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BEST OF 2015

MAGNET’s #17 Album Of 2015: Screaming Females’ “Rose Mountain”

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In the wild—that is, onstage, their preferred habitat—Screaming Females are a force of nature. Driven by Marissa Paternoster’s intimidating guitar solos and inimitable gut-punch wail, the trio is frenetic, virtuosic, relentless. But while their first five full-lengths displayed steady growth in chops and confidence, they didn’t quite match the power of the band’s live performances. With Rose Mountain, they’re not even trying to replicate that sound or fury—which has freed them to write their best suite of songs yet and, just as importantly, leave some notes unplayed. Paternoster still sings and shreds like a boss, but she’s no longer fighting for sonic space with Jarrett Dougherty’s nimble drumming and Michael Abbate’s chunky bass lines. The result: The band’s never been more dynamic or versatile, deftly moving from the grungy “Empty Head” to the chugging “Ripe,” the classic pop of “Wishing Well,” and through the sinewy titular song and the prog riffage of “Triumph.” While there are delicate moments on Rose Mountain, it’s not pretty on the inside. Lyrically, the LP is rife with references to peeled skin, pinched nerves, needles and burial plots. Even guitar gods are human, with blisters and scars to show for it when they’re in top shape, and more serious damage when wrestling with health issues, as Paternoster has. It’s a reminder that while we can’t break up with our bodies, music is our best shot at transcendence. —M.J. Fine