On their debut single, Atlanta trio Glare stick to post-punk orthodoxy while twisting their penchant for the morose into a three-minute slab of ferocity. The thunderous track invokes the smog-covered alleys and dingy clubs of late ’70s London, but the band focuses the energy of “Cult of Culture” by deconstructing modern pop sensibilities and embracing latent punk aggression.
Vocalist and guitarist Rachel Pagillo delivers each line with all the confidence of Siouxsie Sioux. She cleverly toys with dynamics, swaggering over a pounding bassline with a vibrancy occasionally lost in the band’s guitar-laden live performances. Given its title and dark, brooding aesthetic, “Cult of Culture” may seem like a pastiche of early post-punk. But though the band has an obvious knack for distilling a wide range of influences into a single, they never resort to anything as predictable as Joy Division hero worship. The end result is both energetic and unsettling.
Listen below.
“Cult of Culture” is the first single from Glare’s debut EP, out June 23.
More Info
Bandcamp: glareatl.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @glareatl