Celtic punk legends, The Rumjacks, released their sixth album last Friday, ‘Dead Anthems’. Recorded in Asbury Park, New Jersey, this highly anticipated album is a testament to the band’s unwavering spirit and relentless energy.
‘Dead Anthems’ marks a bold new chapter for The Rumjacks, combining their signature Celtic punk sound with fresh, dynamic elements. Produced by Rumjacks’ frontman Mike Rivkees, engineered by Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls, and mixed by Kevin Bivona of The Interrupters, the album is a high-octane blend of tradition and innovation. The album’s sonic landscape captures the raw energy and passion that fans have come to love, while also pushing new boundaries within the Celtic punk canon.
With the release of the record, the band also shared a new single “Eye For An Eye”. Check it out:
The album’s lead single, “Come Hell Or High Water” dropped on September 6, and has already begun to resonate with both long-time fans and new converts. The track showcases The Rumjacks’ knack for seamlessly blending gritty, anthemic punk with the rich, melodic influences of Celtic folk, drawing on Mike Rivkees family’s immigrant past for inspiration,
“This song is about how many of our ancestors were forced to flee their native countries to give us the lives we have today” says Rivkees.
Adding an extra layer of stoke, Dead Anthems features a special guest appearance by Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys. Casey lends his unmistakable vocal power to the track “Cold Like This” a raucous sea shanty inspired by “walking home from a Boston bar with a windchill of -20F” according to Rivkees.
Dead Anthems captures the essence of Asbury Park’s musical legacy while infusing it with The Rumjacks’ unique sound. The collaboration with such some truly iconic rockers has set a new standard for the band, ensuring that Dead Anthems is not just an album, but a happening.
Dead Anthems also serves as an obvious tribute to that titan of Celtic punk, Shane McGowan of the Pogues. “Some Legends Never Die” was written about the passing of Shane MacGowan” says Rivkees.
“He inspired an entire PLANET of songwriters to go on and write about their experiences in poetic, dark, and raw ways.”
Sepaking of planets, The Rumjacks’ are truly a band of the world, with its members currently living in Boston, Berlin, Belfast, and Milan but coming together to tour and record with a regularity that puts most other bands to shame.
With Dead Anthems, The Rumjacks are set to once again redefine the boundaries of Celtic punk. Their unwavering dedication to their craft and their ability to continually evolve their sound ensures that this album will be celebrated both by devoted followers and by a new generation of fans.
Tracklist:
- Come Hell Or High Water
- They Kick You When You’re Down
- Smash Them Bottles
- Cold Like This
- An Irish Goodbye On St. Valentines Day
- October
- Father’s Fight
- Scandal
- Road Rash
- Eye For An Eye
- Pulled From The Shore
- Some Legends Never Die
With the new album in their bags, The Rumjacks are currently touring Europe and the UK. Make sure to get your tickets. This is going to be a party! For tickets go HERE.
For more information on The Rumjacks, check out their social media:
https://www.facebook.com/TheRumjacks
http://instagram.com/therumjacks
~ Alex
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