Cork’s shoegaze outfit Ways of Seeing are set to release their highly anticipated second album, The Inheritance of Fear, Out Now via Joyful Hour Records. The follow-up to their acclaimed 2022 debut, End Comes to Light, finds frontman James O’Donnell exploring the psychological reverberations of fear, trauma, and inherited anxieties in a record that is as introspective as it is sonically immersive.
Drawing on literature, lived experience, and the complexities of lineage, The Inheritance of Fear is described by O’Donnell as “an astute meditation on the reverberations of trauma, loss and anxiety,” examining how inherited experiences shape who we are and the ways we confront—or bury—our pasts.
Ways of Seeing emerged after O’Donnell amassed a vast collection of home-studio recordings during an unexpected eighteen-month creative hiatus. Having previously been part of Hush War Cry and Dublin-based Dear Desert, O’Donnell had considered stepping away from music entirely. “Before End Comes to Light, I put music on the back burner and didn’t know if I would go back to it,” he recalls. “Then, once the pandemic hit, I suddenly had a lot of voice notes and time. Being a songwriter, you are constantly gathering ideas on your phone.”
Bringing these songs to producer Christian Best helped shape the band’s debut, and O’Donnell quickly turned his attention to a second album. Inspired by performing live again, he expanded Ways of Seeing’s alternative rock arrangements with shoegaze, post-punk, and indie textures, experimenting with interfaces, plug-ins, and virtual amps to create a richer sonic palette.
The Inheritance of Fear features captivating guitar motifs, crunchy percussion, sparkling synths, and slinky bass riffs, culminating in a cohesive and dexterous body of work. O’Donnell cites literary and artistic influences, from Philip Larkin and Samuel Beckett to Francis Bacon, alongside psychological and autobiographical texts like Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle and Bessel Van Der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score. These works inform the album’s thematic focus on intergenerational trauma and personal identity.
The recording process was punctuated by personal challenges, including an illness affecting O’Donnell’s vocals and the death of close friend and former Hush War Cry bandmate Eoin French (Talos). This grief inspired the instrumental “Solat,” a meditative track dedicated to French, which offers a reflective pause within the album.
Mixing duties were handled by renowned producer Daniel Fox (Gilla Band, Sprints, Silverbacks, Lambrini Girls), whose expertise with heavier, guitar-driven music helped expand the album’s sonic dimensions. O’Donnell describes the collaboration as a “silver lining” of the album’s creative journey, enabling him to push the compositions to their fullest live potential while maintaining an intimate emotional core.
Musically, the album nods to Deafheaven, Protomartyr, Whipping Boy, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, New Order, Tame Impala, and the rich legacy of Irish music, blending these influences into a distinct voice within Ireland’s flourishing alternative scene. Lyrically and sonically, The Inheritance of Fear rewards repeated listening, revealing layers of meaning and emotional depth.
Ways of Seeing have already built a loyal live following with sold-out shows at Whelan’s (Dublin), Mike the Pies (Kerry), and Coughlan’s (Cork), as well as support slots for Cork icons The Frank and Walters. Their previous work has garnered widespread acclaim across UK and Irish media, cementing the band as a vital presence on the contemporary Irish music landscape.
The Inheritance of Fear is set to be a defining moment for Ways of Seeing, showcasing O’Donnell’s maturation as a songwriter and the band’s continued evolution into one of Ireland’s most compelling alternative acts.
Listen below:
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