Skinty Fia

'Skinty Fia' is an Irish phrase that translates roughly to 'the damnation of the deer,' which frontman Grian Chatten has explained relates to the extinction of the giant deer (Irish elk) in Ireland and serves as a metaphor for the band's feelings about the loss and transformation of Irish identity. The title reflects the album's broader thematic preoccupation with the diaspora experience, cultural displacement, and the tension between modernization and heritage.

Skinty Fia was released on April 22, 2022, on Partisan Records, the same independent label that released the band's first two albums, 'Dogrel' (2019) and 'A Hero's Death' (2020). The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, making it the band's first album to reach that position.

Skinty Fia expands the band's sound significantly beyond the raw post-punk of their debut 'Dogrel' and the more introspective 'A Hero's Death,' incorporating elements of gothic rock, darkwave, electronic textures, and even ambient passages. Songs like 'Roman Holiday' and 'I Love You' feature slower tempos, synthesizer layers, and more melodic vocal approaches from Grian Chatten, while the title track includes a spoken-word section entirely in Irish.

Skinty Fia was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize, marking Fontaines D.C.'s second Mercury nomination after 'A Hero's Death' was nominated in 2020. The album also received widespread critical acclaim, with publications including NME and The Guardian awarding it five-star reviews, though it ultimately did not win the Mercury Prize, which went to Little Simz's 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.'