Cloakroom Q - Going For A Walk And Not Coming Back

Cloakroom Q - Going For A Walk And Not Coming Back

I first became aware of Cloakroom Q when I met one of their members by coincidence. When he mentioned the fact that they had released an EP recently, I approached the subject tentatively. By all means, I'd love to cover it, send it my way. I usually have an issue with this process, as now I'll feel like an asshole if I don't like it. Nevertheless, something felt right about this, and I tend to listen to my gut. What happened when I listened, was something completely unexpected. I  was floored by this, one of the more unique releases I have heard in a while. This 6 piece art rock group from Newry created something that sounds like Nick Cave, Villagers, and 100 other bands, but defend their ferocious vitality, never compromising on their allegiance to the forces of wilderness, thereby ensuring that their product is both fresh and interesting from start to finish.

I found it impossible not to be struck by the unusual and original sound that set them aside from other local bands, as their dedication to their craft comes equipped with a theatricality that borders on the melodramatic. This didn’t sound like an EP, it instead resembled a musical from the fourth ring of Hades. This full-throttle approach to moody dramatism allowed for a freedom to indulge in poetic lyricism, which they managed without drowning in pretension. Starkly unafraid of pushing boundaries, the lyrics are descriptive and tinged by jagged elements of intrepid mania. The vocals paint a picture of a man on the edge, while a medley of instruments had my hair standing to attention. Cloakroom has a poetic edda that is simply framed by music. Their sustained fanged grime is the perfect compliment to the unsettling compulsion found emanating from opener South Of Sane and the pep rally velocity of People With Energy.


Brimming with wit, bite and a sauntering barbarity, Going For A Walk… is an unusual and frankly frightening release. To create an original sound, one that sounds like it was forged in darkness

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