Starting in the nineties and still continuing to this day in 2023, it’s safe to say the Riot Grrrl movement isn’t dying out any time soon. New bands such as all-female hardcore punk trio Death Pill continue to emerge from the shadows, and this one has a debut album that’s tough to forget once crawled through unsuspecting ears.
Based out of Ukraine, it is no secret that these women have been through hell and back, providing an overabundance of fuel for their hardcore fire. Shortly after filling their power trio lineup, Russia’s invasion of the country began. Naturally, this created a huge barrier to their dreams – but they relentlessly pushed through. Though forced to spread out with vocalist and guitarist Mariana Navrotskaya staying in Kyiv, drummer Anastasiya Khomenko in Spain, and bassist Natalya Seryakova in Australia, the three continued making music together online with invigorating results.
The self-titled record (New Heavy Sounds) kicks off with the seething ‘Dirty Rotten Youth’. The first minute and a half reels you in with a slew of rampaging riffs and racing drums, and then Navrotskaya suddenly breaks in with head-turning screams of fury. She opens the following track ‘Miss Revolt’ this way without wasting a single second, and it is from here on out that you know she is the real deal as far as hardcore punk and metal vocalists go. She sounds absolutely evil and out for blood, yet like a passionate human protesting for a better world.
‘Die For Vietnam’ shakes things up for the first time with clean vocals and a melodic hook alongside the thrashing guitars and beats. The fierceness never ceases though, as the screams are used more sparingly and close the track after a blustery instrumental of stormy distortion, turbulent tempo changes, and wicked soloing. The harsh in-your-face melodies return on various other tracks such as the scathing ‘Go Your Way’ and stinging ‘Друг’ (Drug).
https://youtu.be/–eBPi_Fmts
‘It’s A Joke’ opens with sounds of running and huffing for breath like an aural chase scene, until the brewing bass line leads into sardonic vocals sneering about normalized abuse. This mockish tone comes back with the album’s snide closer ‘Would You Marry Me?’, inspired by Navrotskaya’s rejected marriage proposal to her boyfriend. Whether singing, screaming venomously or taunting and jeering at the traditional values and misogyny all around her, everything is delivered with untiring aggression that is impossible to ignore.
Whether you’re a Riot Grrrl stan or just a casual listener, Death Pill are sure to surprise you with their outright viciousness and enraged presentation. With pit-stirring tracks, haunting hooks, and unpredictable yet balanced vocal styles, they provide the whole package for the genre.
Buy the album here:
8 / 10
COLLEEN KANOWSKY