John of The Apocalypse are back with stunning new single

John of The Apocalypse have returned with a very different track from it’s predecessor, ‘Take That Technology”.

 

As the old saying here in Mayo, “it’s a completely different kettle of fish altogether”, but you know what, it’s our kettle of fish.

The track called ‘Newborn’ begins as if it’s all a dream within a dream messing within your mind. But half into the track the music speaks to us in hope as if there is better times to come. It is also one of those tracks that plays in the background as you drift off into outer space.

The name ‘John of the Apocalypse’ (JotA) appeared to lead singer and guitarist Patrick Hallinan in a dream, followed by a slew of songs written in 2018 to 2019.

Their sound has been described as ‘folk inflicted, dark experimentalia’, with samples and spoken word woven into atmospheric and primitive alt-folk songs. Touchstones include Grandaddy, Elliott Smith, Wilco and Sparklehorse.

 

John of The Apocalypse have returned with brand new single ‘Newborn’

Hallinan began working with JotA drummer and bassist Steve Dwane (both from County Mayo, Ireland) on ‘Thinkerrs’, releasing ‘Black Dog’ in 2013. That album’s songs were described by Lauren Murphy in the Irish Times as being “in thrall to Nick Cave’s dark, squally rock [while] others have a lighter, Van Morrison-esque cadence”. Nialler9 noted them as one of the bands to watch in that year’s Hard Working Class Heroes Festival.

More recently Hallinan teamed up with Kevin Donnellan (Doppler) on the instrumental folk project ‘The Third Rehearsal’. Their debut release ‘Nothing I was Thinking’ (2020) received airplay on RTE Radio 1 and Radio Na Gaeltachta, among other platforms.

JotA’s debut single ‘Take That Technology’ was released on Friday 11th December 2020. The song was played by Cian Ó Cíobhán on Radio Na Gaeltachta and chosen by Gugaí as song of the day on Strange Brew – 8 Radio. Gugaí also named John of the Apocalypse as one of the bands to watch on his 2021 preview show. New York based blog Come Here Floyd premiered the song, while music journalist Tony Clayton Lea described it as an ‘impressive debut’.

The follow up single Newborn arrives on Friday 12th Feb 2021. Working with Kevin Donnellan on strings, the song strikes a more reflective tone, exploring the nature of loss and reconnection. Hallinan notes “Newborn emerged in parts and I initially thought it would be an instrumental song. But then the words appeared as I was working on the music. I didn’t overthink them at the time, but now I can see the themes of reconnecting back to lost childhood selves, alongside the collective dis-connection to the sacred in life. I think we’re all searching in our own ways to return to soul.”

Newborn is from the self-recorded and produced EP – ‘The Sacred Animal’, which will be released on Good Friday, 2nd April 2021 and you can check out the stunning video and track below now.   

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