Ashton Irwin – Blood on the Drums

Ashton Irwin may be best known as the drummer for the Australian pop-rock sensation 5 Seconds of Summer. However, he has slowly, but surely, begun to come out of his shell as a bonafide solo artist. After taking some time to reflect amongst the confines of quarantine in 2020, his debut record, Superbloom, was created. The album expressed all of the artist’s innermost thoughts and feelings, and although 5 Seconds of Summer remains as close as ever, Irwin continues to explore his own sound. This July, his sophomore album, Blood on the Drums, lands as an expansion on Superbloom’s themes.

Blood on the Drums has two sides: the first half of the project is coined as The Thorns by Irwin and was released slightly before the full record. Irwin explores three main topics: the power of relationships, the effects of addiction and how to navigate self-improvement. This instalment includes most of the highlights within Blood on the Drums and discusses the darker aspects of these focal points.

The title track is a great example of how Irwin is able to balance an eclectic and effortlessly cool sound with superb lyricism to match. Drums are the main element of the song, which aligns with the artist’s feelings that he has poured his mind, body and soul into his work as a drummer. He attempts to be motivational and optimistic whilst explaining his deep history in the music industry, thus providing both an inward and outward perspective on his experience. The next track, I See the Angels, expands upon this thematically and sonically, making for a good pairing. The next few songs, Lose You, Rebel At Heart and Last Night of My Life, follow through with the same vintage guitar riffs, powerful percussion moments and classic rock-inspired samples with commendable lyricism.

Unfortunately, the second half of the album, titled The Roses, is not as strong as The Thorns. The Canyon dives into the world of men’s mental health similarly to Blood on the Drums, but there could be more nuance considering the tough subject matter. The songs that follow are cool in style, but just like The Canyon, their lyrics do not quite land: California Holds Her Breath is almost too heavy on metaphors and Little Spark has some awkward wording. Wicked Habit and Wild Things are a bit cliche, and the chorus of Marry You seems as though it’s purposefully contradictory, but the phrasing is oddly put. However, Irwin has perfected the sound of each track, so they still have the same catchiness, original twang and impressive sonic skill as The Thorns.

Glory Days is the main highlight of The Roses: it brings the final moments of Blood on the Drums back to life as Irwin looks back on his formative years fondly, making for a touching dedication to his youth that most can relate to. 

Overall, it is clear that Irwin has mastered sound. The entirety of Blood On The Drums is fresh, yet retro, and cannot be compared to many other projects being released today. The record is relatively solid, and Irwin has proved he has the potential to shine on his own – not just as a drummer, but as a multi-instrumentalist solo artist.

Taryn Crowley
Image: Ryan Fleming

Blood on the Drums is released on 17^th July 2024. For further information or to order the album visit Ashton Irwin’s website here.

Watch the video for the single The Canyon here: