It’s safe to say The House Beyond the Fires has been an absolute triumph for The Virginmarys. Having road-tested its songs for a number of years on the lead-up to its recording and release and now, eighteen months on, those songs show no sign of wearing thin. In that time, there’s been some relentless touring and somehow, they’ve found time to sit down and record Beyond the House of Fires, re-working the sonic brilliance and relentlessness of 2024’s album into a beautiful companion piece.
If you know this band, then you know they’re one of light and shade, between Ally Dickaty’s searing guitar work and Danny Dolan’s earth-shaking drums, underpinned by their authenticity and lyrics which examine the injustices of the world and introspection which are both relatable and inspirational. Chances are, if you’ve been to one of their shows, you’ve either seen Ally do a short acoustic set before their main set or even just one number in the middle of their show whilst Danny takes a well-earned breather. It’s in those moments when the lyrics hit even harder and can often be an emotionally moving part of the night.
So if you’re expecting (or wanting) punchy guitars and hard-hitting drums, this isn’t the album for you. There’s a whole back catalogue to enjoy while you wait for album five. This isn’t even a follow-up to Stripped, the acoustic companion to King of Conflict, this is something far more complex and vulnerable as the duo expose their souls in a much different fashion.
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Guitar is still present throughout but the opening strains of “My Nettle” immediately set the scene for the ten tracks as dreamlike hypnotic keys get the album underway. This initial track is enough to tell you the amount of work and care that has been put into this. They’ve not simply transposed guitar into piano and pressed it onto a CD. Every song has been reworked from the ground up. Ally has new vocals, melodies have evolved, Danny’s drum work is completely fresh, lyrics have been re-arranged and re-worded in parts and all of it has been in service of each song. You can hear the love and attention they’ve poured into this to create something they’re proud of and know their fans will love.
The album’s quasi title track, “Dance to the City” has had the rage taken out of it. Lyrically it remains the same but tonally it balances itself between rose-tinted glasses of remembering the past whilst also accepting that some things won’t change, no matter how hard people try. And in that late admittance of acceptance, siren-like guitar roars into life whilst Ally’s vocals are slowly swallowed by it. “Lies, Lies, Lies”, one of their most musically ferocious songs ever, is just as cutting, the removal of its outward-facing lyrics make this far more personal and cutting. Yet it holds hints of despair and it’s a thread carried over to “Where Are You Now?” where it almost drowns in it but doesn’t revel in it. There’s a real sense of pain and trauma in it. Between both albums, there isn’t one version of a song that is better than the other, each set are meant to be different but, on this occasion, this is the exception. It almost feels like this is the version it was always meant to be.
While it would be easy to strip out the more socially conscious songs and focus on more personal tracks, “You’re a Killer” remains. Debuted at the tail end of 2019 when the UK had a snap General Election, it was a no-holds-barred assassination of politicians and numerous factors which fed into it. Now, in 2026, it’s just as relevant. Despite the breathy, atmospheric opening to it, there’s a lot of justified anger and it bubbles to the fore in an incendiary guitar solo, pushing the apathy of the regular person out of the way in order to be heard. Elsewhere, “There Ain’t No Future” has transformed into a brooding beast. A world away from its Zeppelin-like force, its dark melodies and scratching guitars could have featured on Leonard Cohen’s The Future. Perhaps the most “faithful” reinterpretation comes on “Urban Seagull”, drums are pushed higher into the mix, still featuring that trademark Danny Dolan force whilst bright keys mingle with its calming pattern, the pair still slowly build it into a massive crescendo like its counterpart.
Closing the album is “Veteran Soldiers” and Ally and Danny have given this the reverse treatment compared to the rest of the album. Released a number of years ago in acoustic format, it was Ally and Danny’s way of thanking the fans for sticking by them through all the ups and downs and showcasing their brotherhood as they endure the music industry. Its slow, ruminative opening is almost like they’re working up the courage to express their gratitude; when one party wants to say something, the other one knows it but despite that, they have to get it off their chest. The jangly guitar works in lockstep with the swing of the drums to create something bouncy and bright, the emphasis on the positive, ensuring the negative, whilst acknowledged, doesn’t loom like a shadow. As a song for the fans, it’s a perfect ending to an album which is for the fans.
Not every band makes albums like this and it’s another example of how they continue to do things their own way. Ally’s restraint on his vocals whilst delivering those emotionally-wrought lyrics bring new weight to them and whilst there’s the odd scream, you’re never going to be asking for them. As keys take a prevalence, it won’t be the heaviest album in your collection but it allows songs to have their own identity away from their counterparts and giving an insight into how Ally views songs in their genesis, blending simplicity with grandiosity. However, it’s this album where he’s truly had a chance to flex his guitar muscles. There’s a whole lot of nuance to be found here, playing with dynamics and touch deftly. The same goes for Danny, there’s been moments where he’s shown subtlety but never a whole song, let alone a full album. He’s always worked his small kit to his advantage, battering it to the point of injuring himself on regular occasion but his work here drives the mood of the song. More often than not, your caught off-guard because he’s not simply re-recorded his work in a “Hit ’em soft” fashion. This truly shows off his technical prowess.
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Much like its parent album, Beyond the House of Fires is meant to be listened to in full to get the complete experience as familiar songs pull out new emotions, allowing songs to breathe and take on new life. This isn’t the album you use to introduce someone to The Virginmarys or even anyone on the fence about them. It’s for those who adore and admire their continuous commitment to be their authentic selves,
Beyond the House of Fires is released on 22nd May
Header image by Debbie Ellis
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