For the uninitiated, QWAM are a punk band hailing from Brooklyn, New York, and Girls Aren’t Afraid of Blood is their second full-length release. I hadn’t come across them before, but after diving into this album, I’m kicking myself for missing out sooner. From what I’ve gathered online, their first record leaned more toward the pop-punk side of the spectrum, but this new album feels grittier, darker, and emotionally raw – tackling deeper subjects like fear, self-worth, and trying to find your place in a chaotic world. These are themes most of us can relate to at one time or another, and QWAM deliver them with both ferocity and heart.
That sense of anxiety kicks in right from the opening lyric of the first track, “Something Bad”:
“Do you like me? Am I pretty?”
Later lines – “Hello body, am I worthy?” and “All I know is I did something bad” – capture that familiar spiral of overthinking and self-doubt that so often comes with anxiety. It’s raw and vulnerable, yet backed by an infectious riff that turns those insecurities into a cathartic punk anthem. It’s easily one of my personal favourites on the album.
Another standout, “Feral Rats,” feels like a cross between The Distillers’ snarling punk energy and The Donnas’ playful sass – a gritty yet fun track that’s going to sound incredible live. The album closes with “Teeth,” my absolute favourite. It goes full-throttle into hard rock/punk territory with thrashy guitars, a grimy, almost grunge-like riff, and unapologetically sassy vocals that make it impossible to sit still. It’s the kind of track that makes you want to scream along in a sweaty crowd.
Across Girls Aren’t Afraid of Blood, QWAM blend catchy hooks with raw emotion and a fearless feminist edge. It’s a record that celebrates vulnerability and anger in equal measure – unafraid to get messy, loud, and brutally honest. If you’re into punk that makes you want to dance one minute and punch the air the next, this is an album worth adding to your summer playlist.
Girls Aren’t Afraid of Blood is out now and you can get it here
Qwam Socials: Instagram | Bandcamp
Review by Hayley Foster da Silva
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