Sweet Pill frontperson Zayna Youssef fights a former version of herself in the most literal sense in the band’s recent music video for “Blood,” the first single from their Top Shelf Records debut Where The Heart Is. In the MidVessel-directed video, Youssef takes the ring and is beaten to a pulp by her pre-teen self— coughing up blood into a bucket and struggling to stay on her feet. Ultimately failing to win, Youssef learns that keeping life simple may benefit you in the end.
The five-piece band, which blends Paramore-esque emo and more technical math-rock style riffs into a driving sound, will release Where the Heart Is on May 25th. Produced by Matt Webber at The Gardwell House in New Jersey, the record will run from intense post-hardcore styled tracks to subdued acoustic breakup ballads with flourishes of strings and flutes, played by Jill Ryan of Great Time.
“Blood” takes the listener through peaks and valleys of a falling out between two people. The grunge-inspired arrangements are complimented by Youssef’s impassioned vocal delivery, which turns soft when laid-back sections of the song bring the listener into a sad haze, and snapping them back into a chaotic anger towards the person they once knew.
Keep an eye out on Sweet Pill’s socials for news on the upcoming singles “High Hopes” and “Diamond Eyes,” and pre-order a physical version of the record via their Bandcamp. To catch the band live, head to the First Unitarian Church on April 16th, where they’ll play with Carly Cosgrove, Harmony Woods, and NIQU. Tickets and more information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.