Andrew Hozier-Byrne, or “Hozier,” has been famous worldwide for years for his music. Recently, he released his new album, Unreal Unearth, which is a big step in a new direction for the artist.
Hozier has been known for years as the musician behind the 2013 song “Take Me to Church,” which won several awards, and celebrated its tenth anniversary this year on September 13th. However, Unreal Unearth embodies a different approach than his earlier work.
The album is meant to represent Dante’s “Inferno,” which is part of a famous poem by Dante Alighieri, depicting the nine circles of Hell. For example, my favorite song, “First Time,” represents the first circle of hell, Limbo. This song represents the experience of waiting in Limbo, and the state of mind between life and death.
In some ways, “First Time,” also feels like a love song. At first, the audience is given the impression that the singer is deeply in love, but as time goes on, the song takes on a more sinister note. The singer asks, “When was the last time” in the final verse of the song, referencing the singer being called “baby,” lovingly throughout every other verse. Something has ripped our narrator away from his love, presumably death, and now he will wander in limbo for eternity.
The first track, “De Selby Pt.1,” sets the general mood for this album. This song is about the descent into the underworld, which is the first part of “Inferno.” It is meant to be a reflection of life and death, but still takes the form of a romantic song. Hozier chose to write the outro entirely in Gaelic (Irish) to add a more romantic approach to the idea of heading blindly down into hell. Even for people who don’t speak Gaelic, the line “Bhfuilis soranna sorcha. Ach tagais ‘nós na hoíche,” which translates to, “you’re all bright ease, but you come on like night,” still sounds beautiful. Paired with Hozier’s breathtaking vocals, these lyrics convey emotions that surpass language.
There are 16 songs on this album, and each belongs to a different aspect of hell, while also telling stories of love, deceit, and misfortune. Beyond the deeper meaning hidden in the album, the beautiful vocals-which have come to be expected from Hozier’s work-make this album a valuable piece of art that needs to be honored.
