Ferals is the perfect name for a band whose reputation is built on energetic, intense live shows backed up by songs that pendulum between riffs that should come with whiplash warnings and melodic, euphoric passages, along with a sound that is heavily influenced and shaped by the wild, untamed and rugged north coast of Northern Ireland from which they hail. Having spent years honing their sound the band release their largest body of work to date, the new EP ‘Love & Other Obsessions’. The EP showcases a band acknowledging their past but always reaching toward the future, bringing contemporary sounds in to support emotionally extravagant songwriting, that according to the band explores the idea of love as the ultimate vice. This EP is essential listening from a band at the height of their abilities.
The band are comprised of Sam Foote on guitar, Dan Zilla on drums and Shane McMullan on bass and vocals. Shane’s north coast locale means that the band’s songwriting process has never been that of a ‘jam band’. The precious time spent together in the practice room is focused and productive, with the band building up a wealth of demos before choosing the tracks for the EP. ‘Love & Other Obsessions’ therefore is reflection of the band over the last number of years. An opportunity to rework and modernise material while showcasing the progression of the band.
‘Love & Other Obessesions’ opens with ‘High Praise’ a track imbued from the outset with a sense of frustration, given voice through abrasive, raw, punk tinged rock. Juxtaposing snotty in your face vocals in the verse against the hooky melodic vocals in the chorus helps build the tension in release in the track. Lyrically focusing on the obsession of religion, having been raised in the church, Shane deals with his relationship to the experience. Intoning ‘I cannot believe I’ve got to beg for my belief’ after asking for answers and finding none. The track ends with one of the health and safety warning riffs that Ferals do so well and so effortlessly.
‘Give It Up’ swiftly follows, the second single to be released from the EP. An instant change of gear, retaining the muscle of the previous track but with more restraint and consideration. The production on the track is perfect, creating space while feeling immediate. Sam’s guitar propels the track forward, while Dan’s groove is both heavy and danceable. Shane’s vocals step up considerably and you can hear the growth on this track. The chorus is huge and the layered vocals help elevate the track. The first track to feature love as its obsession.
Third track ‘I Get Lost Sometimes’ eschews the more rock feel of previous tracks and leans more into dreamy synth and electro-pop. It showcases how diverse the band are, while still maintaining the quintessential Ferals sound. It could easily be on the Drive soundtrack. Sam’s guitar work perfectly compliments the synth hook, while Dan employs some gargantuan drum fills that never seem out of place. ‘I could have easily stayed, but there’s too much space between our hearts’ is a line taken from a conversation with a friend as their relationship was collapsing, echoed thematically in the song as Shane sings of moving away from relationships centred round self-destructive tendencies.
The next track on the EP ‘Common Pain’ acts as an interlude/intro to ‘The Inbetween’ and expands on some of the more electro influences the band have. Written during late nights in Shane’s attic while experimenting with different synths, drum loops and crushing kick drum sounds through various plug-ins. Underneath the trap/garage sounds the track frames grief as obsession, wallowing in it, unwilling to face the truth or take steps to get better. Musically the chords are the same as the following to track to lean into its intro function, switching tempos and time signatures to match.
‘The Inbetween’ is the last in a trilogy of songs conceived by the band, previously released tracks ‘The Low’ and ‘The High’ form the remainder. ‘The Inbetween’ is the quintessential Ferals song, emotive and expansive, driven forward by pummelling drums with Shane’s vocals as a lightning rod for the listener, helping guide them through. Sam’s subtle math-rock guitar layers in the verse give way to a squall of guitars in the chorus. The song ebb and flows, any calm feels pregnant with the anticipation of the inevitable crash that awaits. Much like the tumultuous north coast that provides inspiration and influence for that band. As with much of Ferals music there’s a duality to the track, melody juxtaposed against crushing break downs and lyrically it speaks of how someone’s dream could be someone else’s nightmare.
For the final track ‘Time Of Need’ pull no punches, as all the elements of the EP coalesce to form one track wholly representative of the EP. When the chorus riff breaks it shows how devastating powerful Ferals are. When the band say they recorded the EP in sequence you can hear them applying all the lessons learned. They say going into recording the track they felt confident and comfortable which comes across in spades. There bass sound on the track is so gnarly, adding considerable menace. The track is about being there for some when they need you the most and having that reciprocated, a concept that seems apt to tie off the EP.
To capture their sound the band decided to go full DIY for the recording process, a choice that brought multiple dualities; refreshing and terrifying, while full of pressure and yet relaxed. Shane took the helm to engineer and mix the songs, setting up camp in the bands practice space. Not being on the clock brought opportunity for the band to explore ideas and chase down sounds. This was the first time Shane had tried his hand at engineering on this level which brought a level of apprehension, however there is no sign of this on the recordings. The band opine that what they’re compromising on in terms a studio polished recording they’re gaining in capturing an atmosphere, which adds its own character to proceedings.
The band have spent the last number of years releasing various singles but it’s here on ‘Love & Other Obsessions’ that we are able to truly get a grasp of the band. Rooted in hooks and melody, there is a considerable about of heft across the tracks. Dan punishes his drums like they have wronged him in many lives, Sam’s guitar work stretches across a vast sonic territory, moving from post-rock picky delays to foundation shaking riffs, Shane’s bass underpins everything acting as a melodic counter part for his almost choral vocals while still driving home parts and locking in with the drums. Bringing in electronic elements and clearly leaning into the production side of recording helps add depth to the tracks, moving away from a more traditional rock approach and taking strides into more contemporary sounds. Lyrically the EP is emotionally dense, Shane’s honest and raw approach to dealing with the subjects allows an instant connection with the tracks and they’re all the more engaging for it. A powerhouse of a band with a fully realised release that still feels like we’ve only got a glimpse of their potential.