beyond the Fires’ is a viscous snarling beast from beginning to end. The singles released in the lead up shine strong on first listen. ‘Northwest Coast’ with its stabbing power chords and bombastic drums is full of northern grit and bleak desperation, like a band teetering on the edge, pulling the pin from a musical hand-grenade with their teeth. It’s glorious. 

Second single and second track on the album ‘There Ain’t No Future’ is quite possibly the best rock song of the year. If MTV was still a music channel, that striking video would be on heavy rotation, it’s a song that should be a standard on rock radio right now. Punchy as fuck, both lyrically and musically. And most recently ‘When The Light’s Go Down’, with its hi hat count and crunchy riff is about as AC/DC as you get in 2024, but the infectious melody and songwriting suss of Ally takes it to a different place entirely. The duo weave their sonic tapestry to great effect, creating dark atmospheres with urgent rhythms, effect-ridden guitars and clever use of space.

Elsewhere, ‘You’re A Killer’ is dark and edgy, punky goodness, ‘Trippin’ New York City’ is a funky curveball with killer dynamics and guitars that are sloppy as fuck, right up my street.

The intensity builds song after song culminating mid-album with the acerbic ‘Lies Lies Lies’ a brutal assault on the senses that just makes you wanna turn it up and turn it on. 

Ally is one of those songwriters that has a knack of creating imagery in his songs and putting you in a certain mind frame, ‘Where Are You Now’ is a tune that does just that. The loud/quiet/loud formula is delivered with passion, emotion and angst in equal measures. The epic ‘Dance To The City’ then veers towards Trail Of Dead territory, before closer ‘Urban Seagull’ throws one last curveball. 

‘The House Beyond The Fires’ is dedicated to Danny’s father Tommy who passed away last year. He was a big inspiration to Ally in his songwriting and the boys have done him proud. 

Equal parts emotive and raging, passionate and powerful, The  Virginmarys have delivered a masterpiece with ‘The House Beyond The Fires’. A modern rock record that is up there with the best albums this year. Essential listening. 

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

The Virginmarys – Hit The Road

The Virginmarys – Hit The Road

 ‘THE DEVIL KEEPS COMING TOUR’ IS ROLLING TO TOWN IN OCTOBER 2022!!!!!!!

After a successful support slot on the recent Ricky Warwick tour around the UK, The Virginmarys announce a bunch of headline shows for October

Dates & Tickets Here

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

Ok first up this Monday is a video from Texan Rockers the Satanic Overlords.  Coming on part Toilet Boys and part sleazy stooges ‘Superficial Lamb’ is taken from the new album reviewed soon on RPM.

Next up is a video off the brand new ‘Bat Album Bat Music For Bat People’ and Bat release ‘Villain’.  But who are those masked men?

Rounding off this weeks three videos try the brand new Virginmarys for size

I know it’s only sposed to be three but when this dropped from White Reaper how could we ignore it.  Call it a gift from RPM it’ll bring the sunshine this Monday

Deaf Havana announced as Camden Rocks Festival Sunday headliners plus another 26 acts added.

Deaf Havana announced as Camden Rocks Festival Sunday headliners plus another 26 acts added.

????Sinners and Revellers???? Bringing you Sundays headliners, Deaf Havana! Joining Camden Rocks for their first ever London festival headline! Also announced are rising stars Our Hollow, Our Home, Britpop veterans Hurricane#1, breakout indie trio GLASS PEAKS, The Lottery Winners, Red Rum Club, Sworn Amongst, Orchards, KOYO and more!

For more artists just announced and to explore festival playlists ➡️ www.camdenrocksfestival.com

They join already announced Frank Turner, Ash, The Wonder Stuff, RAT BOY, New Model Army,Wheatus, Carl Barât, Ginger Wildheart, The Professionals., Angelic Upstarts, MILK TEETH,Richie Ramone, Pretty Vicious, Raging Speedhorn,Random Hand, Discharge, Eliza and the Bear, The Virginmarys, Area 11, Sonic Boom Six, Chamberlain,The Last Internationale, [spunge], BANG BANG ROMEO, LOTUS EATER, Rews and hundreds more of the best in live music across indie, rock, punk and metal ????

Day and weekend tickets available from £40 (subject to booking fees) ➡️ www.camdenrocksfestival.com

Camden Rocks Tickets and more bands announced

Camden Rocks Tickets and more bands announced

Camden Rocks Festival 2019
1st & 2nd June
The next wave of artists for Camden Rocks Festival 2019 is here! The multi-talented punk and folk singer-songwriter Frank Turner is joined by hitmakers The Wonder Stuff, Random Hand, Discharge, Richie Ramone, The Professionals, Eliza And The Bear, Sonic Boom Six, Area 11, Spunge, Shvpes and ninety other phenomenal bands across indie, rock, punk and metal announced.

They join the first wave of acts that includes Ash, Ratboy, New Model Army, Wheatus, Carl Barat, Ginger Wildheart, Milkteeth, Pretty Vicious, Raging Speedhorn, Angelic Upstarts, The Virginmarys, The Last Internationale, Bang Bang Romeo, Rews and many more.

This year Camden Rocks Festival is a two day event for the first time! Bringing you 400 artists across twenty grassroot venues in Camden Town.

Get out your microscopes and open up a spreadsheet to map out your days.  If you were to ask us here obviously the star attractions of The Wonderstuff and Ash will have their fans but watching The Hip Priests, The Spangles or Rich Ragany & The Digressions is where the gold dust is.  We’ll be doing our bit on the run-up to the event when we know venues and band times and let you know where we’ll be heading.

Tickets

That Was the Week That Was

That Was the Week That Was

In a week that was overshadowed and pretty much dominated by one thing and that was the sad and sudden passing of the incredible talent that was Pete Shelley.  It seems everyone throughout social media had a picture and/or a nice touching story about meeting or working with Pete who passed away at the age of 63 at home in Estonia of a suspected Heart Attack.

It was warming to see that even the BBC found it fitting to round off the day’s news with the reporting of his passing. It seemed that only when passing many people realise what an impact someone has on pop culture.  Sure Pete was never a style icon but man could he write a bittersweet song he spoke to the lovestruck teen who wasn’t part of the cool club and outsiders everywhere were affected as well as many up and coming musicians who fitted the remit of his songs  bands who later took his influence and turned it into something all together bigger.  BAnds such as Nirvana who took Buzzcocks on tour to audiences they could only dream of pulling which gave them a new lease of life.  Bands such as Green Day wouldn’t, in turn, have made the music they did if it wasn’t for Pete and his tunes – in fact, he wrote dozens of them quite literally he was the undisputed king of punk rock 45’s enjoying numerous forays into the top 40 as well as the soundtrack to many a film and tv advert looking for a catchy, snappy immediate tune Shelly had em by the bucketload.

As recently as this past summer Buzzcocks were easily one of the standout bands from the Rebellion festival weekend where they understood that having seventy minutes to play it was a case of 1-2-3-4 hit after hit which they usually delivered at ear-splitting volumes. Taken way to early Pete’s passing is monumental and a real loss to fans globally and our thoughts go out to his bandmates, crew and family at what must be a very difficult time. Rest In Peace Pete Shelley.

As for happier things over the last seven days, RPM brought you reviews from Poland in the shape of the excellent Jack Saint, Scotlands Heavy Drapes and to round the week off the brand new EP from UK Subs. The big-ticket items on the live front would have to be a bunch of shows we covered by The Damned, The Alarm & Ryan Hamilton, as well as a cracker Ben witnessed by the Virginmarys and we started it all off last weekend when Nashville Pussy played Cardiff.

 

Keep it RPM and stay sick!