The upcoming second album from Whittier, California post-punk quartet Plague Vendor is entitled BLOODSWEAT, and lead track “ISUA” is guaranteed to inspire at least one of those physical responses. A nerve-wracking, full-band blast — mixed by the legendary Alan Moulder — the track explodes from its first seconds with taut drums, bellowing bass, and lacerating guitar, before vocalist Brandon Blaine enters to wail like a rockabilly Peter Murphy, “Oh give me life, oh give me death / Oh give me something that I’ll soon want to forget.” The title stands for the chorus-shouted “I STAY UP ANYWAY!,” and your heart rate should still be too jacked for sleeping hours after.
“When we all lived at Com (the name of our pad), everyone would go to bed, but I would continue to stay up,” explains Blaine about the track. “I just want to enjoy people, I love company, and never want the good times to end.” Listen here, and check out BLOODSWEAT on Epitaph come March 25.
