ALBUM REVIEW | THE MURDER CAPITAL – BLINDNESS by Tom Whittleton
There’s something in the water in Ireland that breeds bands with an understanding of the islands poetic history and its long standing love of fuzzed up guitars. This last year has seen acts like Fontaines D.C and Kneecap rise to become two of the biggest contenders in modern music and rightfully so.
It’s hard to predict “who’s next” but The Murder Capital‘s Blindness states that case with a ferociously beautiful tapestry on the state of both a nation and a person in introspective turmoil.
Another musical tricolour flag driven into the beating heart of independent music, the band formed in Dublin in 2018 but have since scattered across the UK and Europe coming together in LA. Crafting an album that takes essential aspects of there previous releases When I Have Fears (2019): which came along just in time for the explosive post punk resurgence in popularity, and Gigi’s Recovery (2023), which sonically acted as the bridge between their debut and the tracks found on Blindness (2025).
The album opens with ‘Moonshot‘, which at time of writing nearly knocked my headphones off. A blast of immediate drum pounding and distortion announces the albums arrival, elements of industrial and noise music instantly become obvious with nods to Sonic Youth’s love of feedback. Vocalist James McGovern snarls his lyrics as the song gives the listener its first break with the guitars giving a slight lull in there attack before striking out again. The production pans nicely between channels as the song reaches fever pitch, one last emotional cry out from McGovern with a melody that snakes off into the distance.
Next, ‘Words lost meaning’ is a monster low end bass track. From bassist Gabriel Paschal Blake the track is slower than the opener and gives McGovern’s lyrics a chance to breath and morph into his own introspective monologue. The line “Took a while but I said I need ya” feels like a confession to a lover who doesn’t know their value. The band come together in the chorus, lifting the song up and pointing McGovern’s words sky high. “Oh i never need you to say i love you the words lost meaning”: there’s a melancholic feeling as the band chug forward with fluttering’s of synthesiser chatter and minimal, yet impactful single note guitar lines from guitarists Damien Tuit and Cathal Roper. Building up to form a wave of reverb before cutting into the songs finale, the chorus line is repeated before fading out.
The next song ‘Cant pretend to know’ is the most classically post punk track on the album. Drums count in and then that immediately recognisable wall of guitar is unleashed, building an urgent atmosphere with panicky tambourine percussion whilst McGovern lays into the mic. The soundscape is beautifully contrasted with single piano chords which cut through the guitars. The production carries the songs chaos forward without losing any of its feeling in exchange for excessive noise, it is kept just at that breaking point to an almost cinematic effect.
‘A distant life’ is as close to indie pop as this album is going to get and it’s a welcome, gorgeous example breather of how The Murder Capital play effortlessly with the form. Instant colours of Pavement, or the old favourite Velvet Underground‘s Lou Reed flavoured vocal delivery hit before a bridge section filled with interesting percussion synth blasts and jangly guitars.
Diarmuid Brennans drums are distant and simple but oh so effective with a ride cymbal bounce that kept my foot machine gun tapping. “The chance of making a living or loving night after night” place a conflict at the heart of an otherwise joyously fun track and “The price we pay for a connection in a distant life” feels as though the moments of love between McGovern and an unnamed source are fleeting but still beautiful.
The albums at its halfway point. Are we all okay? headphones still on? ‘Born into the fight’ is next and is a static feedback introduction followed by distant spacey keyboards akin to Massive Attack. Minimalistic percussion sets the tone giving McGovern’s lyrics breathing space: “When a life is regarded as more than a fling, cradled by the waves gifted with a sigh”; spoken seconds before the bass rumbles in and the band releases cacophonies. All the tension in the songs lyrics peel off like a plaster in a quick painful motion. ‘Born Into The Fight’ is screamed at that breaking point level before the whirlwind pipes up again.
The most striking aspect of Blindness so far is how the band manage to use feedback and guitars, not just as a stringed instrument, but almost as sonic weapons. The noise on this album is gorgeously satisfying, not once taking away from the crafted lyricism, but boosting the emotional value of each line. It no longer feels like a group of musicians in a room but a single entity.
My favourite song on the album is ‘Love Of Country’; a simple guitar tune when McGovern lays into nationalism with a poetic beauty that is not a simple done a million times attack on the establishment, but a personal cry out and demand for a step back to analyze the darkest aspects of the effect conflict has on the souls of a nations people. “Gods of all commotion spread there seeds across the land don’t you love your country don’t you love your fellow man”, it feels relevant beyond music. Connoting not only Irelands long history of conflict but the state of the world as a whole it is in no way preachy its a simple analysis of an individual who’s nation and identity are at constant crisis. “Kids reaching out to daydreams as there homes had lost there shape” brings you back to childhood that time of infinite hope and endless dreaming before you understood all that was going on around you. This track is defiant, brutal and one I personally had to pause on multiple occasions just to let what is being said breathe. Scarily relevant and perfect ‘Love Of Country’ is outstanding.
Track 7 ‘The Fall’ shakes off the daze and returns the listener back to the world of all consuming volume this album does best: “without an escape I send myself spare to the ones who don’t know me to the ones who care” whispers behind a swinging drum intro. A guitar line hits a high bent note which sits above the chaos before a small acoustic guitar break a pause in momentum but not intensity before The Murder Capital ball up all the rage imaginable into the tracks final breakdown, “I cant be told I cant be dressed I can’t be held I can’t be whipped” is repeated as a mantra of self reflection and aggression.
The choice of the band to lay out the album in this order gives the listener a range of emotional depth between wanting to smash up my living room and bounce around till I get evicted in its most breakneck moments. To wanting to sit and replay whole sections of songs just to feel more of what the band are conveying. ‘Swallow’ track 9 is an example of the latter: “I need you to go so you don’t swallow me whole” is in its simplicity exactly how an overbearing relationship feels when two people threaten to become one entity lacking a sense of self. The raw vulnerability is something inspiring when placed in a genre of almost macho punk rock traditionalism.
The albums nearing its end and I’ve been digging through my own thoughts along with the music , Blindness has the power to do that, the stories and scenes being told are clearly extremely personal to McGovern, yet connect with a listener like an old pal down the pub where you feel comfortable chatting about all that you feel. Track 10 ‘That Feeling’ makes me think of that scenario its still aggressive but almost hopelessly yearning. Sparse instrumentation relying on Brennans drums and distant guitar twangs draw you in before letting you go in another barrage of guitar abuse which through gritted teeth made me want to dance around my room.
The final track ‘Trailing on a Wing’ is one final moment of beauty before Blindness is over; one last gasp before the band are left exhausted. “I watched you dance a human hurricane”, a dedication to whoever this song was written for, there’s a tender intimacy in this final bow like its not meant for us but we are eagerly getting to listen in. The song fades out and I think I need a hug.
The Murder Capital have put together an album of outstanding depth both in lyrical and sonic content, pushing the bands past head first into the future without any compromise. Its hard to say “who’s next” but I wouldn’t be surprised if this skyrockets the band into the acclaim they deserve.
The band will be making appearances across record stores this week in celebration of ‘Blindness’ – all the info, including their upcoming April tour dates can be found https://themurdercapital.com/
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