{"id":101624,"date":"2026-03-12T14:00:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T14:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/?p=101624"},"modified":"2026-03-12T00:31:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T00:31:08","slug":"review-the-scratch-pull-like-a-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/review-the-scratch-pull-like-a-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: The Scratch – Pull Like A Dog"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Scratch<\/strong> were formed by members of the Irish metal outfit, Red Enemy. Over the past decade, they’ve developed a sound that is rooted in traditional Irish folk, yet is combined with a metal-infused intensity. In the 10 years since starting out, they’ve gone viral for busking, had their music featured in Netflix’s drama series ‘House of Guinness,’ toured with the likes of Dropkick Murphys, and opened up Download Festival’s Opus stage last year.<\/p>\n

They’re now set to release their third album, ‘Pull Like A Dog’.\u00a0<\/em>It sees founding members, Daniel \u201cLango\u201d Lang (caj\u00f3n, percussion, lead vocals), Conor Dockery (guitar, backing vocals), and Cathal McKenna (bass\/backing vocals), joined by incoming guitarist
\nGary \u201cGaz\u201d Regan. As a unit, they stay grounded with a ragged blend of Celtic-charged numbers with the succulence of Irish folk.<\/p>\n

The titular track kicks off the record with a rumbling charge led by Lango’s drums, with Dockery and Regan providing blistering guitars. It introduces a ruggedness that remains for the majority of the record. There’s also a sense of humour balanced out by more honest, human moments. For example,\u00a0‘Pullin Teeth’<\/em> contains lines such as\u00a0“sometimes they’ll disappear back up their own arse if it’s not too mucky,”\u00a0<\/em>yet it’s soon countered by the admittance of playing the part of what is expected of being Irish.<\/p>\n