scorpion
unleash your venom
Whether it’s releasing the pain done unto you, or sinking your fangs into another, “scorpion” gives you one task: Unleash Your Venom.
This playlist is inspired by the more morose and angered side of the rock scene, especially one of my favorite albums, Deathconsciousness by Have A Nice Life, which started me off with two tracks, “I Don’t Love” and “Deep, Deep” from the record. The rest is a mix of songs throughout the years that helped me confront frustration and finally release it.
HIGHLIGHTS
BASEMENT - DOGS ON SHADY LANE: One of my favorite tracks in 2024, the small town band from Rhode Island really sold me with this track, with the first two lines “Part of me died in your basement, there are bits of me in your carpet.” Starting with a delicate melody and fluttering guitars, this song rips you into a punk-style ballad with powerful fuzzed-out guitar solos.
CRISPY SKIN - SQUID: I discovered Squid this year through their album Cowards, and I couldn’t get this track out of my head. It is a lot more glittery and bright sonically compared to the rest of the tracks, but as the lyrics proclaim, “Am I the bad one? Yep, yes, I am.” This fast-paced post-punk groove moves the more vicious undertone of this playlist, and I mean, come on, look at that album cover.
I DON’T LOVE - HAVE A NICE LIFE: As mentioned before, this song’s record really pushed the idea behind this playlist. I would not leave out my favorite song from Deathconsciousness. The song is lyrically simple, repeating the same lines over and over, anchored by “I don’t feel anything where this love should be.” Paired with doomgaze guitars and synths, the repetition amplifies the song’s emotional weight.
RAW BLUE - WHIRR: Whirr’s shoegaze record of the same name defined my year early in January, and this song really focuses on the sonic environment of the playlist. The loud, in-your-face guitars mask quiet, soft lyrics, pulling you into a sonic space that forces you through pain, regardless of what the poison in your body tells you to do.
GOD IS A CIRCLE - YVES TUMOR: An alternative playlist of mine would not be complete without a track from the neo-psychadelia polymath Yves Tumor. The lead track from his 2023 Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) was a perfect addition to this playlist as a fast-paced rock track.
NOTHING CHANGES - DEV LEMONS: This closer from Lemons’ 2025 debut album SURFACE TENSION ends the playlist on a bitter yet self-assuring note, looping endlessly around the realization that some people, and some wounds, never change.
