M(h)aol (pronounced "male") are based between Dublin, London, and Bristol. Impressively, the 5-piece band have already graced the cover of Spotify’s Hot New Bands multiple times and have gained support from quite a few key people. It is hardly surprising, if you listen to Asking For It, their latest single, there's an immediate intensity in their approach. Musically, it is pulsating and bold, with Róisín's abrasive vocals leaving no doubt that this song is personal.
It was the first thing singer Róisín ever wrote to try and process some of her experiences and feelings around rape culture, as she explains "I wrote it initially in 2016 then revisited it in 2020. I was shocked by how much internalised victim blaming there was in the lyrics. I rewrote it, then we recorded it and it was released to raise money for Women's Aid in 2021. The album version is a lot angrier than the 2021 one and almost satirical insofar as it's highlighting how ludicrous the notion of anyone 'asking for it' is."
The video is simply executed, but powerfully performed, take a look below.
Review by Skreen B