Review by Phil Rozier for MPM
Ireland’s Spearside have lobbed a pint glass of punk-laced hard rock straight into our ears with their latest EP and it’s a short, sharp, swaggering delight. Clocking in at just under 12 minutes, this four-track firecracker doesn’t waste a second. It’s got attitude, riffs, and just enough chaos to make you wonder what kind of amps they’re plugging into (and whether they’ve survived the process).
Track 1: Couldn’t Be Told
Well, I bet they couldn’t. This opener kicks the door down with a sneer and a stomp. It’s got that glorious punk-meets-heavy-rock energy, think early Therapy? with a dash of The Bronx. The riffs are chunky, the tempo shifts keep you guessing, and the vocals?, delivered like someone’s just dared them to behave. And they didn’t. The lyrics match the bands don’t-give-a-damn attitude, and it’s all the better for it. A proper curtain-raiser that sets the tone: loud, proud, and ready to rumble.
Track 2: Sentimental
Don’t let the title fool you, this isn’t some soft-focus ballad. It’s slower, sure, but it’s got teeth. There’s a 90s indie haze hanging over the intro, before the band lurches into a grungy, stoner-rock groove that smells faintly of flannel and fury. You can hear the Nirvana DNA in the quiet-loud dynamics, but Spearside make it their own with a gritty vocal delivery and a rhythm section that sounds like it’s been fed on Guinness and distortion pedals. It’s moody, melodic, and just the right amount of unhinged.
Track 3: Stuck Into Me
Back to the riff factory we go. This one’s a head-nodder from the off. Palm-muted verses that build tension before the chorus explodes like a pub brawl in 4/4 time. The vocals ride the groove, the drums keep it stomping, and the whole thing feels like it was designed to be played live, loud, and preferably in a venue where the floor’s sticky and the crowd’s rowdy. It’s simple, effective, and absolutely made for toe-tapping approval.
Track 4: No Such Thing
The final track is my personal pick of the bunch. It’s faster, heavier, and absolutely dripping in punk grit. Power chords fly like pint glasses on a Friday night (just as well they’re now plastic!), and the whole thing barrels forward with the kind of energy that makes you want to throw your jacket off and dive into the pit. It’s the perfect closer; short, sharp, and screaming for a replay.
Final Thoughts
Spearside might still be in the early innings of their rock’n’roll journey, but this EP shows they’ve got the chops, the attitude, and the riffs to go the distance. I can already picture the approving headbanging in Irish rock bars, and if there’s any justice, they’ll be exporting that energy to stages far beyond the Emerald Isle soon enough. Short songs, big sound, and zero pretension, Spearside are here to make noise, and I’m absolutely on board.
