Over a week ago, the doctor explained to me why my brain hasn’t been working like it should. Why I’m losing interest in things I love, why leaving the house physically hurts and is exhausting, why everything seems too much and too loud. If you’ve got a physical ailment, you do your best to take care of yourself. But when it is a mental one, the thought of trying to do anything for yourself is overwhelming. Writing about music is the one thing I have as some form of outlet. I go through stages of wanting to carry on with it. Then other days, I really don’t care. Today I care. Today I want to write about the new Girl Tears record because it’s so bloody great. Even if I didn’t want to write about it, I would force myself. It seems that’s the only way. Anyway, enough of that. The music. That is what’s important.

I fell in love with Girl Tears a few years ago and I immediately knew that they would be one of those bands I would forever obsess over. They are loud. So loud. Brutally loud. Their songs last long enough for them to grab you by the neck and yell in your ear. For me though, I want the songs to last longer because I just love them. Everything about them is just a reminder of why I love music. If I was a wealthy person, I’d fly them over here and get them to play as many shows as possible. For now, I’ll create images of their live shows in my head.

Woke Against The Tide is their new record that came out on 28^th October, and although it has 18 tracks on it- it only lasts just over 20 minutes. I can play it once in full on my journey to work but it still doesn’t feel like it is enough. It’s one of those records that I am happy to have on a loop in my ear. Everything about their new record sounds tougher and braver than their first release, Tension. Tension was a kick in the teeth. Woke Against The Tide feels like you’re annihilating your soul. There’s nothing wrong with this, sometimes it just has to be done.

Trying to pick my favourite song off the record is too tough, and my current inability to make a decision without working myself into a panic attack just isn’t worth the trouble. Every song is wonderfully aggressive and to be honest, if the songs lasted longer than 2 minutes I really don’t think it would feel the song. The songs are like punches to the face. The songs are polar opposites to how Kam, Tristan and Sal are. The fury and the sheer loudness in the songs makes you want to start your own band, and make your own noise. Do it. There’s no right or wrong noise.

Girl Tears are like that cool relative that lead you gently by the arm and guide you to a world of music you may not have found on your own. Their music takes you to a world that is so decadent yet sacred. They don’t sound like any band that I know of- past or present. Sure there’s slight influences of certain bands, but all they do is entirely their own and that is even more prominent on this record than on Tension. Tension was a beautiful introduction to an equally beautiful band. But with Woke Against The Tide, what you hear is 3 people sure of their sound. 3 people sure of how they want to deafen and amaze the listener. And trust me, they do exactly that. It’s a pure Punk record from start to finish.

Kam’s vocals on Lost Love are my favourite. I love the desperation in his voice and how he makes you cling on to every single word he screams. Sal and Tristan both make me wish I could play the drums or bass. Kam is also a menace on the guitar. I am so proud of what they have done with this record and how they’ve created a gorgeous atmosphere on it. It leads wonderfully from Tension, and regardless of how many times a day I listen to it, I keep finding different parts of the record to love. It’s so easy to go back and listen to it over and over again. When you do this, you notice different things and your favourite song or your favourite moment on the record changes. Like I mentioned, I cannot pick a favourite and I’m okay with that- it just means I can keep on listening. Over and over, and finding new things to love. You notice more when you approach a record like this rather than being dead set on trying to find one song to obsess over.

Woke Against The Tide is a real tense listen, but nothing good comes from being settled and easy. Every song is a shockwave through the body. Made up of parts that will leave you feeling bruised but satisfied.