Screaming Females – All at Once (Don Giovanni Records) 2018
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Screaming Females have recently released their seventh album, their most expansive and imaginative work to date. The description might make people think All at Once is highly experimental, but it is more of an extremely dynamic rock album. There are songs like “Chamber For Sleep”, an epic two-part sonic adventure, while “I’ll Make You Sorry” sees them venturing into simple and direct pop-punk territory and “Soft Domination” is a delicious, high-energy tune featuring Fugazi’s Brendan Canty as a second drummer.
Basically, this is Screaming Females doing what they want while staying true to their roots. Marissa Paternoster continues to be that charismatic frontwoman who captivates listeners with her strong voice, honest lyrics and splendid guitar melodies, and the rest of the band is still a well-oiled machine. At the end of the day, Screaming Females sound like a refreshed version of themselves more than anything else, and that’s what makes the album so fun to listen to.