Echo Scale™: 4.7/5 ★★★★☆
Five Punk Souls, One Spooky Mission
Forget what you think you know about Celtic punk. A Murder of Crows, a Fife-based five-piece with a knack for folklore and a love of all things spooky, are rewriting the rulebook one ghost, myth, and witch at a time. These lads have been haunting the Scottish music scene since late 2021, blending punchy punk with traditional music and stories that’ll chill your bones.
The idea: take real legends and tales from Scottish history and drag them, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century with distortion, attitude, and just enough respect for the dead to make it work. After last year’s Ghouls, Gaels & Gaols EP (which found its way onto 10″ vinyl, CD, and every streaming service worth its salt), they’re back with Baobhan Síth / Lilias their first AA side single, and the first recording with new guitarist Doug Barr. If you’re after punk with stories that matter, these are your lads.
Who’s Lurking in the Lineup?
This single is the work of the core five:
- Joe McDermott – Vocals, Mandolin
- Craig Hayworth – Bass
- Jamie Scrymgeour – Drums
- Neale Mathieson – Keytar & Vocals
- Doug Barr – Guitar (making a debut so smooth it feels criminal he wasn’t always there)
Emma L Pawley provides the sleeve art a wild, evocative piece that fits the single’s themes perfectly. File it under “vinyl you’ll want to frame.”
Track One: Baobhan Síth – The Vampyre’s Refrain
If you want a lesson in how to fuse folklore and punk without sounding like a novelty act, Baobhan Síth delivers right out of the gate. Forget tin whistles this is all mandolin and guitars, laying out a dark, driven backdrop for Joe’s vocals to bite into. Doug’s guitar doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel; instead, it tightens the whole sound, giving the band a grittier edge that really lands.
The story, rooted in Highland myth, is classic: a vampiric faery who seduces and preys on travellers. But there’s nothing cheesy about the delivery Joe keeps it gritty and direct, singing like a man who’s stared into the moor and had the moor stare back. The hooks are huge and the chorus is pure gold: you’ll want to shout along, whether you know your Scottish legends or just enjoy a good raucous singalong.
Musically, everything is exactly where it should be. Craig’s bass brings the thunder, Jamie’s drumming is tight and urgent, and Neale’s keytar gives just enough of a haunted edge without ever stealing the spotlight. It’s clear everyone in this band knows when to lead and when to step back.
Standout Moment:
The way the mandolin weaves through the punk guitar riffs folklore with a real bite, not a cartoon.
Track Two: Lilias – The Witch of Torryburn
Flip to Lilias and you’re greeted with a different energy altogether. This isn’t a stomp or a militant march it’s a genuine ballad, letting the chilling story of Lilias Adie breathe. Accused of witchcraft in 18th-century Fife and buried under a slab at Torryburn, Lilias’s story is the stuff of Scottish legend, and the band approaches it with respect and restraint.
Everything here is slower and more reflective. The instrumentation is stripped back, letting Joe’s vocals carry both the anger and the sadness that the story deserves. Doug’s guitar is raw and warm, never flashy, just serving the mood. The keytar sits in the background like a cold sea mist—subtle, atmospheric, and absolutely fitting.
The chorus doesn’t blow the doors off; instead, it opens things up emotionally, inviting you to join in, think, and feel. This is a song for dark nights and long thoughts, not beer-soaked chaos.
Standout Moment:
That chorus yearning, honest, and perfectly judged. The band knows exactly when to let the story lead.
Sound & Production: Human Afterlife
Both tracks sound like a band, not a studio project. You can hear the real room, the interplay between players, and the honesty in every take. Doug’s arrival on guitar is a genuine evolution he brings muscle, texture, and a sense that the group’s chemistry just got a shot in the arm. The production is clean but not too slick. No ProTools wizardry hiding behind the ghosts; what you hear is what’s actually there.
Crucially, the mandolin and keytar are present without ever feeling like a “folk-punk” gimmick. It’s a blend that’s rooted in tradition but aiming for something modern, and it works.
Lyrical Hauntings: More Than Just Stories
What separates A Murder of Crows from the usual Celtic punk suspects is the weight of their lyrics. These aren’t just songs they’re retellings, tributes, and challenges to the way history remembers its “monsters.” There’s wit in the delivery but never at the expense of the story. If you’re tired of pint-swinging “drunken pirate” tunes, this is punk for the grown-ups (with a taste for the supernatural).
Why This Band? Why Now?
Because punk needs more ghosts, more history, and more honesty. A Murder of Crows take everything great about Scottish folklore and punk rock, cut out the clichés, and just leave the bones—and somehow, it still manages to pulse with life.
They’re not afraid to slow things down (Lilias), or turn up the fire (Baobhan Síth), and at no point do you feel like they’re writing for anyone but themselves and maybe the spirits watching from the back of the room.
The Final Score: 4.7 out of 5 – Bones, Blood, and Ballads
Baobhan Síth / Lilias is exactly what a double A-side should be: one foot-stomper with a taste for danger, one ballad that lingers after the last note fades. Doug Barr’s addition on guitar is a masterstroke, and the rest of the band sound tighter and more assured than ever.
If you want songs with stories, heart, and just enough of the supernatural to keep things interesting—give this single a spin. Ghost stories never sounded so alive.
Echo Scale™: 4.7/5 ★★★★☆
