“It started off as anger,” says Bryan Edward of Holy Death Temple about their new single, Someone To Blame.

By Graeme Smith

“It’s coming from a place of disgust with people who get off on watching others suffer,” he explains. “…when you go a few layers deeper, people are just mistaking cruelty for strength.”

To make their point, Holy Death Temple tackle fascism and BDSM (bondage and sadomasochism) in the same breath, seeing them as having the same roots.

“Someone To Blame is a response to the descent into fascism we’re witnessing in America,” says Edward. “The subject matter and delivery may be shocking to some people, but what’s more shocking than innocent people being executed in the street?”

It’s a strong, important concept that’s delivered through some severe, synth-laden punk. Vocal layers tell a sordid tale against a backdrop of fuzzy riffs and electronic melodies. The track carries on oppressively, swapping verses and choruses seamlessly.

The lyrics aren’t for the faint-hearted but hit the right tone considering the subject matter. They’re delivered with an understated passion and with plenty of edge. The track kept me gripped right to its lingering finish.

“There’s something for everyone on the dance floor,” says Edward about the single. “If you want an S&M-fuelled Goth club banger, we got you. If you want an intellectual parallel between S&M and the descent into fascism, we also got you.”

He mentions the single artwork, an S&M version of Uncle Sam as making the track relevant to now. The illustration sees the famous military recruitment mascot kitted out as a member of ICE complete with a bondage mask which adds a layer of extra critique to the whole piece.

Formed by vocalist Edward after a “botched experiment” attempting to make a dance version of Pornography by The Cure, Holy Death Temple features Amy Tung-Barrysmith on synths, and Jon Barrysmith on drums. The trio are split across Los Angeles and Seattle, USA. “We live in a time where the right people can be more important than the geography,” says Edward.

“We’re a punk band at our core,” he adds. “Most of our tracks are political or social commentary, but we’re not here to preach or tell you what to think. They’re a point of view and the art is wrapping it in a fun concept with a catchy chorus.”

Edward draws influence from the likes of Sisters of Mercy, Siouxsie and the Banshees, DEVO, and The Sex Pistols but he makes it clear that he’s not about recreating the past. “The musical DNA of Holy Death Temple allows each song to open a new door sonically while still serving as the inspiration and the guardrail. For Someone To Blame, Sisters of Mercy is the anchor — the brooding, monolithic weight. Our music is feminine at its core, and this track has a punishing coldness that is Siouxsie. DEVO is the straight-faced satire. The Pistols are the provocation and the middle finger, most clearly manifested in the artwork.”

Someone To Blame is a bold introduction to a band who I will certainly be following closely from now on. Their immediate future sees them recording more singles and nailing down their live show after a successful run in the Pacific Northwest earlier this year. A backlog of tracks are waiting for release.

Edward was even nice enough to give me a teaser for their next one. “Sadly, I… have to say that we’re 100% human now. We don’t and never will use AI-generated elements in our music or visuals. Our next single will have something to say about that.”

I can’t wait to hear it, and I hope you are similarly enticed. To keep up to date with all things Holy Death Temple you can head to their website, and follow them on Spotify, Instagram, and Soundcloud.

Someone To Blame is out now, and you can listen to it below.

Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator