Nerves announce their new album Iarmhaireacht, the EP was produced by Daniel Fox (Gilla Band). Along with the announcement, the Irish band have shared new single “Takes A Second”. Now performing as a four-piece, the band have recently played sold-out headline shows across Ireland and support slots for The Jesus Lizard, Maruja, and HMLTD.

A mission statement for Iarmhaireacht, the song explores the final stage of a collapsing relationship, viewed through the lens of mental decline. As vocalist Kyle Thornton explains, “It’s the death knell of a romantic relationship – the acceptance that the bond now exists on borrowed time.” The track sets the tone for a record that navigates themes of mental illness, substance abuse, and emigration, against a backdrop of rural Irish life.

Lyrically, Iarmhaireacht is intensely personal yet deeply rooted in Irish history and culture. Through the use of archival samples – from old TV footage to folklore and podcasts – the EP draws a haunting parallel between past and present struggles in Ireland, a comment on history repeating itself. As vocalist Kyle Thornton explains, “Any older piece of media you find talking about mental health in the west of Ireland, emigration, the slow degradation of rural Ireland or issues with drinking culture, all have relevance to modern Ireland too. A recording from 1951 talking about how lack of jobs and emigration have left working class rural people feeling forgotten and abandoned has as much relevance in 2025 as it did then.”

The band’s embrace of Irish identity is woven throughout the project, from the Ogham script featured on the EP’s artwork to the traditional wren boys’ dress on the singles’ covers, and the use of Irish language titles for sample interludes. This reclamation of culture is presented as inclusive and politically conscious, reflecting a left-wing resurgence in Irish cultural pride amidst contemporary nationalist currents. Drawing inspiration from literary figures like John Williams, Flann O’Brien, Albert Camus, and Samuel Beckett.

Nerves
Iarmhaireacht
Tracklisting

Intro
Takes A Second
Dirty Fingers
Through My Chest
Iarmhar
Act of Contrition
Neifinn
Don’t Let Go

order “Takes A Second” HERE