Video of the Week: Feral Future “No Means Nothing”

Austin has been home to a thriving punk scene for quite some time, but over the past few years it has become a more diverse and unique community than what many larger punk hubs feature, with groups mining from less explored hardcore territory like the Touch ‘n’ Go influence in New China to the L7-meets-Siouxsie feel of up and comers Feral Future. A key signing to Western Medical Records, Feral Future have swiftly become a must-see live act in Austin thanks to the unflinching power of Arielle Sonnenschien’s vocals and stage presence and the unpredictable, cagey guitar style of Kate Moyer as well as the punch of the group’s rhythm section, which now features Austin newcomer Hunter Ross on the kit, backing up Steph Mueller on bass.  The video for “No Means Nothing,” a staple of the band’s shows, attempts to capture some of the band’s live potency, but truth be told nothing could adequately translate their performance to film– this is, after all, a band that outperformed Perfect Pussy at a recent show.  “No Means Nothing” has garnered attention for Sonnenschien’s frank portrayal of attempted sexual assault from both the perpetrator and victim’s perspectives and while the video is more abstract in its approach, it’s full of righteous anger and brutal imagery, including blood drenched stage theatrics and frontal views of blood pouring from the band members’ mouths at the end. Moyer recently told the Austin Chronicle’s Kevin Curtin that she wanted the band’s new album Haematic to “take the listener and just fucking shake them,” and the video is an extent of that, building from Sonnenschien playing up an innocent, childish performance style in the verses to the explosive anger of the chorus.  2014 could be the year Austin’s punk scene captures national attention in a big way, and Feral Future inarguably deserve to be there at the forefront.
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Nick Hanover got his degree from Disneyland, but he’s the last of the secret agents and he’s your man. Which is to say you can find his particular style of espionage here at Loser City as well as Ovrld, where he contributes music reviews and writes a column on undiscovered Austin bands.  You can also flip through his archives at  Comics Bulletin, which he is formerly the Co-Managing Editor of, and Spectrum Culture, where he contributed literally hundreds of pieces for a few years. Or if you feel particularly adventurous, you can always witness his odd .gif battles with Dylan Garsee on twitter: @Nick_Hanover