Anthony O’Neill and the Murder

“Great lyrics, very clever… he has a lovely voice” – Steve Lillywhite, Grammy Award-winning producer (U2, the Rolling Stones)

“I would dream of having a voice like that” – Owen Paul

What would you do if Johnny Cash himself asked you to join him on stage? For Anthony O’Neill, there was no real decision to be made. Of course, at the time he didn’t realise just how big a deal that was, but he was emboldened by Johnny’s opening words to the band: “Ah’m so honoured you boys are doing my music”.

Many years, recordings and bands later, Anthony is now doing his own take on country music, alongside his fluid cast of musicians, The Murder. But the influence of Johnny and his ilk isn’t hard to detect; while this is unmistakably the darker side of country, there’s some dry wit and gallows humour to be found.

Clearly, it’s resonating with listeners. As well as a fair few Most Heard plaudits on UKCountryRadio.com, the act has also been finalists for the UK Country Music Awards in 2024 and 2025, and been nominated for the It Is Now Radio awards in 2026.

After releasing his debut EP All That’s Left to Rust in 2023, Anthony followed up with a few singles and finally his debut album A Season in Hell in 2025.

The album is something of a concept album, exploring the various interpretations of what hell means for different people.

That ranges from being punished for standing up for your rights (Swan Song) or your selfless actions (The Coal Tattoo), to relationship disasters (Your Big Day), or the consequences of mental illness (Daughter of Fire).

Anthony provides the vocals and plays a wide range of instruments on the album, ranging from guitars, bass, keyboards and banjo to guitar synth, theremin and mellotron. Other instruments are provided by The Murder, and there are contributions from members of the Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra and London rock band Glitter Kick – with whom Anthony also plays bass.

“This isn’t a straightforward country album,” Anthony said. “I’m influenced by the likes of Pink Floyd and Mike Oldfield as much as I am by Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, and that certainly comes out in the production. Of course, it’s a bit of a guitar fest, but there are plenty of non-traditional instruments and stylings on there, and some unusual tonalities and time signatures. It was a real challenge to fit everything into just two stereo channels – which is why there’s a surround mix being done – but we managed… somehow.”

The album was released on vinyl, CD and cassette, with four bonus tracks on the CD version. Following several effusive reviews, it’s available on all streaming channels, with a mix in Dolby Atmos surround sound in the works.