Mhaol

“A vital piece of feminist work, set to staggeringly good punk noise.” - Gigwise 10/10

"This is a tune lifted from a debut ep... Dealing with the issue of misogny and male violence against women.” - BBC6 Music, Mary Anne Hobbs

“Clocking in at a brief 1:50, it packs a brief but muscular punch.” - Hot Press

“Gritty post-punk with both an important political consciousness and a sense of fun.” - NME 100

“Gender Studies is a crystal-clear mission statement from another very exciting band out of Ireland” - So Young

"Irish feminist punks M(h)aol are led by vocalist Róisín Nic Ghearailt, who tackles issues including gender, sexuality and the nationalisation of Welsh railways with humour and compassion.” - The Independent (Green Man Review) ★★★★★

Gracing the cover of Spotify’s Hot New Bands multiple times, and based between Dublin, London, and Bristol, M(h)aol (pronounced male) are formed of Róisín Nic Ghearailt (She/Her), Constance Keane (She/Her), Jamie Hyland (She/Her), Zoë Greenway (She/Her), and Sean Nolan (He/Him).

Today the 5-piece announce their debut album Attachment Styles out 3rd February 2023 via TULLE Collective, as well as new single ‘Asking For It’, which is an intensely raw and personal song that has developed over the years. It was the first thing singer Róisín ever wrote to try and process some of her experiences and feelings around r*pe culture. 

On the track she said, “I wrote it initially in 2016 then revisited it in 2020. I was shocked by how much internalised victim blaming there was in the lyrics. I rewrote it, then we recorded it and it was released to raise money for Women's Aid in 2021. The album version is a lot angrier than the 2021 one and almost satirical insofar as it's highlighting how ludicrous the notion of anyone 'asking for it' is.”

Another video directed by bassist Zoë with added input from Róisín, it’s as raw and vulnerable as the song itself. So many times the subject matter has been treated with a complete lack of respect for how triggering, traumatic and long lasting an event like this can be for a victim, and here the band wanted to highlight the resources and services that are available.

Here Zoë says, “This has been the most difficult video I’ve made for M(h)aol to date. There’s so much power and emotion in Róisín’s lyrics and performance, so we worked really hard to create a responsible and sensitive portrayal of this experience she’s conveying, do it justice and make people care.”

Róisín adds on the video, “I think lots of media and cultural depictions of r*pe can be retraumatising. We wanted the video to be cathartic rather than traumatising. We both wanted to offer resources and highlight services that are available to survivors. The quotes in the video highlight the change in the song too, over the years it became a much more hopeful one.”

Zoë finishes by saying, “I hope watching the video inspires compassion and empathy in people. I think it’s important to open channels of communication around sexual assault in a way that validates a victims traumatic experience and shows a path towards a more hopeful and supportive healing journey. I think empathy is paramount in trying to build a better world."

Attachment Styles is a record about social connection, queerness and healing. When Róisín was writing the lyrics, she used the theory of attachment styles as an overarching theme which is a theory that looks at the impact our inter-familial relationships and society have on how we relate to one another.

With the album, the listener goes on a journey of healing. We start with 'Asking For It', a song that deals with one of the worst things that can happen to someone, then we travel through various stages of self-acceptance and community building with the triumphant ‘Period Sex’.

Bassist Jamie produced, mixed, and mastered the album where she wanted to capture the live element, meaning it was recorded in one small room with no headphones, minimal drum mics, and only a PA for vocals. 

Following the release of their critically acclaimed EP Gender Studies they gained a spot in the NME 100, as well as support from The New York Times, Rough Trade, BBC6 Music, So Young, Gigwise, Hot Press, The Irish Times, The Line Of Best Fit, NME, and more.

M(h)aol have been hand selected by Shellac, and Gilla Band to support, as well as dates at Latitude, Green Man, Primavera, and End Of The Road Festivals, plus were recently announced for SXSW next year, and will be touring for Independent Venue Week. 

The band also announce a headline tour for May 2023, that sees them perform in Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, London, and Brighton.

Attachment Styles is out 3rd February 2023 Via TULLE Collective