Album Review: Doll Skin – Love Is Dead And We Killed Her

As opening lines go, Sydney Dolezal’s snarky dedication that, ‘This is a song for everyone I hate’, on Don’t Cross My Path is a perfect introduction to Doll Skin’s sassy punk rock. That is, if the snarky title didn’t give the game away. This Arizona gang aren’t here to make friends on their second album; they’re here to give you as much attitude as they can fit into 11 tracks.

Ink Stains rampages with punk-metal firepower, while Sydney’s warning that, ‘I’ve got malice in my veins / So mighty that it governs me’ on Mark My Words is backed up by a ripping guitar solo that could have dropped out of Slash’s top hat. Not that Doll Skin hide their evident knack for crafting razor-sharp pop choruses – this album is like an entire can of earworms – but each barbed hook comes laced with venom. Even when they go full cheerleader mode on When They Show Their Teeth, the ‘na na na’s drip with irresistible attitude that raises a middle finger to haters and invites you to do the same. Furious and fun, Love Is Dead And We Killer Her is indisputable proof that revenge is a dish best served loud.

Verdict: KKKK