The new video from Nihilist Cheerleader erases any doubts I had about the Athens punk band’s seeming shift in tone. What drew me to the group was their bouncy mix of ferocious attack and positive vibes, but the first single from their upcoming album Riot, Right? was a page straight out of ‘90s indie rock’s dog-eared playbook. “Drenched In” was still fiery, but it was the sort of weighty slow-burner that showcased Flynn Collins’ voice without allowing the rest of the band to rip into our staid social consciousness with the vigor of 2016’s Truth or Dare.
The overdriven party punk style of their new track “3 Drug Cocktail” is still a step away from the band’s Riot Grrrl roots, but the youthful chaos has reached more expansive realms. It sucks the listener right into the house party where the video was filmed. The song’s title might invoke hedonistic weekends and staying up till dawn, but the band is actually proclaiming their opposition to the death penalty. Nihilist Cheerleader have always been the foil to their own protagonist—letting the listener get carried away with rock and roll energy before reeling them back in with dexterous political commentary. “3 Drug Cocktail” displays that two-sided coin in sharp relief. The juxtaposition of serious subject matter with such hyperactive visuals is as unsettling as one would expect. But despite the sensory overload of the video, the track never loses its earnest appeal in all the color.
Watch/listen above.
Riot, Right? is out Mar. 30 via Perfect Attendance Records.
Nihilist Cheerleader will perform on Sat., Mar. 31 on the Rooftop at the Georgia Theatre. Doors open at 11 p.m. Admission is FREE. 18+ to enter.
More Info
Bandcamp: nihilistcheerleader.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @NihilistCheerleader
Instagram: @nihilistcheerleader