London’s Femegades give us the first searing taste of their upcoming EP ‘Not All Men’ with latest single ‘Speechless’.
Picking up from where their debut extended play ‘Pornsick’ (2021) left off – the new release is two and half minutes of no-nonsense melodic punk rock tackling hard-hitting topics head-on once again.
Lyrically exploring the themes of consent and women subjected to male violence – it was written in collaboration with Gemma Aitchison of YES Matters UK. Described by the band as being “a short, punk attack on the lazy trope of ‘but not all men’” – the track challenges those hiding behind that phrase to step up and step in. “You watched when she didn’t consent / And now you wanna say ‘not all men’”
Blending sounds of grunge, punk and indie – we’re bombarded with the scuzzy fuzz of speaker feedback, sharp grating guitar licks and a fiercely punk rhythm section. This is all layered with clean, yet incredibly biting lead vocals which make a clear point without the need for harsh delivery.
There’s a raw charm with this track that it almost feels like it could be a live recording. Femegades bring to mind fellow current acts Berries and False Advertising, whilst also harking back to legendary grunge and Riot grrrl bands such as Hole, Bikini Kill and Sleater Kinney amongst others – particularly in regards to lyricism.
‘Speechless’ is short, yet anything but sweet. An attack on the senses and on an infuriating argument which does nothing to tackle the very real sexist attitudes in society. Femegades simply ask this.. instead of hiding behind the smarm of a lazy cliché – give us something with substance, because at the end of the day “Not all men are doing enough to say ‘not all men’”.