The Altered Hours – “Such A Steal”

Irish alt-rock outfit The Altered Hours return with “Such A Steal,” a brooding, hypnotic track that finds the band embracing introspection without losing their edge. Following the recent “Turn Away” and ahead of their self-titled third album (out November 7 via Pizza Pizza Records), the single showcases the band’s continued evolution—one that trades their explosive energy for something more atmospheric, measured, and hauntingly beautiful.

Built around a steady, mesmerizing tempo that frontman Cathal MacGabhann became “obsessed” with while demoing, “Such A Steal” thrives on tension. The guitars hum with reverb-heavy restraint, the drums pulse like a heartbeat, and MacGabhann’s vocals sit just on the edge of unraveling. It’s a song that feels suspended in time, pulling you deeper with every repetition.

Lyrically, it’s impressionistic and vulnerable. “It’s possibly about isolating myself from society because even the breeze on my skin is so overwhelming,” MacGabhann shares. “It’s about how much I love this world while simultaneously wanting to stay at arm’s reach away from its beauty.” That paradox—love and alienation, closeness and distance—becomes the emotional spine of the song.

“Such A Steal” feels both raw and transcendent, capturing the push-pull of existence with poetic precision. Where previous tracks like “Turn Away” leaned into the band’s garage-rock grit, this one breathes slower, expanding their sonic palette into the shoegaze and dream-rock territory of acts like Slowdive or The Jesus and Mary Chain.

With its hypnotic rhythm and restrained intensity, “Such A Steal” is a mesmerizing glimpse into The Altered Hours’ next chapter—a band continuing to challenge themselves while staying fiercely authentic.