Recorded under the cloud of Covid and with the majority of tracks having to be mixed following Russia's invasion of their homeland; Mariana Navrotskaya (guitar/vocals), Anastasiya Khomenko (drums) and Natalya Seryakova (bass) have had to display greater tenacity than most to make themselves heard.
But as the truncheon blows of guitar pan from speaker to speaker like a malfunctioning drill bit on opener "Dirty Rotten Youth", there is little doubt that you will miss their message. Death Pill is a wild ride; a record of staggering musicianship fuelled by an untamed fury. The group's brand of metalcore has a thoroughly modern edge, but it also contains multiple nods to the titans of punk, metal and thrash from days gone by. Pantera, Black Flag and Bikini Kill may loom large in the band's list of potential influences but Navrotskaya’s guitar playing incorporates all with ease, shredding and pummeling in equal measure.
At their most impressive when they deal in brevity; "Miss Revolt", "Друг" (Drug), and "Расцарапаю Ебало" (Scratch Asshole) – none of which breach two minutes – are perfect encapsulations of what the band do best. Frenetic and fierce but resolutely focused they leave you gasping for air as if you’ve just done one too many lengths of an Olympic size pool.
A fine lyrical balance has been struck on this debut that will set it apart from many of their contemporaries. There is anger and disillusionment held within these nine tracks. But there are also moments of defiance and hope. The group even know when not to take themselves too seriously pushing the envelope of acceptability on "Kill The Traitors", which finds Navrotskaya out for revenge.
The heartbreaking situation in their home country poses many further challenges for the group. Now spread out over different countries and continents, their next fight is to take this album on the road. One can only hope they can once again overcome the obstacles before them to share this visceral and important record in a live setting.
