The Belfast quartet Wynona Bleach have released ‘Religion’, taken from their highly anticipated second album, Animal Style, due on 29 May via Fierce Panda Records in the UK and Propeller Sound Recordings in the US and UK retail stores.
‘Religion’ channels a familiar yet compelling strain of modern alternative rock. The track’s fuzz-drenched guitars and driving rhythm section evoke the gritty intensity of The Mysterines, while its melodic sensibility and atmospheric vocal delivery echo the dynamic indie rock of Wolf Alice. There’s also a sense of widescreen guitar catharsis reminiscent of The Joy Formidable, particularly in the way the song builds emotional weight through thick, layered distortion, a lineage that can be traced back to the towering alt-rock textures of The Smashing Pumpkins.
But what really sets the song apart from a mere grunge revival exercise are its lyrics. ‘Religion’ provides a conceptual framework through which the band’s lead singer, Melyssa, uses her distinctive voice to explore what happens when you turn another person into your god, transforming love into worship and intimacy into surrender. Lines such as ‘All I need is your permission’ portray attraction as a kind of quiet devotion that, although unhealthy, is still irresistible.
“It’s less a love song, and more a ‘lust’ song. It’s about when you meet someone that makes you feel like you’d do anything, even if it was to lie to your true self. It also calls out fake people, fake society, organised religion and how everything made out to be ‘cool’ is usually just a con.”
Wynona Bleach
‘Religion’ arrives with the weight of a second album that knows exactly what it wants to be. If Animal Style maintains this level of honesty throughout, Wynona Bleach will have achieved more than just a good rock album.
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