Album Review: “Power Move” Screaming Females

Screaming Females
Power Move
[Don Giovanni Records]

Screaming Females’ third album is one of those records that doesn’t just play passively in the background — it happens to you, and you have no say in the matter. Led by powerhouse singer and first-rate shredder Marissa Paternoster (the band’s lone female member), the New Jersey trio spits out track after track of fiery, exhilarating post-punk with searing riffs and the occasional insane guitar solo.

Opening track “Bell” is immediately memorable, striking a perfect balance between grit and melody. “Skull” pairs Paternoster’s stunning wail with a bruising metal riff, while “I Believe In Evil” puts a manic riff behind snarled, howled vocals to great effect. “Lights Out” and “Halfway Down” deliver the aforementioned killer solos, with the latter including some great screaming.

Paternoster is the most exciting frontwoman to come along since Karen O., and the self-proclaimed Sleater-Kinney fan helps fill the void left by the trailblazing trio’s demise. As thrilling as it is to listen to Power Move, though, it still feels like the first step in the Screaming Females experience, which must be completed by seeing them live.