Those loveable Northern noisemakers IRK are back, and their latest track, Toothache In Prison, hits like a sledgehammer to the face.

IRK’s sound is a head-on collision of mathcore’s mind-bending intricacy and noise rock’s unapologetic ferocity.

The track, recorded, mixed, and produced by Andrew Edwards and Deamer at Leeds’ Glide Studio, captures the band at their most unhinged, while mastering by Brad Boatright (Audiosiege) injects the final dose of grit and chaos fans of The Armed, Locrian, and Deadguy will devour.

IRK vocalist J.S. Gordon states,

“Right, so this might come as a massive surprise, but this song is largely inspired by someone I know who had toothache whilst in prison, and it sounded fucking awful. As the song spirals outwards musically, a load of other themes get touched on, such as the wider prison-industrial complex, police abolitionism, and public opinion around prisoners’ worth as members of society, especially in their endeavors to contribute something more meaningful than labor, such as art, during or after their incarceration.”