By Isabel Corp
Amyl and the Sniffers first barreled into our hearts with their eponymous 2019 debut album, an LP packed to the brim with muscular punk thrashers that railed against social ills and moral decay, from the sadistic workaholic anthem “Control,” to their roaring working-class manifesto, “Gacked on Anger.” Their commanding style of garage pub rock is only amplified by the ferocious charisma and unhinged majesty of frontwoman Amy Taylor, with her ultra-feisty vocal delivery and a stage presence so electrifying and powerful that it is impossible not to notice her.
On July 7th, the Melbourne-based punk outfit unveiled “Guided by Angels,” the first single in anticipation of their upcoming sophomore album, Comfort to Me. Wasting absolutely no time, they quickly followed it up with “Security” on July 28th, which was already a fan-favorite at their live shows.
Accompanied by a video that shows Taylor dancing maniacally in a graveyard, “Security” packs a robust punch with all of the quintessential Sniffers trademarks — stomping, full-bodied percussion (courtesy of drummer Bryce Wilson), sinewy bass, and a thrashing guitar solo by Dec Martens, all of which lay a sturdy foundation underneath Taylor’s rebel yell, pleading with the bouncer at a bar to allow her inside. “You looked at normies different to me, you looked at them with trust,” she sneers, calling out the blatant hypocrisy of the security guard who blindly trusts people whose appearances are not as bold or threatening.
“Security,” is nothing short of a banger. Like Taylor herself, it rips and roars and claws into the listeners’ consciousness. The band’s affinity for ‘70s punk and hard rock has drawn several parallels to bands of that particular era, most notably the unhelpful comparison to AC/DC, which I personally never heard myself. If anything I would compare their outrageously violent visual antics and shock-rock exhibitionism to Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics.
Taylor’s playful and pugnacious spirit echoes and rings throughout the song, refusing to let up on anything or anyone acting as a barrier between herself and where she chooses to go.
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