The Goo 1
URAGH LEAD THE WAY FOR IRISH PROGRESSIVE METAL Pr
ogressive Irish metallers, URAGH aren’t afraid of evolution. After 2022’s Maelstrom, the band have returned with Stalemate, a darker, sharper, and more urgent collection of songs that push their sound into new territory. With themes ranging from generational trauma and societal pressure to cycles of confinement and control, the EP is as conceptually rich as it is musically intense. Oran O’Beirne sat down with vocalist Craig Murphy and guitarist Sebastian “Seb” Skarbek to talk about the making of Stalemate, the imagery behind its lyrics, and the creative sparks that fuel URAGH’s progression. Stalemate feels like a huge leap forward from Maelstrom in terms of both intensity and atmosphere. What did you want to achieve with this EP that you didn’t with the last one? Seb: Going into this project, our goal was to push the material toward greater heaviness and intensity. Some of Marcelo’s riffs had a blackened edge, which inspired us to raise the tempo. Craig put a lot of work into his vocal delivery, shifting between aggression and emotion to add depth. The songs feel more focused and complex, with less meandering. We’ll always be proud of Maelstrom, but with Stalemate we’ve turned things up a notch and taken the next step in the band’s evolution. The EP carries a strong thematic thread of paralysis, control, and personal deterioration. Was this something you set out to explore, or did those ideas emerge naturally? Craig: Both, really. The lyrics come from everyday experiences—past, present, or even imagined—filtered through observation of people’s 36 lives. Ideas usually start as a seed, then sprout branches of imagery, which connect together to form the whole picture. For me, that process is natural. And I think music, like all art, should be open to interpretation. What we know about the songs may not be what someone else takes from them—and that’s fine. Tracks like Perpetual and Crimson Dove use striking metaphors—machines, vultures, confinement. How did this imagery shape the EP’s narrative? Craig: The EP reflects the psychological impact of modern society. Perpetual is about being caught in the endless “daily rat race”. Lines like “Now consider, what’s precious, within this constant cycle” ask what really matters in life. Crimson Dove deals with exploitation, people who use others to climb higher. The vulture imagery comes through in lines like “carcass of hopes and dreams”. Seb: For Time Heals Nothing, I wrote the lyrics while visiting Belfast and learning more about the Troubles. It reminded me of my own country, Germany, and the weight of generational trauma. Sadly, that struggle isn’t unique to any one place—it’s universal, which is why the words poured out of me. Craig: And Stalemate itself is about untreated mental health issues, people committing terrible acts, serving their time, but never being deemed “stable enough” to return to society. The lyric, “always posing endless questions”, captures their constant uncertainty. Time Heals Nothing stands out, not only musically but because of the collaboration with Foelicitye. How did that partnership come about? Seb: With the relentless pace of the EP, we felt it needed a moment to breathe. We decided to step out of our comfort zone and just jam, which we almost never do. The result surprised us, in the best way. We also wanted a voice that could carry a sadness and weight we couldn’t fully express. Our friend, Dublin-based artist, Foelicitye, nailed it in just a few takes. She brought a depth that elevated the track completely. She’s now pursuing her own projects, and we wish her every success. The production feels sharper and more urgent. What was it like working with Josh Sid Robinson again? Seb: Going to Josh’s studio in Belfast feels like a happy place for us. We book an apartment, hang out, and enjoy the whole process. Before recording we told him we wanted to do things differently from Maelstrom, and he was all for experimenting. At this stage we’ve become friends, which makes communication easy and honest. Josh had a hand in shaping every track, not just as a producer but as a musician. His input made a real difference. Visuals are an important part of URAGH’s identity. How did Alex Malakmadze’s artwork for Stalemate come into play? Seb: Honestly, it wasn’t meticulously planned. We found Alex’s portfolio online and were immediately struck by his work. We could have chosen several of his pieces, but this one best captured the energy of Stalemate. Sometimes it really is that simple (laughs). Stalemate is out now via all good streaming platforms and also in a physical format with a very limited vinyl pressing which can be ordered via, https://uragh. bandcamp.com/album/stalemate.