Once

This is An Cat Dubh's first album since 1998's Long Time No See and sixth overall. Like their previous albums, significant attention is given to traditional Irish music like "Toss the Feathers," "As I Roved Out," and "Smugglers," but as they are wont to do, they arrange the songs in a revved-up Celtic rock style. From Darmstadt, Germany, the band performs original songs that have a traditional Irish flavor, which is a testament to An Cat Dubh's fine songwriters, most notably multi-instrumentalist Matthias Väthröder. Lead vocalist Daniel Zimbrich possesses a commanding voice, which makes this band one of the more talented and convincing of the English-speaking German bands playing Celtic rock. Two new members grace the lineup of An Cat Dubh — drummer Olaf Würtele and fiddler/guitarist Peter Dietz. Dietz's fiddle adds a new dimension to this group, and the pairing of his electric guitar with Väthröder's provides more punch than previous recordings offered. However, this album isn't all whisky and amplification. There is a wide dynamic range in their music as they tackle both introspective and raucous tunes alike. This is the most diverse yet balanced recording by An Cat Dubh to date.