British alternative rockers The Virginmarys shoot down personal demons on cathartic, full blooded return The House Beyond The Fires.
‘I can’t hide or disguise – I’m terrified’ shudders Ally Dickaty at the start of The House Beyond The Fires' opening track White Knuckle Riding. This, before talk of ‘never arriving’. In fact, The Virginmarys – a spiky, punk and rock-fuelled duo comprising Ally and drummer Danny Dolan – have never sounded more present. You’ll know this already if you’ve listened to any rock radio in the past month. Lead single There Ain’t No Future has been played every day – it’s a powerhouse smash and grab that succinctly illustrates just how sharply the duo have honed their art. While awash with last gasp cries of disaffection and despair, this album does feel like their moment.
You’re A Killer swaggers around with explosive hooks, beautifully marshalled riffage backing Ally’s timely ‘same old Labour, same old Tory’ cynicism. Similarly, Tripping New York City is a caustic anthem that screams ‘look at me’, something it achieves via splashes of power and melody interspersed with a healthy battering of Danny’s drums. My Nettle then draws you in with stealthy groove before hitting you once again with a roaring hook – ‘feel my fear’ Ally implores, showcasing his world of alienation but paradoxically making you feel significantly less alone.
Even this is just a warm-up for Lies, Lies, Lies, a total flame-out of fury and frustration reminiscent of, if anything, The Wildhearts at their most cynical. This sprinting nailbomb is even more impressive in the context of far more considered songs, like Northwest Coast, a welcome side road of staccato stabs, funky groove and toe-tapping beats, and Dance To The City which cleverly takes you somewhere else altogether just when you think you’ve got it sussed.
The Virginmarys aren’t newcomers, but this is plainly their most important album. They haven’t so much continued to climb the walls as smashed the damn things down. Far from ‘never arriving’ they’ve done just that in shattering style.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Royal Blood, The Wildhearts
The House Beyond The Fires is released on November 1 via Masochismo
