Two years on from their sensational debut, Ukrainian ‘Riot Grrrls’ Mariana, Anastasiia and Nataliia, aka Death Pill are back with their second album SOLOGAMY which they say is: “A bold exploration of personal empowerment“. SOLOGAMY promises to be fierce, heavy and melodic, and is set for release on 20 June via New Heavy Sounds.
The album’s 10 tracks mark a bold evolution in the band’s sound and Death Pill really deliver with ferocity and belief through multiple gear changes and genres as if it were easy. Hardcore, punk, grunge, thrash, riot grrrl, emo, are just some of the touchstones this album moves through, and all with the accomplished ferocity and memorable melody the band introduced on their debut. Intriguing there are cellos, pianos, sound effects and ornate arrangements that open out their sonic palette, there’s a bit of pop and even a bit of prog. Sologamy is, at its core a celebration and Death Pill share:
“The title, inspired by the concept of marrying oneself, speaking to the importance of making a personal commitment to self-care, happiness, and emotional well-being. In an era where that can sometimes be misconstrued as selfishness, Death Pill pushes back against these misconceptions, inviting listeners to embrace the power of prioritizing their own mental and emotional health.
Each track on the album is quite different from the last, and we see this as a way of accepting and supporting yourself in any emotional state. You arrive in this world alone and you leave it alone. The bottom line is: You’re the only person you’ve got. It’s important to understand your different selves, to listen to yourself and your true desires, to love yourself when you’re at your lowest as well as your highest, to accept and understand all the different sides of your personality, and to be in touch with your conscious and unconscious.’
Every song on the album is a story that happened to us. Maybe it’ll happen to you too. But every story deserves to become a song.
“Sologamy” is more than just an album—it’s a call to action”
Commenting on first single ‘Craterface’ the band add:
“‘Craterface’ is a metaphor for a person whose face bears the marks of past struggles—both physical and emotional. This track is a cry from the soul, reflecting fear, self-hatred, and complicated relationships. The lyrical hero wrestles with inner conflicts, searching for acceptance. In a world filled with pressure and stress, ‘Craterface’ becomes the voice of those trying to make sense of their emotions.
The protagonist feels not only anger toward others but also rage toward themselves for their own helplessness. This fury transforms into a thirst for revenge—a painful yet powerful way to cope with suffering. ‘Craterface’ is my ultimate catharsis. A catharsis of consuming hatred, of the vengeance that eats me from the inside. “Let’s be honest—haven’t we all felt this way at least once?”
Looking back, the circumstances that surrounded the release of their debut were extreme. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, just as the band were putting the finishing touches to the debut album. Work on the record halted and the band were forced apart. Drummer Anastasiia went to Spain with her young son and bassist Natalia to Australia. Singer/guitarist Mariana remained in Kyiv. It seemed as if that was to be the end of the Death Pill story. But New Heavy Sounds heard some tracks which appeared on a ‘Musicians for Ukraine’ fund raising compilation. So knocked out were the label that they contacted the band offering to put their album out, only to hear that it was not finished. It’s a testament to Death Pill’s tenacity and drive, that though separated and in the midst of a war, they managed to finish the album. Their self-titled debut was released in February 2023, a year to the day that Russia invaded Ukraine.
With the help and support of the many punk communities around Europe, the band were able to undertake a small tour of Germany, Holland and the UK. That UK leg was captured in Dan Baskervilles poignant short film ‘Go Your Way’ which has already been shown at several small film festivals in 2024 and won Best Short Film at the LA Punk Film Festival. The hope is that the film will be shown to a wider audience this year. Check out the trailer here.
Following that tour, the girls then had to separate once again. However, Death Pill have shown that despite the circumstances, they stay strong and stick together. In 2024 they decided to begin work on a new record. Though the war continued and in different countries, they kept in contact via zoom and started working on their new songs. But it wasn’t easy. Contact with Mariana was at times a particularly difficult, with Russia increasing its attacks on Kyiv there were power outages, air raids and blackouts limiting the times they could communicate. Nataliia shares:
“I faced the challenge of managing and organising the band’s ideas and suggestions to achieve a final result that everyone was happy with. After the drum recordings were completed, Anastasiia took over social media management. The most difficult part was patiently explaining ideas and providing sound examples. While computer technologies and the internet are highly advanced, they can’t fully replace the experience of regular gigs, where musicians can experiment in real-time, or rehearsals, where energy exchange and emotional support play a crucial role.”
On top of that, trying to finish the mixing and mastering of the album while the power-cuts became ever more frequent and communication more sporadic, meant more delays. Then you lose your key artwork guy to the defence of the country. Fast forward to 2025, and the fruits of their labours have come together on SOLOGAMY.
The vinyl release will arrive in a very special limited edition vinyl package. The first pressing will be in a laminated silver sleeve housing a frosted transparent vinyl disc. As well as a free download there is an A4 colour poster of the band and a sticker. This pressing is strictly limited to 500 copies.
For more information on Death Pill please check their facebook and instagram.