Having shared the stage and earned the respect of a who’s who of punk rock royalty, guitarist/vocalist Drea Doll, bassist/vocalist Gaby Kaos and drummer Cassie Jalilie have already amassed a career’s worth of experience since forming in 2013. But while the Venomous Pinks have already played at the biggest festivals and toured with industry legends, their long-awaited debut LP, Vita Mors (SBÄM Records) is an obvious step forward for the band. Produced by Cameron Webb (Motörhead, Social Distortion, NOFX) and co-produced by Linh Le of Bad Cop, Bad Cop, Vita Mors perfectly encapsulates who the Venomous Pinks are in 2022. A fusion of unforgettably catchy melodies and brash punk pushes forth the underlying messages of unity, equality, PMA and a whole lot more. The heavy sound and heady lyrics on tracks about everything from the heartbreak of losing someone “Broken Hearts Club” to feminist anthem “We Do It Better” don’t sound like they’re coming from a band making their full-length debut — for that matter, their tone and energy are fuller and more powerful than most trios can pull off at any stage of their career. The Venomous Pinks have long been winning fans over with their electrifying live performances and their bevvy of EPs and singles, but now armed with Vita Mors and major tours with bands like Dead Kennedys, they seem destined to erupt on a global scale sooner than later. - Josh Chesler