Flogging Molly
Speed of Darkness
(Borstal Beat Records)

Celtic music is not always known for being mainstream and cool, but Flogging Molly has made quite the career by combining Irish themes and instruments with aggressive punk sensibility. The band’s latest offering, released on its own record label, highlights the energy and enthusiasm that the group is known for after more than a decade of releases.

What sets Speed of Darkness apart from its predecessors is how deliberately it walks the line between the American working class experience and the remnants of Irish folk on display. “Revolution” is classic Flogging Molly and an anthem for the lower classes, calling out the “penguins” who go to work in suits and lose their integrity for a dime. “So Sail On,” by contrast, is surprisingly melodic, with a delicate fiddle part and simple lyrics that pub patrons could easily learn and chime in on during the song’s short span. “The Cradle of Humankind,” the longest song on the record, climbs until frontman Dave King is belting out each note as though it will be the song’s last.

After more than a decade in the business, Flogging Molly shows why others may attempt to hop on their bandwagon. At the end of the day, they are the experts in their field.