A Hero's Death
Fontaines D.C. remove much of the hurry from their music on A Hero's Death. The band sound heavier and more thoughtful, with extra space between the guitars and a clearer place for vocal harmonies. This creates a different kind of tension from Dogrel's immediate outbursts. The songs look inward more often, and Grian Chatten sounds less determined to convince an entire street.
I Don't Belong makes the change clear straight away. It opens calmly and spaciously while the repeated vocal line gradually gains weight. The band hold back without disappearing. Strong bass and the guitars moving around it give the music enough force.
A Lucid Dream takes a much more restless route. The threat builds and the guitars become sharper, briefly breaking the record's controlled posture. Oh Such A Spring then shows that a small, clear guitar part and a good melody can also be enough. It is one of the quieter moments where the simplicity works exactly as it should.
The title track brings back more immediate pleasure. Backing vocals give the chorus an almost old-fashioned pop flavour without requiring Chatten to change his distinctive voice. Living In America is low and oppressive instead. I Was Not Born then adds light and movement. That sequence keeps the second half lively.
Not every restrained song has enough substance behind its sombre atmosphere. Sometimes a feeling repeats where clearer development would have made it stronger. A Hero's Death consequently lacks some of the debut's immediate appeal. The move towards a more spacious sound is still convincing enough to hold attention. It is a thoughtful next step with several excellent songs, even when the tension does not fully pay off.
