Messy Hera are done with men who make them feel uncomfortable and ultimately angry, as their latest track ‘Put it To an End’ proves.
The riotous punk track sees the San Diego band — fronted by guitarist and vocalist Maddie Jones alongside bassist Talia Aziz and drummer Ronin Ciancioci — deliver a searing message borne out of personal experience, as soundtracked by their distinct punk rock styles.
Opening with scorching basslines and the cathartic roar of Jones’ vocals, ‘Put it To and End’ bursts right out of the gate with an explosion of noise.
While the influence of staple Riot grrrl aesthetics is clear — from Jones’ mastery of the punkish vocal sneer to the infectious brashness of the lyrics — Messy Hera still manage to make the track feel wholly unique. Fans of heavier rock will find much to relish in.
Thunderous drum beats and cacophonic guitars provide the perfect soundtrack for an impassioned commute home with the windows up, and the metal-like instrumentation sees the band deliver a revelrous anthem that’s destined for heaving mosh pits.
For all its grittier flourishes and rougher edges, ‘Put it To an End’ also finds room for more melodic moments.
The track’s bridge slows down proceedings by dialling down the noise, as more harmonic vocals allow for a brief reprieve, only for a climactic percussive build-up and an ear splitting belter of a final chorus to place us squarely back in our well-deserved rage.
Much of this cohesion is owed to Jones’ vocal performance, which flits between all-out fury and softer harmony with finesse.
The most ear-catching moments are those where Jones delivers sing-talk lyrics and spoken word asides, showcasing the sheer charisma that sustains the song’s momentum.
It’s one thing to deliver a track that feels purpose-built to exorcise our pent-up rage, but Messy Hera pair the sound with incisive lyrics.
Lifted from a personal experience of Jones’, ‘Put it To an End’ takes square aim the kind of cat-calling men who seek to “control.”
In between quips about mens’ “stupidity” and the need for women to “cover your skin,” the band deliver what is perhaps the crux of the story in the form of an utterly infectious growl: “fuck you!”.
The effect is one of empowerment and defiance, which is simply par for the course for a free-spirited and triumphant band like Messy Hera.
Listen to their new single ‘Put it To an End’ below.
