To mark the announcement of the inaugural West x Sound West Blowtorch Records showcase, Michael Smyth from Old Crows Promotions and Belfast shoegaze band Virgins turned the tables and made me a guest on our own podcast.

West by Sound West (WxSW) is on May 1 2025 and features 8 bands across 2 floors of Galway's Róisín Dubh. Virgins and Adore are co-headliners and joined by Nerves, Nixer, iNNUENDO, Some Remain, The Savage Hearts and Scattered Ashes. Rob Smith from Swedish Railway Orchestra finishes the night with one of his legendary DJ sets.

WxSW tickets (early bird €10)

It is a joint promotion between Blowtorch Records, A Modern Movement and Old Crows Promotions

"It's just a punk record with me shouting my head off"

Meryl Streek understates his impact as his outspoken oratory, delivered over a mix of melodic electronica and punk, blasts his chosen targets - the catholic church, cover-up culprits and capitalism. His new album Songs For The Deceased hits just as hard as 2022 debut 796 and is earning him swathes of new fans as well as critical acclaim and radio play.

He's on great form as we sit down before his upcoming UK tour and discuss what inspires him and makes him angry, and why he chose to perform using only a laptop, a microphone and a torch. We also discover he has never liked his voice and that 796 originally wasn't meant to have any vocals on it. Listen in for more great stories from the man behind the contact lenses as he completes his third album.

You will find Meryl Streek mostly on Instagram and you can find all album and gig information via his Linktree

Songs played

Gambling Death
Full Of Grace
Counting Sheep
Dogs
Dear James by Burnt Out - check it out on YouTube

Dublin art rock four piece iNNUENDO have released their debut EP 'on occasion' and to mark the erm.. occasion we are joined by frontwoman and pianist extraordinaire Nora Ronan along with drummer Daniel Dennehy who also plays piano along with several other instruments. We are not worthy!

Listen in as we play the tracks and go for a deep dive into the making of the EP - their reflections, the inspirations, the bumps in the road and a great story about the string quartet which became a duo.

iNNUENDO on Spotify
iNNUENDO on Instagram
Buy the 'on occasion' CD
Keelin Sutcliffe on Instagram (artwork)
Launch gig tickets

Tracks played
clear motion
don't ask away
astros blue
brake faster
on occasion

Never ones to shy away from diving into deep waters, in this episode we delve into Black Poison Morning - the debut album from Limerick's His Father's Voice.

They offset dark lyrics and edgy instrumentation with soaring pop melodies and epic crescendos. The band comprise singer/guitarist Ash O’Connor, lead guitarist James Reidy, and rhythm section of Laya Meabhdh Kenny on bass and Cian McGuirk on drums.

Ash and James join us for the podcast in which we go through the album track by track for lyrical and musical insights and inspirations - "lyrically it's purposefully quite dark with obnoxiously dark titles"

Follow the band and get latest updates on their Instagram profile and on their Bandcamp page

The vinyl album is available to order in our online store

Tracks played
The Blues
Night Terrors
Through The Thorns
Forgot To Feed
Interior Decorator
Breathless
Arm's Length
Emotional Embargo

SCATTERED ASHES are an angular, abrasive post punk foursome originally from Dublin but now based in the UK. They have released their second EP All That Is Solid Melts Into Air and we chatted to frontman Rob Dalton and went through the EP track by track.

Despite suffering from a heavy cold, he gave us great background and insights into this essential listening EP. You will also find out which track was inspired by The Eye Of The Tiger, who Rob’s favourite drummer is and what the hell the X-files have got to do with it.

At times angry, defiant, reflective, sad and optimistic, this EP finds them taking on the world. Incorporating guitars, samples, synths and sequencers, their expanded audio arsenal has melodies to match and attitude in abundance.

SCATTERED ASHES on Instagram
SCATTERED ASHES on Spotify
Vinyl EP in our online store

Dublin slowcore four piece of all living things have released their second EP Cold Plunge.

We chatted to Eunice and Danilo from the band on the day they played a support slot for English Teacher in Dublin, in preparation for their own headline tour supporting the May 31 release.

Cold Plunge has a slower more intense and emotional feel than their debut On Familiar Ground; as we go through and play the EP track by track, we learn why that is, how they felt during the recording process and what inspired their songwriting.

Buy Cold Plunge on vinyl
of all living things on Instagram
of all living things on Spotify

Nixer are Seán Keenan and Simon Gardner and they deliver dancefloor friendly, uptempo and visceral electro synth wave which is delicately balanced with the perfect amount of pop sensibilities.

On the day that their new EP I hit the town and the town hit me back was released, we had the craic with Seán and went through the EP track by track. It was recorded, produced and mixed in bedrooms in London, LA, and New York City (and Drogheda as we find out). This deep dive gives us the skinny on the inspirations, recording processes and feelings (some good, some bad!) about the songs - all in Seán's unique, high energy style. Highly recommended.

Nixer on Instagram
Nixer on Spotify
Vinyl record available here

Tracks played are:

1. Hit The Town
2. Second Hand
3. Voices
4. The Book
5. Saccharine Smile
6. Fast One
7. Hit Me Back

What a delight to talk to Rob Flynn aka Rob Rua in episode 53 of the Blowtorch Records podcast. Rob is our guide to all things heavy bass and his passion, which was ignited by the arrival of dubstep in the 00s, shines through.

With no less than four record labels (Rua, Spheres, Foxy Jangle and latest Ar Ais Arís) and a thriving club night in Galway, we were lucky to pin him down for an hour!

The brilliant artwork for this episode is by DJ Egg. The opening track is Laced Up by Doubt from the new Ar Ais Arís Volume 1 release on their Bandcamp page.

Ar Ais Arís - Big soundsystems. Big energy. Small safe spaces.
Run by Alannah, Hannah, Robin & Rob

Ar Ais Arís Bandcamp
Ar Ais Arís Instagram
DJ Egg Instagram