It takes a lot of courage to, as Orange Juice sang, “rip it up and start again.” Well, that’s exactly what this Dublin trio have done. Previously known as Valhalla, who delivered hard, no-nonsense alt-rock, vocalist/guitarist Mark Boyle, drummer Luke Alford and bassist Barry Monahan are now officially known as Ragerra (a play on the Irish word ‘ragaire’, meaning ‘late-night wanderer’). In the band’s own words, they wanted to be “more dynamic and expansive” than their 2021 debut record Primal Features.

You can certainly feel a raw energy throughout, which you can bet will sound powerful in a live setting. ‘True’ has shades of Brandon Flowers, and ‘Hone’ – which explores the mysterious world of sleep paralysis – is also solid. There are some anthemic moments and killer riffs on the title-track, as well as on ‘Taking Over Me’ and the Placebo-influenced ‘Runaway’.

However, it’s the more reflective and subtle ‘This Time’, with its piercing instrumentation and vocals, which stands out on the 14-track record. Boyle sings, “The memory plays for you, the memory plays for me… can we find a way?” – and finding their way sonically remains work in progress for Ragerra.

Listen: ‘This Time’
Score: 6/10

Out now, self-released.

Read the latest album reviews in the new issue of Hot Press, out now.