Marissa Pasternoster, the screaming female behind the Screaming Females, presents the first official release of her five-year-old solo project, Noun. Originally recorded on her dad’s laptop due to a lack of viable bandmates, Holy Hell maintains her distinct sound while showcasing the softer side of the fierce guitarist. Pasternoster’s wobbly vocals sound like the surprisingly beautiful lovechild of Glenn Danzig and Corin Tucker. Layer this on top of noodley guitar riffs and soft piano and you’ve got Holy Hell’s dark, emotional timber. The opening track, “Black Lamb,” starts off strong and nostalgic; “Wrong Things” is sweetly vulnerable. A subtle ’60s surf sound stands out on “Pearly Gates” and “Holy Hell.” However, it’s “Talk,” with lyrics like, “I can’t wake up in the morning/My soul’s just standing there,” that has a cripplingly haunting sound. After years of stockpiling these musical gems, Pasternoster’s debut is a long time coming.
Holy Hell
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