Ukranian Riot Grrrl trio Death Pill return with their second album Sologamy. Two years on from their debut, Mariana Navrotska (guitar, lead vocals), Anastasiia Khomenko (drums, backing vocals) Natalya Syeryakova (bass, backing vocals) aka Death Pill are back with a body of work which they say is “a bold exploration of personal empowerment”. The band share the following:
“The title, inspired by the concept of marrying oneself, speaking to the importance of making a personal commitment to self-care, happiness, and emotional well-being. In an era where that can sometimes be misconstrued as selfishness, Death Pill pushes back against these misconceptions, inviting listeners to embrace the power of prioritizing their own mental and emotional health.”
“Every song on the album is a story that happened to us. Maybe it’ll happen to you too. But every story deserves to become a song. Sologamy is more than just an album—it’s a call to action”
Their self-titled debut was released in February 2023, a year to the day that Russia invaded Ukraine. With the help and support of the many punk communities around Europe, the band were able to undertake a small tour of Germany, Holland and the UK. The UK leg was captured in Dan Baskervilles poignant short film ‘Go Your Way’ which has already been shown at several small film festivals in 2024 and won ‘Best Short Film’ at the LA Punk Film Festival. Check out the trailer.
In 2024 they decided to begin work on a new record. Though the war continued and in different countries, they kept in contact via zoom and started working on their new songs. But it wasn’t easy. Contact with Mariana was at times a particularly difficult, with Russia increasing its attacks on Kyiv there were power outages, air raids and blackouts limiting the times they could communicate. Trying to finish the mixing and mastering of the album while the power-cuts became ever more frequent and communication more sporadic, meant more delays. Then you lose your key artwork guy to the defence of the country. Heart-breaking backdrop to the creation of Sologamy.
Opener ‘Listen to Me Sister’ throws down the gauntlet, a hardcore, thrashing statement of intent. It demands to be heard, the drums are pummelled and the fire in the belly is there, no question. The lyrics are sparse but clear: “Let’s fuck this system”. The fury continues on ‘Haters Gonna Hate’ , and it is FAST, the lyrics spat out a reminder to hold onto yourself. There are those you cannot win against and thus the fight in futile.
‘Ugly Me’ is a heavy plodding slice of grunge. The marching drums at the start are reminiscent of heading off to war, a reminder of the most tragic of circumstances for Death Pill’s home country. Short and most definitely not sweet. ‘Craterface’ is a highlight on Sologamy. How is it possible to play so fast! This is garage punk but at 1000mph. Mariana’s vocals snarl and spit throughout, the frenetic pace remaining tight and crisp.
‘Don’t Say It So’ rattles along but with an energy which is infectious. It edges towards Rock n’ Roll, Death Pill style, which is to say with a rawness that still gets under the skin. ‘Phone Call’ is pop punk emo and thus the versatility that Death Pill are exhibiting on Sologamy is becoming clear. It bounces along with a more melodic vocal, the snarling replaced here by a singing voice.
‘Hey Man’ takes another sharp turn, this time initially in the direction of pop with a gorgeous cello intro before the energy kicks in. Those scuzzy guitars are a delight and feel cathartic as they fly before an abrupt halt.
And then there is ‘Monsters’! What on earth is happening here! An off kilter hardcore-prog track with the heaviest of basslines and sirens roaring in the background.
‘Outro’ has a delicate vocal which ebbs and flows with the instrumentation. It’s a memerising track, almost hypnotic in its soundscape, as if winding in the listener, capturing them under its spell. Final track ‘Pro Yarika’ begins with a piano section accompanied by a guitar which hints at tension never being too far away. Sologamy was however never going to close with such a contained ending. The frantic hardcore returns albeit with a sung chorus, the juxtaposition with the snarling verse so striking.
To produce an album in the most challenging of circumstances is quite frankly remarkable. Death Pill have continued to evolve their sound and yet retain the fundamental roots of themselves. To not produce an album based completely on the war is also remarkable. Instead they have looked inward, presenting self-care and personal empowerment as a philosophy. The title is inspired by ‘marrying oneself’ , and if there was ever a time to look after ones mental and emotional health it is now. Thank you Death Pill for the reminder.
The Sologamy vinyl release will arrive in a special limited edition vinyl package. The first pressing will be in a laminated silver sleeve housing a frosted transparent vinyl disc. As well as a free download there is an A4 colour poster of the band and a sticker. This pressing is strictly limited to 500 copies. There will also be limited CD release, and it will be available on all digital platforms.
For more information on Death Pill please check their facebook and instagram.
