Coming straight out of the depths of New Jersey, USA, Screaming Females return with their seventh full length record, All At Once. This trio are bringing with them a ferocious DIY sound which blends a great deal of punk, garage and edge in the form of 15 hard-hitting and fast-paced tracks Whether you’ve been with Screaming Females since the beginning or this is the first time you’ve heard of them, All At Once is a great place to start.

Straight off the bat we’re met with a huge start from the pounding beat of ‘Glass House’, the hook to draw in listener attention is definitely there and the band’s signature DIY sound is all too prevalent. There’s an irrefutable amount of colour behind this tune and the metallic twang of each guitar string creates a delightfully fresh feel, almost like something out of the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack. Likewise, it’s a refreshing reintroduction to the outstanding vocalist/guitarist Marissa Paternoster, whose vocals hold the perfect blend of fuzzy retro tones and powerful belters, giving each track great variance and the strength needed to push themselves along.

The DIY sound is certainly what gives Screaming Females their mojo and has made so many fall in love with their music over the past decade. Despite reaching some great heights, the three-piece have always shied away from becoming too precise in their production and it is this raw authenticity which delivers brilliant levels of energy behind their music. The gritty harshness of Marissa’s voice makes you believe every word she says and with tracks such as ‘I’ll Make You Sorry’ and ‘Fantasy Lens’ being led by captivating fast-paced riffs, you can’t help but bop along to the track’s sheer intensity. The lyricism is also consistent throughout, with a strong sense of everyday realism which really allows for an engaging listen.

Perhaps hitting the 15 track mark is a little overkill, with one or two which definitely could have been dropped to keep the album feeling tight and condensed. However, it really isn’t too surprising for a band’s seventh release, who clearly have more than enough high quality backlogged material in the works. On a similar note, there is little cohesion throughout this listen, it feels as though each track works better as a single instead of as a collective album, with the exception of ‘Chamber For Sleep (Part 1/2)’ which do add a great deal of intrigue and passion to the album. Nonetheless, this only emphasises the grittiness of each track that little bit further.

The ultimate pinnacle of this album, though, is unquestionably and incontestably Marissa’s guitar work. The sharp hitting licks and overall sound is beyond inspiring and feels like something straight out of the golden age of rock’n’roll. This is what the six strings were made for and the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Slash would look on in envy; every note paints a powerful picture whilst maintaining the kinds of rhythm which you can see being played from a 20-foot tall Marshall stack. ‘Agnes Martin’ is possibly the best cumulation of everything which makes Screaming Females such a delight to hear, starting with a bold riff, before blowing up into a mesmerising kaleidoscope of intense rock’n’roll and purely blissful solos. The track holds some inherent resemblance to the likes of Halestorm or The Pretty Reckless and its electric vibe is genuinely impossible not to head bang along to! I can see this becoming a new favourite track of the year.

It is a real pleasure to see Screaming Females back with another release and, as the powerful instrumentals of the final track ‘Step Outside’ ring true, I’ve come away from this record with a great sense of optimism and admiration for this group. So many bands fail to keep their momentum rolling and by the time of a seventh album, you could be sick of the same, repetitive content. However, this will be no such issue for Screaming Females who have mastered their niche beyond expectation. You need to be getting behind this record, it is a high quality sound which emphasises the great power and enjoyment behind the fine art of DIY music in the modern age.

Ben Walker

Website: screamingfemales.com
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