Galway post-punk band Slyrydes release a new single, Gatekeepers, today (27 October) on Irish independent label Blowtorch Records. It takes aim at cronyism in Irish arts funding and wider public life, pairing their confrontational post-punk sound with the sharp social commentary behind their cult following.
It follows their July 2026 single One Is Too Many and explores a more studio-influenced sound while keeping the confrontational edge. The single was produced by longtime collaborator Dan Doherty, who has worked with Fontaines D.C. and other artists, and who has now joined Slyrydes as a full-time member.
The band's debut album What Happens If You Get Happy? came out in July 2025 via Blowtorch, after the record was shelved for several years. They are now planning more releases and live activity for 2027.
A band that got their debut album out after it sat on the shelf for years, and are now turning their anger on the people who hand out arts funding, is one I'm glad to back. It takes a certain stubbornness to keep a record alive that long, and the new single suggests they have not lost any of it.
Live dates:
- 10 November – Dublin, Whelans (with The Savage Hearts)
- 29 November – Porto, Post Punk Strikes Back Again Festival
Bandcamp: https://slyrydes.bandcamp.com/
Links: https://linktr.ee/slyrydes