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Irish folk-metal pioneers Cruachan release new single ‘Talamh‘, their second song contender to represent Ireland in Eurovision. Last year they released their song “The Blacksmith”, a contender for Eurovision and now they release another song written for Eurovision. Cruachan wanted to show their Irish roots and highlight the growing Irish folk-metal genre. On May 7th, the contest will reveal who gets to represent Ireland in Eurovision Song Contest which coincides with Cruachan is releasing their new single ‘Talamh‘ through Despotz Records. 

Quote from Keith Fay on ‘Talamh’: 

“We thought it would be an adventure if it happened but alas, it was not meant to be. It doesn’t matter as we have two unique Cruachan songs to share with our fans while we write album number ten, last years ‘The Blacksmith’ and now ‘Talamh’. Talamh was written as though Ireland herself had a voice and was speaking of her tumultuous history. It is a lively song, on one hand mournful and on the other, hopeful. It will forever represent a ‘what if?’ to us and here we now share it with our fans.”

Ireland’s Cruachan have enjoyed a storied career since they took those tentative first steps back in 1992. As frontman and sole original member Keith Fay elaborates; ‘When I started writing music as a 13-year-old, I had no idea that I was laying the foundations for what would become a brand-new genre, Folk Metal, or that I was planting the seeds of what would be one of the longest running Irish metal bands in history. There have been many ups and downs over the last thirty years, band members have come and gone, record deals have come and gone. We’ve played some of the biggest metal festivals on the planet, travelled to more countries than most Irish bands would ever dream possible.

Stream the single here: https://ingrv.es/talamh-jxo-t

More about Cruachan:
A man whose vision and passion for his band has never wavered in the ensuing three decades, Cruachan’s place in, not only in metal history, but that of Ireland’s musical landscape, has been hard earned and hard fought. But Fay was always confident that he and the band would always deliver. About their latest album he said: 

“This album had to be good. No, it had to be better than good. This had to be the best Cruachan album ever made. I faced a decision in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, when three band members left the band. ‘Do I call it a day? or do I press on with the mammoth task of replacing everyone’. There was no real decision to be made, I worked way too hard over the years to allow Cruachan to fizzle out. I had been writing some of the best music of my career in recent years. I secured a record deal with a label (Sweden’s Despotz Records) that understood exactly what Cruachan and my vision is”

Since forming the band in 1992, it’s been Keith Fay’s singular vision that has steered the band for nearly thirty years. Appearing originally under the moniker Minas Tirith the band’s focus on Irish history and mythology prompted a change to more suitable Cruachan. The band’s blend of Irish folk music and metal was unique and in late ’93, their demo ‘Celtica‘ soon landed the band their first record deal with Nazguls Eyrie Productions. The first fruits of this endeavour was the band’s cult classic debut album, ‘Tuatha Na Gael‘, which hit the shelves in 1995 to critical acclaim. The band began to draw admiring glances from a number of bigger labels, but none suited the band’s ambition. They eventually signed with Hammerheart records and released ‘The Middle Kingdom‘ in 1999. ‘The Middle Kingdom‘ record saw the band make their first international live appearances. Their third album ‘Folk-lore‘ was produced by and featured the unmistakable vocals of The Pogues legend Shane MacGowan on ‘Ride On‘ which was a surprise hit single in Ireland. Subsequent releases, including ‘Pagan‘ and ‘Blood on the Black Robe‘ saw the band join up with AFM and Candlelight records and led to Cruachan hitting some of the biggest festival stages, including; Hellfest and 70, 000 Tonnes of Metal (where they became one of the few bands to ever perform three sets, one of which featured Gwar vocalist Kim Dyalla as special guest), as well as their own ‘25th Anniversary’ show in Ireland.

After a few tumultuous years band leader Keith Fay observes; “A number of long-term members chose to leave the band, but that prompted a time of rebirth for the band and it has only been a positive thing.”  Despite the upheaval behind the scenes, one thing has never faltered; and that is Keith’s passion for folk and metal music, and Cruachan’s unique way of bringing the two together.

Cruachan’s latest album is available at: 
Webshop: https://despotz.bigcartel.com/
Bandcamp: https://cruachanband.bandcamp.com/

Cruachan is:
Keith Fay – vocal, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, keyboard, Bodhrán
Audrey Trainor – Violin, Vviola, cello
Dave Quinn – electric guitar
Joe Farrell – Bass 
Tom Woodlock – Drums, percussion, hand clapping

Music and lyrics by Keith Fay
Recorded, produced and mixed by Michael Richards in Trackmix Studios, Dublin, Ireland

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3ecLKnh 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cruachanclan/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cruachan_official/
Bandcamp: https://cruachanband.bandcamp.com
Youtube: www.youtube.com\cruachankeith 
Website: www.cruachanireland.com