Screaming to Bring Heavy Back
Founded by vocalist and guitarist Marissa Paternoster, bassist Mike Abbate and drummer Jarrett Dougherty, Screaming Females has over seventeen years of experience and eight studio albums under their belt. Serving as a follow-up to their 2018 record All at Once, the band has released their newest record Desire Pathway.
For a song named “Brass Bell,” the track is not brassy at all, instead it’s heavy and experimental. Almost an ode to Robert Moog, the creator of the synth, “Brass Bell” starts off with oscillations smoothed by an automated, opening filter. The synths get distorted the more time goes on, when suddenly a reversed cymbal-induced break introduces another section, which can be easily confused for the verse. The track is heavy with rhythm and lead guitars, Dougherty’s unforgiving drums, a subtle bass and metallic, scratchy vocals.
“Desert Train” initiates differently. With chords that are reminiscent of the old west, Screaming Females quickly drive the listener back to their fierce concept. With a more traditional rock track, “Desert Train” has a cathartic, catchy chorus and a great hook on its own might, Paternoster’s voice makes it stand out beautifully. Although it is not very lyrically complex, it has everything to make the listener’s head nod up and down with the rhythm.
Versing into a darker, melancholic sound, “Let You Go” talks about letting a subpar relationship go, and the feeling of emptiness that follows despite the relationship having faded naturally, and built resentment in both parties. Compared to the verses and pre-chorus, the chorus can sound a bit lackluster. Despite that, however, the guitar solo at the end keeps the listener engaged and ready for the next track.
Starting off with a chilling intro, “Beyond the Void” turns into a power ballad that is ominous in its verses and romantic in its chorus. It’s a conflicting piece to listen to, which makes it a more interesting listen overall. Paternoster’s voice is strong whilst simultaneously soft and reassuring, resulting in a beautifully polarizing masterpiece.
“Mourning Dove” is an upbeat classic rock track. With stronger verses and bridge rather than a powerful chorus, it can be a bit forgettable. The pre-chorus makes an exciting build up, in order to proceed into a monotone chorus, losing energy until the next verse arrives.
“It’s All Said And Done” has a strong intro, immediately engaging the listener with strong drums, guitars and Paternoster’s thick vocals. The song is not too upbeat and not too calm, having a medium amount of energy and a mysterious aura surrounding it.
With an intricate guitar solo as its intro, “Ornament” keeps its romantic, all-knowing energy throughout the song, but it’s highlighted especially in the chorus. The guitars do an outstanding job in this track, keeping it interesting with fresh chords, ear catching anticipatory arpeggios and riffs that would keep any listener focused on their beauty. With a great chorus and its use of that same chorus to wave the listener goodbye in the outro, “I want it all / An ornament / Your head hangs heavy on it,” “Ornament” is easily one of the best tracks from Desire Pathway.
Evoking more nostalgia and vulnerability rather than romantic feelings, “So Low” incorporates a clean guitar intro that sweeps into the song. It’s a stripped back track, minimalistic with a clean electric guitar and vocals. It’s a sweet song that questions a partner about their love and begs to respond to the question of how unconditional their love is. “If I burn the house down could I stay / If I owed you cash but I couldn’t pay / If your car spun out while I was at the wheel / Would you keep me anyway?”
“Let Me Into Your Heart” begins with drums, but the lyrics seem to start as a continuation of the previous track. Along the way, listeners can see it’s a standalone that pulls its own weight. This track, along with many others from the album, is clearly inspired by 80s rock, with drums and guitars pulled straight from the decade, and Paternoster’s vocals commanding the song with power. The song talks about being afraid she’s not truly in her lover’s heart, and letting him know “No one can take you home but me.” The outro can be hard to listen to, with a mix of something between feedback, white noise and distortion, the listener’s tendency might be to lower the volume or skip to the next song, which would be a shame, since Paternoster’s delayed and reverbed vocals close the last few seconds of the song, redeeming the distortion they follow.
Electric guitars start off “Titan”, with the bass playing an important role, though subtle to be recognized. The instrumental break at 1:20 is a perfect and precise addition to the song, Abbate’s bass again being key in its brilliance. As the song finishes the instrumental break and goes on, it breaks out of its previous verse pattern. “Hissing cars, the spit beneath the salt stars, thin moon,” breaks with everything the song was before, a bridge that acts as a third verse, giving the song flexibility and variability. It starts painting the album’s ending with many colors, definitely making it the perfect track to close Desire Pathway.
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