User:Mcklab/Unreal Unearth

Unreal Unearth Tour
Hozier announced the Unreal Unearth tour on March 17th, 2023, along side the release of the Eat Your Young EP. The initial leg of the tour spanned across North America and Europe from June through December 2023. On November 9th, 2023, Hozier announced a second leg of the United States tour, adding 37 new dates between April and September 2024 ; 14 new shows were later added on January 29th 2024 followed by an additional 6 dates announced on February 29th, 2024. The Teskey Brothers, Victoria Canal, Madison Cunningham, Brittany Howard, Lord Huron, and The Last Dinner Party joined Hozier as openers during the initial leg of tour. Allison Russell is set to open on the second US leg of the tour. An Australian and New Zealand leg of the tour was announced on 11 March 2023, with Joy Oladokun as opening act.

The Unreal Unearth Tour setlist included songs from the Unreal Unearth, Wasteland, Baby!, and Hozier albums. The main set openers included songs "De Selby (Part 1)" and "De Selby (Part 2)". "Take me to Church" and "First light" closed the set. "Work Song" functioned as the show’s encore.

Hozier worked with Production Designer Steven Douglass and Tour Director Duchess Iredale to create the Unreal Unearth tour visuals. The show focuses heavily on the use of projections and lighting. The main stage background features animated projections on a piece of metal mesh; the projections follow the album's journey underground and into Hell.

Behind the Album
Unreal Unearth is inspired by Dante’s Inferno and the concept of the nine circles of Hell alongside many mythological and biblical references. Hozier also draws from characters and logic seen in Flann O'Brien's novel The Third Policeman. Unreal Unearth as a whole signifies a journey through Dante’s nine circles of Hell and coming out at the other side, with each song(s) referencing a specific “universal theme” or feeling. Hozier reveals the meaning and inspiration behind the lyrics in a Behind the Song series on his YouTube Channel.

Lyrical References
"De Selby (Part 1)"/"De Selby (Part 2)": The first song on the album represents Dante's descent into Hell as he enters the first circle of Hell: Limbo. Hozier draws inspiration from the character De Selby from Flann O’Brien’s novel The Third Policeman. De Selby’s “dreamlike logic” in the novel inspired Hozier to explore the idea of darkness as vessel of freedom and clarity. The song also nods to the biblical story of creation in a lyric referencing God's creation of light: “The likes of a darkness so deep, that God at the start couldn’t bear.” Hozier ends the song in Gaelic, referencing the reoccurring themes of love and darkness. "De Selby (Part 2)" expands on the themes introduced in "De Selby (Part1)", specifically how love functions in the state of darkness.

"First Time": "First Time" continues in the first circle and represents changes within a relationship and the cycles of ending relationships and starting new ones. Hozier references trying to forget a first kiss by "drinking dry The River Lethe", a river found in the Underworld of Greek mythology.

"Francesca": Based on story Francesca da Rimini and Paolo, Hozier’s "Francesca" represents the second circle of Hell: Lust. The song follows a couple who Hozier states is, “punished in Hell for falling in love.” The love described within this song is so powerful that the characters are willing to face the punishment of Hell if it means they can continue to love together. Through this Hozier challenges the idea of lust as punishable with lyrics that reflect couple’s willingness to suffer repeatedly: “If someone asked me at the end, I’d tell ‘em put me back in it.’”

"I, Carrion (Icarian)": Hozier draws from the mythical story of Icarus to portray the second circle of Hell. In the myth of Icarus, Icarus dies as a result of his wings burning after flying too close to the sun; in the song, the subject burns and falls due to the intense feeling of love. Hozier once again challenges the idea of lust as punishable by ignoring the danger of falling because of love: "And though I burn, how could I fall, When I am lifted by every word you say to me?"

"Eat Your Young": "Eat Your Young" reflects the circle of greed through the lens of global destruction. Hozier references the greed of older generations at the expense of younger generations and children, highlighting the debates of American gun control and corporate greed. The lyric "seven new ways that you can eat your young" is a nod to Buzzfeed articles which present a variety of different hints or solutions to problems. This line also relates to A Modest Proposal, an Irish satirical essay that suggests those in poverty should eat their children and presents 6 ways to do so.

"Damage Gets Done (feat. Brandi Carlile)": Hozier references the circle of greed in "Damage Gets Done (feat. Brandi Carlile)" by addressing how irresponsible actions can have negative impacts on both the environment and society as a whole. The song also elaborates on the idea of generational divides; older generations fear the ideas of younger generations and believe that younger generations will ruin traditional social structures.

"Who We Are": Hozier returns to the idea of darkness and the journey back to the light in "Who We Are". Lyrics in this song reference being born in the darkness of night and having to navigate this darkness. The darkness here represents fear of the unknown and how this darkness works with light to represent both the good and bad of life.

"Son of Nyx": "Son of Nyx" is a completely instrumental track that represents the albums turn towards the light in reference to Dante's journey. The song title references Nyx, the Greek goddess of night, which once again elaborates on the idea of darkness. The son of Nyx, Charon brings deceased souls across the River Styx, symbolizing the connection between the world and Hell seen throughout the album. "Son of Nyx" also functions as a tribute to co-writer Alex Ryan, whose fathers name was Nick.

"All Things End": This song elaborates on the 6th circle of Hell, heresy, in terms of a relationship ending. Hozier highlights how the loss of faith after the end of a relationship goes against everything an individual believed to be true. He also proposes the idea of commitment and permanence in relationships being a dogma he cannot believe in: "When people say something is forever, either way it ends".

"To Someone From A Warm Climate (Uiscefhuaraithe)": Uiscefhuaraithe is a Gaelic word describing something that has been made cold by water. Hozier wrote the song for a lover who is from a warmer climate. "To Someone From A Warm Climate (Uiscefhuaraithe)" expresses how thankful he is to have someone to share a warm bed with his lover in a cold climate like Ireland.

"Butchered Tongue": Hozier utilizes colonialism to express the 7th circle of Hell: violence. Hozier depicts the acts of the Wexford Rebellion of 1798 through his lyrics to call out colonial violence and the erasure of indigenous language. The song highlights the damages of cultural and language erasure and the violent acts that cause them.

"Anything But": "Anything But" references the 8th circle of Hell: fruad. The song appears to be a simple love song, with lyrics depicting kind gestures made by the subject for their lover; however, the lyrics actually represent the subjects desire to push their lover further away. In the song the subject explains that if they had the job of deciding death their partner would live forever, playing with the idea that immortality is eternal torture.

"Abstract (Psychopomp)": "Abstract (Psychopomp)" is written from the perspective of a "Sphinx-like creature" as it appears during the 8th circle of Hell in Dante's Inferno. The song is inspired by a mix of memories from Hoziers childhood, specifically the time when he watched an animal get hit by a car and then moved from the road by a bystander. The alternate title, psychopomp, elaborates on this memory; Psychopomps are kind figures in Greek mythology that assist souls in their journey to the Underworld, bridging the mortal life and death. Hozier views the stranger from his memory as a Psychopomp for the animal: moving it from the road to the sidewalk where it is able to pass peacefully.

"Unknown/Nth": This song reflects the 9th circle of hell, treachery, through the lens of a heartbreak. In Dante's Inferno, Satan is depicted chewing on the worlds most recognizable traitors; Hozier builds on this idea, suggesting that the subjects heart is now the traitor in the mouth of their lover: "you smile now, I can see [the heart's] pieces still stuck in your teeth." Hozier also challenges the idea of angelhood in this song, explaining that everyone will eventually hurt another person.

"First Light": The final song on the album represents the end of the journey through Hell and the ascension to the other side. "First Light" functions as the opposite "De Selby (Part 1)," embracing the idea of reflection in the light rather than the darkness. The song represents the warmth of the sun and is a celebration of a new relationship.

Small changes
Unreal Unearth is the third studio album by Irish musician Hozier, released on 18 August 2023. It contains the singles "Eat Your Young" and "Francesca", along with the song "All Things End". Hozier is on a tour of Ireland, the UK and North America in support of the record from June to September 2024. The album received generally positive reviews from critics, and debuted at number one on the Irish and UK charts.