Having risen from the relative anonymity of the Athens underground into something of local juggernaut, Nihilist Cheerleader are ready to make the next leap. If you believe that means tamping down their fiery intensity or softening their sharp edges, think again. The group’s new single “So Good” charges forward with spunky abandon, full of agile riffs and biting vocals. It’s somehow both earnest and sardonic, a tricky balance that Nihilist Cheerleader continue to pull off with remarkable ease.
Created by local filmmaker Bill Guzik, the video straddles similar lines. It’s fun and hedonistic, while also serving as a tongue-in-cheek poke at gender norms. Atlanta landmarks figure in prominently—the ubiquitous Krog Street tunnel, big buck hunting at Boggs Social & Supply, live performance footage from Black Sabbath Brewing—but the emphasis here is on the single’s boisterous pace and acerbic message. “Watch what you are / You are what you eat / So I ate concrete / And I ate the street,” sneers vocalist and guitarist Flynne Collins. It’s a barbed-wire warning, as well as a visceral declaration of personal resolve.
Forceful, fierce, and direct, “So Good” finds Nihilist Cheerleader playing to their strengths. It’s less confrontational, perhaps, then the more eviscerating moments of their 2018 LP, Riot, Right?, but the results are equally wry and riveting. Searing hooks buried within caustic, withering songwriting—unfussy yet explosive.
Watch/listen above.
“So Good” was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jesse Mangum at the Glow in Athens. The track is also the lead cut from Ecology Records’ spring compilation, VEXED, which features an impressive array of local punk and indie acts. All proceeds from the comp go to ARC Southeast, an organization that provides funding and logistical support to ensure Southerners receive safe and compassionate reproductive care including abortion services.
More Info
Bandcamp: nihilistcheerleader.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @NihilistCheerleader
Instagram: @nihilistcheerleader