Vulvarine – ‘Fast Lane’ Album Review

Punk/Metal

Napalm Records

Release Date – March 28^th 2025

Review By Smudge

My introduction to Vulvarine was a recent gig where they supported Thundermother. To say I was impressed is an understatement. They gave us six fantastic songs full of punk attitude and energy and metal precision along with some seriously catchy melodies. They aired three of the songs off this new record in their set which sat comfortably with the three older songs.

They get straight into it on ‘The Drugs, The Love And The Pain’ which shows what they’re all about. A fiery riff, bouncy rhythm and catchy vocal add to that the ‘wooaah’ backing vocal creating the hook and a spicy solo from an unnamed lead guitarist. Currently providing the leads is Coralie Baier from Atlantean Kodex but she assures me that she didn’t play on the record. ‘Ancient Soul’ builds over a fine guitar line before Bea Heartbeat knocks out a tempo change and they’re off on a pop/punk rattler then it’s more of the same on ‘Heads Held High’ where singer Suzy Q gives a breathless performance – sultry one minute then giving it large the next.

‘Demons’ has a superb guitar intro which settles down into some more pop/punk before Robin Redbreast gives us a solid bass groove to open the superb ‘Alright Tonight’ which has a cinematic story then current single ‘Equal, Not The Same’ brings another piece of radio friendly pop/rock. ‘Fool’ shows again just how good these ladies are at writing songs. Deceptively simple and sounding a bit like Hole with that grooving bass line then we get another cinematic episode on ‘Polly The Trucker’. ‘Dark Red’ is darker and harder, then we get some Runaway’s pop/punk with ‘Cheri, Cheri Lady’ which features the six string talents of Thundermother’s Filippa Nassil. Final cut is a total departure – a fire side acoustic jam ‘She’ll Come Around’ which again has shades of Courtney Love.

I had to listen to this on a stream from Napalm Records. Unfortunately, you only get limited plays, and I used them all up. If you like anthemic, catchy energetic, pop punk, then pick this up. I’ve played it to death, and I will continue to do so for a while yet.

Track List –

The Drugs, The Love and The Pain

Ancient Soul

Heads Held High

Demons

Alright Tonight

Equal, Not The Same

Fool

Polly The Trucker

Dark Red

Cheri Cheri Lady

She’ll Come Around