Photo by Daniel Topete
By Kiah-Azriel Freer
Following on from the major success of their debut album – Dogrel, the Dublin five-piece return a year later with their sophomore album, A Hero’s Death. The heavy post-punk sound of the first album is brought back to life in A Hero’s Death. The album opener “I Don’t Belong” setting the tone of the album with its melodic moodiness somewhat reminiscent of Joy Division’s Isolation.This contrasts agaisnt the fact-paced punk driving energy of “Big”, the first song on Dogrel.
The shift in energy and tempo follows on from the bands grueling and exhausting constant touring, taken a toll on each band members reality and state of being.
Guitarist O’Connell stated “We started to feel very detached from who we were when we wrote Dogrel”. The effects of this are highlighted through the introspective nature of the second album with poignant lyrics in fan-favourite track, ‘Love is the main thing‘ as well as in ‘Televised Mind’ – a clear critique on consumer culture.
The dark and moody nature of A Hero’s Death clearly takes influence from the likes of Leonard Cohen to Beach House. ‘Oh, Such a Spring’ is brilliantly followed by the album’s title track – ‘A Hero’s Death’ contrasting sounds and emphasizing the bands range. The change in sound challenges the presumptions that audiences and fans may have held over them – ‘I don’t belong to anyone’ reinforces the message that Fontaines D.C. are not prepared to compromise their artistic integrity to fit in with fans perceptions of who they should be and how they should sound. Fontaines D.C. return to the stage in 2021 with 14 countries lined up for their European tour including two nights in Manchester.
2021 May Tour Dates
1st – Edinburgh Corn Exchange
3rd – Nottingham – Rock City
4th – Bath – The Forum
6th – Liverpool – Mountford Hall
7th – Manchester Academy
8th – Manchester Academy
10th – Leicester De Montfort Hall
11th – Leeds O2 Academy
12th – Newcastle O2 City Hall
14th – Glasgow Barrowland
15th – Glasgow Barrowland
17th – Cambridge Corn Exchange
18th – Sheffield O2 Academy
20th – Birmingham O2 Academy
21st – Cardiff Great Hall
22nd – Bristol O2 Academy
24th – Bournemouth O2 Academy
25th – Southampton O2 Guildhall
27th – London Alexandra Palace
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