Santa Cruz, CA band Scowl have shared “Shot Down,” the second single from their highly-anticipated EP, Psychic Dance Routine, set for release April 7th on Flatspot Records. Recorded and mixed by Grammy nominated producer Will Yip (L.S. Dunes, Title Fight, Turnover), the EP finds Scowl continuing to push the boundaries of their sound and artistic presence. On “Shot Down,” punchy guitars set up the energy of the track before Kat Moss dives into visceral lyrics marked by a blend of brassy screams and pop-forward vocals. It sounds like early-Ceremony and The Donnas remarkably combined, but that’s just the powerhouse band Scowl is. The video for the song, directed by guitarist Malachi Greene, follows the storyline set in the clip for lead single “Opening Night”, giving a deeper look into Scowl’s frenzied world.
Diving into the lyrics of “Shot Down,” Kat stated:
“This song is supposed to represent a battle between concealing your fears and vulnerability and desperately opening up about said fears. I’m expressing distaste and fury towards the fearful part of myself, “Hate you right now” is aimed at myself. “I wanna impress, impressive sound” - I’m begging to feel confident in my own work and I feel as though this song stealthily disguises those internal fears in a bubblegum hook, only to be immediately punched in the gut with fast guitars and harsh vocals.”
Scowl has quickly made a name for themselves as one of the most vivid and hard-working acts in the rock world. Since the release of their debut album, How Flowers Grow in late 2021, the band has become a powerful force to be reckoned with. Lauded for its reality-driven, aggressive blend of hardcore-punk, the critically-acclaimed album opened up new doors for the band, including a non-stop touring schedule. On Psychic Dance Routine, Scowl move far beyond the confines of what a typical “hardcore” band is considered, creating innovative song structures and personable lyrics. Their ability to be genre fluid intersects with their up for anything attitude, whether that means playing in a fast food drive-in parking lot or hitting the stage at Coachella. It’s all just part of the plan for the ever-evolving band that is Scowl.