Civet - Hell Hath No Fury

Genre hard rock Publisher Hellcat Records

Self-described as “unapologetic femme fatale punk rock,” Civet is an all female foursome hailing from none other than the infamous Orange County, CA. Their aptly titled Hellcat debut, Hell Hath No Fury, is sure to garnish some attention and probably land them a number of glossy covers when all is said and done. Leaning more towards the harder edge of rock, Civet isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty. They not only don’t shy away from aggression, they seem to revel in it with a shit-eating grin.

The easiest comparison would be to Joan Jett, but I am more inclined to suggest L7. L7 had a bigger sound and carried a trashier posture. Lead vox, handled by Ms. Liza Graves, are gruff and demanding, unleashing a “don’t fuck with me” attitude that cannot possibly be contrived. The opening track “Alibis” wastes no time introducing their bad girl attitude with a filthy chord, gleefully celebrating their heart-breaker mantra and swift tongues.  The next two tracks, “Son Of A Bitch” and “Pay Up” quickly follow like upper-cuts thrown below the belt. The rhythm remains thick and heavy, while doling out a straight-up rock chorus, always keeping the attitude turned up to 11.

“All I Want” and “Brooklyn” provide the few glimpses of a pop presence. Both are fairly reserved in all respects comparatively, but their toned down personas also suit them quite well. I am sure they wanted to stick with a harder sound for this recording, but I hope to hear more of this side of them on the next outing. Their diversity is intriguing and these cuts really seem to bring out the best in them musically.

Granted, there is nothing incredibly unique to be found here.  Civet is not trying to reinvent the wheel. They have carved a comfortable space for themselves, putting their brand on grimey riffs and celebrating their freedom to drink, start fights, and get laid. How many great rock records can you name that offer the same formula? Albeit, they are probably all guy bands, so even more kudos to Civet.