Cardinals is an Irish rock band from Cork, formed around brothers Euan (vocals, guitar) and Finn Manning (accordion), with their cousin Darragh (drums, percussion) and classmates Oskar (guitar) and Aaron (bass). Their debut album, Masquerade, will be released in February 2026 and oscillates between darkness and light, hope and despair, order and chaos. It is a veritable emotional rollercoaster composed of ballads that suddenly explode into cynical and capricious pieces, imbued with a burning dissatisfaction. The music blends influences ranging from Townes Van Zandt to Nine Inch Nails, from gothic metal to hip-hop, and exudes a raw, imperfect beauty. Cardinals try to escape the clichés about Ireland, but the city of Cork is embedded in their creative DNA: raw, lively and full of contrasts.