If there's one thing Sugar Coma have got, it's the boys. Sweaty, half-naked boys, flailing amorously in the mini-moshpit. They've been reeled in, perhaps, by the Sugar Coma's frontline phalanx of cute 16-year-old girls, but you get the feeling they didn't expect to enjoy themselves this much.
Sugar Coma are surprising not only by virtue of their skilful ways with rawk riffs, but also because in singer Jessica Mayers they have a truly mercurial frontwoman. One moment, she's cooing prettily, but seconds later she has transformed into a guttural, shrieking Exorcist escapee. It's quite unsettling, really.
The songs themselves are rudimentary - softly, softly... BLEURGH! - and each features exactly the same bassline at some point, but they are laden with formidable bile. Give 'em time, and these girls could really rock.
Sugar Coma's reference points are, of course, brazenly apparent. They've named themselves after a Hole song, for a start. But this is the Slipknot generation, weaned off grunge with nu-metal, valuing menace over tunes. Sugar Coma are adolescent innocents playing with the trappings of mythic decadence - Jessica looks like Saffron Republica with a pierced eyebrow and wears a 'Heroin Rock Stars' T-shirt on the cover of the band's 'Blisters' single. It's difficult to imagine these dollish young ladies ever really rivalling the likes of the 'Knot, or even Amen - but they might just surprise us. They've already got a good start.
Oh, and don't compare them to Kittie just because they're girls. They'll scratch your eyes out.
NEW! For the latest music videos and backstage interviews, check out our brand new sister site, NME Video.
- Previous Album Review : Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline
- Next Album Review : Panic Attack At Sainsbury's
Comments do not always reflect the views of NME, or IPC Media, for guidelines visit our Ts & Cs page