From the Bogs of Aughiska's excellent new EP, Fenian Ram, steers well clear of typical metal tropes—or rather, dark ambient tropes, since that's a far closer approximation of the Irish outfit's harrowing soundscapes. Instead, the two-song effort is a tribute to the father of the modern submarine—even the title (which at first glance would suggest a snorting horned beast, in typical metal-adjacent fashion) actually refers to the name given Holland's first full-size submarine.Holland emigrated to America from the small coastal Irish town of Liscannor in 1873, and began work on what would prove to be both a blessing and a curse to mankind: the submarine. His first attempt at such a creation was subsidized by the Fenians, an American branch of the Irish Republican Brotherhood—who saw in it a weapon that could be used in the fight for Irish freedom from the hated English. The ultimate fate of the Fenian Ram was less than glorious, though; infighting between various Fenian factions resulted in the submarine's theft and eventual destruction before it ever had a chance to fire on the enemy.
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On the EP's title track, guest vocalist Celtachor’s Stíofán De Roiste's deep, sonorous voice tells Holland's tale through traditional Irish Sean-nós singing. The mournful vocal style is fitting: the inventor died in poverty at the cusp of World War I, a bloody global clash that would see the ghosts of his original Fenian Ram haunt the oceans of the earth and wreak havoc upon thousands.Its companion track, "The Ballad Of Michael Philip Holland," is a reworking of the Micho Russel song "The Ballad Of John P. Holland" and focuses on Holland's brother, Michael. It's an altogether unsettling, haunting recording, and hits you way harder than anything filed under the "dark ambient" tag has any business doing.If you happen to be in Ireland this weekend, make sure you keep your Saturday open, as From the Bogs of Aughiska will join forces with a number of excellent Irish artists to present Roadburren Fleadh, a one-day festival that will take place at The Burren Storehouse at the Roadside Tavern in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare on April 30.If you're not able to witness it in the flesh, console yourself with ourfull stream of the Fenian Ram EP (out April 29 via Apocalyptic Witchcraft). The vocals will break your heart in the best way.Kim Kelly is submerged on Twitter.