Review Summary: Venomous and aggressive, but introspective when it needs to be, Cut and Stitch is an album which will grip you from your first listen and keep you going back to it constantly.
Given the political climate of the world that we currently live in, it's not surprising that there's bands within the Punk/Hardcore scene openly discussing these issues within their music. Of course, while these messages are important and need to be discussed, that doesn't mean anything if the band doesn't have the songs to back up their message. Luckily, London/Austria's Petrol Girls have that in spades, combining furious punk riffs with lyrics about the state of the world we live in and feminism. Their 2016 debut album 'Talk of Violence' was an excellent debut, but the band have managed to surpass it with their follow up album, 'Cut and Stitch'.
Lyrically, the songs mainly discuss issues such as feminism and the current state of the world we live in. While some bands aren't able to write about these topics without coming across as pretentious or overly preachy (i.e. Enter Shikari), Petrol Girls manage to discuss these topics in a manner that simply states what the issue is without preaching. There's also songs that touch upon more personal topics, such as the more melancholic 'Skye' lamenting the loss of a beloved pet.
Musically, the guitar work is mainly energetic and frantic with all songs sounding far from lifeless. Song such as the singles 'The Sound' and 'Big Mouth' both keep the pace up throughout their three minute run times by having fast and energetic riffs dripping with fury and venom, helping to back up the message presented in the songs. The songs also know when to bring the pace down a little, with Rootless slowing down and opting for more sombre sounding single notes and silent drumming without sounding too lifeless. Things are also kept interesting vocally, with vocalist Ren Aldridge mainly using a passionate shouted vocal style alongside more melodic sung vocals and spoken word sections when the songs call for it. Guitarist Joe York also gets a chance to showcase his impressive vocal skills in the incredibly catchy, Billy Talent Esque 'No Love For A Nation'.
Overall, this is a big step up from their already incredible in it's own right debut album. Full of excellent punk and hardcore songs, this is an album which shows what Petrol Girls are truly capable of and lives up to the promise presented in their works that proceeded this one. If this album is any indication, this band are destined for great things in the future.
Recommended tracks:
The Sound
Big Mouth
No Love For A Nation
Rootless
Weather Warning
