The Murder Capital, like their mates in Fontaines D.C., are not ones for resting on their laurels. Barely 48 hours after finishing touring 2023’s Gigi’s Recovery, the quintet were writing the songs for Blindness.

They decamped to LA to record this third album in three hectic weeks with Grammy-winning producer John Congleton, who also helmed Gigi, prioritising urgency and freshness over practice. The result is a storming record that grabs you by the scruff of the neck and doesn’t let go for the next 40 minutes.

From the thunderous assault of opener ‘Moonshot’, to the last strains of the brooding ‘Trailing A Wing’, this is the sound of a band hitting their creative stride. ‘Words Lost Meaning’ is the catchiest thing they’ve done; sleazy American-tinged rock with James McGovern’s voice a snarl.

There’s a rock ‘n’ roll sway to ‘A Distant Life’, while ‘That Feeling’ combines the energy of early U2 with the wild abandon of Whipping Boy, and ‘Death Of A Giant’ is their punky ode to the great Shane MacGowan. ‘Born Into The Fight’ sees them playing around with quiet/loud dynamics to excellent effect, as does ‘The Fall’, veering from muted introspection to controlled cacophony, all in the space of just over three minutes.

The six-minute epic, ‘Love Of Country’, is the centrepiece, tackling the hijacking of nationalism by the far right. Built on acoustic guitar, it places the emphasis firmly on the lyrics, as McGovern wonders, “Could you blame me for mistaking your love of country for hate of man?” His voice, the muscular-yet-vulnerable instrument that lifts this band above the pack, has never sounded so powerful.

It’s breathless; it’s exhilarating; it’s the sound of a band re-finding their path.

9/10

Out now