Celtic punk is the kind of music that doubles as a battle cry, full of whiskey-soaked hymns for the restless and the resilient. Few bands understand that better than the Rumjacks, and with Dead Anthems, their sixth studio album, they’re proving once again why they belong at the forefront of the movement. Recorded in the heart of Asbury Park, New Jersey, the record is a 12-track explosion of tradition, rebellion, and unbridled energy. Frontman Mike Rivkees takes the helm as producer, making an album that balances the Rumjacks' signature Celtic folk-punk roots with a new, hard-hitting edge. Engineered by Pete Steinkopf of the Bouncing Souls and mixed by Kevin Bivona of the Interrupters, Dead Anthems thrives on its fusion of classic punk chaos and deeply layered storytelling.

Lead single “Come Hell Or High Water” sets the tone with blistering guitars and a chorus that will no doubt be shouted back to the band in packed venues. Inspired by Rivkees' own family history of fleeing oppression - from Ukraine’s pogroms to Ireland’s fight for independence - it’s a defiant anthem for immigrants and exiles everywhere. "It’s so we don’t forget our refugee backgrounds and recognize the struggle that a lot of immigrants live with today," Rivkees explains.

Adding to the album’s Celtic punk pedigree, Dropkick Murphys' Ken Casey lends his unmistakable growl on “Cold Like This,” a rambunctious sea shanty born from a freezing walk home through Boston’s brutal winter. What started as a hummed chorus in subzero temperatures morphed into one of the album’s standout moments, evidence that the best songs sometimes arrive when you least expect them. Then there’s “An Irish Goodbye On St. Valentine’s Day,” a bittersweet tale of love gone sideways. "It’s Valentine’s Day, he gets to the bar an hour late, she’s had enough, and by the time he comes back from the bathroom, she’s gone," Rivkees says. It’s classic Rumjacks - storytelling soaked in booze, regret, and just enough self-awareness to make you laugh through the heartbreak.

But perhaps the album’s most moving moment is “Some Legends Never Die,” a tribute to the late, great Shane MacGowan of the Pogues. "He inspired an entire planet of songwriters to write about their experiences in poetic, dark, and raw ways," Rivkees reflects. The track is a love letter to a man who shaped the genre, proving that Celtic punk isn’t just about the music… it’s about the lives, struggles, and stories that fuel it. With members spread across Boston, Berlin, Belfast, and Milan, the Rumjacks are a band of wanderers, but their mission remains clear: to keep the fire of Celtic punk burning.