In more ways than one, M(h)aol’s set in Whelan’s main room yesterday evening was the perfect representation of the band’s discography: short, hard-hitting, and infinitely rousing.

For the 8th and last date of their Irish tour, M(h)aol are once again accompanied by Belfast psych-rockers Junk Drawer, who, throughout their set, effortlessly jump between riotously boisterous heavy-hitters and dreamy synth-rock numbers, always lined with heavy bass riffs and rousing rhythmic sections.

Montreal four-piece Cola, meanwhile, also offer an impressive slot of pleasantly summery, yet gently stirring indie pop/rock tunes, their sound clean, crisp and infinitely catchy.

By the time M(h)aol enter the stage, the crowd has been properly prepped for their unruly brand of politically and emotionally charged post-punk, ready to bang their heads to the tempo of the heavy rhythmic section.

“Most of the songs we’re going to play are off of our new album, Something Soft,” introduces drummer and lead vocalist Constance Keane.

Reflected in their live show, M(h)aol’s last album is incredibly uncompromising, to the point and incisive. With distorted post-punk instrumentals and vocal performances sitting at the cross-roads between singing, spoken-words and angry shouts, it’s hard not to listen to tracks like ‘You Are Temporary, The Internet Is Forever’ or ‘IBS’ without getting a little heated at the least, and downright enraged at the most.

Despite their masterful use of dissonant melodies, where every other note appears almost off-key, giving the tracks an eerie, breathless and measured rowdyness, M(h)aol’s discography stays nonetheless inexplicably catchy, heavy and rotating rhythmic sections offering a consistent and strikingly intense lifeline in this glorious noise assault.

On the powerful track ‘Snare’, while accompanied by crunchy guitar drone-notes that almost drown any other sound, Keane offers lingering, nearly lazy vocals that contrast with the fast pace of the percussions, giving the impression that the singer is slurring her words with quiet annoyance.

In between two rageful numbers, the band also deliver a healthy amount of playful stage banter, allowing the tension to slightly melt off your shoulders for a few seconds. Introducing their track ‘Ven Diesel’, Keane clarifies that the band is not “for or against him, but he has very wholesome Facebook posts.”

On this track, bassist Jamie Hyland takes over the mic for an unruly, spoken-words vocal performance that perfectly accompanies its bouncy atmosphere. Following the last notes of the tune, Hyland takes a deep breath and explains that she “has been misgendered a lot, over the past few days, and it reminded me that I get to worry about that, but the people of Palestine don’t.”

After acknowledging our collective powerlessness facing the horrors of the genocide in Gaza and encouraging the crowd to keep marching, boycotting, and making their voice heard, Hyland and the rest of the band jump into the last few stomping bangers of the show.

Closing their set with the incredibly maddening ‘Persuit’, which deals with the experience of “trying to make it home safely as a woman,” as well as the recent single ‘1-800-Cal-Me-Back’, M(h)aol wrap up their 8-dates run with an absolute, urgent and breathless bang.