Northern Irish pagan metal pioneers Waylander unveils single ‘Macha’ from upcoming album

Northern Irish Pagan Metal pioneers WAYLANDER will release their new album, “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land”, on November 6th, 2026 via Rockshots Records. The band introduces the record with its first single, “Macha”, accompanied by an official music video. For fans of Skyclad, Eluveitie and Korpiklaani.

More than three decades after their formation in Northern Ireland, WAYLANDER return with “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land”, a nine-track album rooted in the landscapes, mythology and cultural heritage of Ireland. The record continues the path the band has followed since the early 1990s, combining extreme metal with traditional Irish instrumentation and Pagan themes.

While “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land” is not a concept album in the same way as its predecessor, “Ériú’s Wheel“, its songs share a strong connection with the land and the stories embedded within it. The title itself reflects this relationship: Mac Tíre, literally “son of the land”, is the Irish term for the wolf, an animal closely connected with Ireland’s natural past.

Musically, the album represents a natural evolution of WAYLANDER’s established sound, retaining the balance between metal aggression and traditional Irish elements that has defined the band throughout its career.

The first single, “Macha”, is dedicated to the ancient Goddess whose connection to WAYLANDER is both mythological and deeply personal. “Macha” is associated with the area the band calls home: both Ard Chieftain O’Hagan’s hometown and the county from which WAYLANDER originates bear her name.

“Macha is the Goddess of the area where we live. My hometown and the county where we’re from are both named after Macha. The time felt right to celebrate her in song, and we believe we have written a song worthy of her,” says Ard Chieftain O’Hagan

For WAYLANDER, mythology is not simply material drawn from a distant past but something that remains present in the landscapes, place names and traditions surrounding them. “Macha” reflects that relationship while providing the first introduction to the themes running through “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land”.

Listen to “Matcha” here: https://lnk.to/mxjegEpC​

Formed in Northern Ireland in 1993, WAYLANDER were among the early bands to combine extreme metal with traditional Irish music and Pagan themes, developing their approach before Folk and Pagan Metal became established movements within the international metal scene. Whistles, Irish bouzouki, bodhrán, and Uilleann pipes remain integral elements of the band’s musical identity.

Pre-order “Mac Tíre – Son of the Land” (release date Nov 6th, 2026):
​https://rockshots.eu/products/waylander-mac-tire-son-of-the-land-cd

Track Listing:​
1. When The Land Speaks – 4:12
2. Macha – 5:28
3. Ages of Éireann – 5:50
4. Hy Brasil (Isle of Mists) – 5:47
5. Sliabh Gullion – 6:16
6. Our Once Wooded Isle – 6:44
7. Mallachtaí – 4:52
8. Signs and Symbols – 6:22
9. She of the Sorrows – 7:58
Album Length: 51:29

WAYLANDER is:
Ard Chieftain O’Hagan: Vocals
Tor Dennison: Electric Guitars
Connor Murray: Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Lee McCartney: Drums and Percussion
Dave Briggs: Whistles, Irish Bouzouki, Bodhran, Uilleann Pipes, Backing Vocals
Saul McMichael: Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals

Guest Musicians​
John Ryan: Fiddle, Cello
Lily Maria: Voice of Deirdre
Nicole Quinn: Additional Voicing