Music News

New Breed alt-rock upstarts Stratford Rise – will release self titled debut EP with impact track “Prone” this Friday 23rd May

Belfast based quartet Stratford Rise lead a new breed of guitar music rising from the Irish noise rock scene. Their debut single ‘Water Running Through Faucet’ cascaded listeners into the epicentre of the dynamic noise that has made Stratford Rise a formidable force both on and off the stage. Their second single ‘World’s Fair’ hybridises their abrasive sound with a new exploration of melody and lush production, offering audiences a taste of each polar end of the experimental rock spectrum. Anxious fixations on minute details, and all-encompassing vagaries permeate their lyrical content, tending to document characters often in varying levels of crisis. Most recent release ‘Gunshow‘ consolidated their emergence finding favour at BBC6music. 

Their explosive live shows have made them one of the most talked about bands in the Irish live circuit. In a short period of time, they have built an impressive repertoire of performances. From supporting noise rock legends, The Jesus Lizard in Belfast’s Limelight, and a sold out show in Dublin’s The Button Factory, proving their ability to hold their own alongside the greats. At Whelans Ones to Watch Festival the band stole the show, with audience members surfing across the room. In 2024 they also embarked on their own five- date Irish tour. Their stage presence is erratic, theatrical, and visceral, with each members becoming enveloped by the music, offering a visually exciting performance for audiences. Other notable highlights: Just Mustard support slot at Limerick’s legendary Féile Na Gréine, support slots for Crows.

Photo credit – press photo

2025 is set to be a big year for Stratford Rise with the release of this debut eponymous EP. The EP delivers a blistering collection of tracks that encapsulate the band’s intensity, a tasting platter of their live staples thus far. It is a collection of songs that explore extremes in music, interlocking rhythms, and combining harsh, noisy ideas with consonant ones. Lyrically, it’s about small fleeting glimpses into characters at crossroads and crisis.

Ian Mc Donnell

Recent Posts

Hear’Say and Liberty X – reunite for huge arena tour to kick off at Dublin’s 3Arena

Twenty-five years ago, Hear’Say and Liberty X burst onto the scene after becoming the winners and runners-up…

2 hours ago

Fear Factory / Crystal Lake / Hate / The Nocturnal Affair –  Cybernetic Domination The Academy, Dublin 05.10.2026

Kicking off the evening, the Las Vegas alternative/gothic metal group The Nocturnal Affair set a…

2 hours ago

Nathalia –  double single release introduces a bold new chapter

After making her mark as one half of Sweden’s fast-rising duo Lover’s Skit, Nathalia Aránguiz…

19 hours ago

Antoni O’Breskey & Consuelo Nerea Breschi – share visual for new single ‘Napoleon Crossing The Alps’

Renowned composer and pianist Antoni O’Breskey has today released the live music video for new…

20 hours ago

Shobsy – releases new  ‘The World Will Not Remember’ EP with impact single ‘Perfect’

After a whirlwind couple of years including performances in the US and across Europe, signing an international publishing…

20 hours ago

The Hu / Skáld – Warrior Chant tour live gallery and review from 3Olympia, Dublin 06.10.2026

There are few things quite like a packed 3Olympia Dublin when the lights go down,…

22 hours ago