Album Review: The Cranberries — In the End (2019)
Released on 26 April 2019, In the End is The Cranberries’ eighth and final studio album — and a profoundly emotional swan song for the band. It stands as the only full‑length release after the tragic death of Dolores O’Riordan in January 2018, featuring her vocals posthumously on completed demos that were expanded and finished by her bandmates.
Background & Context
In early 2018, The Cranberries were working on new material when Dolores unexpectedly passed away, leaving behind demos and unfinished songs. Rather than shelve the project, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan, and drummer Fergal Lawler — with longtime producer Stephen Street — polished and completed the recordings as a tribute to their friend and creative partner. In the End is both a celebration of her voice and songwriting and a formal goodbye from the band, who confirmed they would retire the Cranberries name after its release.
Tracklist & Highlights
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All Over Now
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Lost
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Wake Me When It’s Over
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A Place I Know
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Catch Me If You Can
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Got It
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Illusion
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Crazy Heart
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Summer Song
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The Pressure
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In The End
Across these 11 songs, the album balances rock‑driven anthems, thoughtful ballads, and deeply affecting moments — especially the title track and Wake Me When It’s Over, which resonate with extra poignancy given Dolores’s passing.
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“All Over Now” opens with rhythmic drive and classic Cranberries melodic hooks, setting a powerful tone.
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“Lost” and “Wake Me When It’s Over” explore introspection and emotional weight reminiscent of earlier emotional highlights in the band’s catalog.
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The title track, “In The End,” is a gentle, acoustic‑leaning farewell ballad — Dolores’s final recording — reflecting on life, loss, and legacy.
Critics and fans often cite In The End as a poignant closure to the band’s journey, with the final song’s lyrics (“Ain’t it strange when everything you wanted was nothing like you wanted in the end?”) capturing the bittersweet finale of their career.
Musicians & Album Credits
The Cranberries:
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Dolores O’Riordan – Lead vocals (featured posthumously)
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Noel Hogan – Guitars
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Mike Hogan – Bass
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Fergal Lawler – Drums
Production:
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Produced by Stephen Street, who had long collaborated with the band and helped unify the demos into a cohesive album.
The record was largely constructed from Demo tracks created between 2017–2018, then finished in studios in London (Kore Studio and Bunker Studio) as the band and producer completed arrangements and instrumental parts around Dolores’s original vocals.
Themes & Style
Musically, In the End pays homage to The Cranberries’ signature sound — combining jangly guitars, melodic hooks, layered rhythms, and Dolores’s crystalline voice, but with a more mature, sometimes introspective tone that reflects the album’s context.
Lyrically, the songs delve into heartache, reflection, resilience, memory, and closure. Tracks like A Place I Know and Summer Song evoke nostalgia and tenderness, while The Pressure and Catch Me If You Can mix rock confidence with thoughtful lyricism. The album’s emotional core rests in its contemplative storytelling, capturing a band grappling not just with artistic expression but with loss and legacy.
Reception & Legacy
In the End was generally well‑received by critics and fans alike:
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It earned a Metacritic score of 77 (“generally favorable reviews”), a strong result for a posthumous release.
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Reviewers described it as a “poignant epitaph” and “moving farewell”, praising its cohesion and emotional delivery despite the circumstances.
Chart success was notable in several countries:
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#3 in Ireland
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Top 5 in Italy and Germany
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Top 10 in the UK
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Billboard Alternative Albums & Independent Albums charts placements in the United States.
The album was also nominated for Best Rock Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, cementing its impact as both a critical and cultural moment for the band’s legacy.
Fun Facts & “Did You Know?”
🎵 Final Recording: The album’s title track, In The End, was the last song Dolores O’Riordan recorded with the band before her passing, adding deep emotional significance to its placement as the final track.
🎙️ Unfinished to Complete: Many songs began as Dolores’s personal demos, which the band completed after her death — a testament to their commitment to her artistic vision.
📀 Anniversary Context: The first single All Over Now was released on 15 January 2019, exactly one year after her death, making the album’s rollout a period of remembrance as well as celebration.
🎶 Emotional Arc: While some tracks lean toward uplifting pop‑rock, the album’s emotional depth and reflective outlook make it resonate as both a tribute and a summation of The Cranberries’ musical journey.
Conclusion
In the End isn’t just an album; it’s a heartfelt farewell — a melding of unfinished dreams, completed with love and respect by a band saying goodbye to a friend and voice that shaped their identity. Through thoughtful songwriting, melodic richness, and Dolores O’Riordan’s hauntingly beautiful voice, it stands as a touching final chapter to The Cranberries’ storied career and a moving tribute that will resonate with listeners for generations.
