This Is My Fist

While it might be unfair to compare Bay Area punks This Is My Fist to Montreal label mates Fifth Hour Hero purely based on the presence of a female vocalist, the similarities run a fair bit deeper than two X chromosomes. Performing a similarly scathing brand of pop punk that manages to be catchy without sounding like hook-laden radio rock, This Is My Fist push the aggression up a few notches. The power of vocalist Annie Saunders is right up there with the rest of the band; she sounds like she’s punishing her vocal chords as severely as drummer William Weber-Kneitel is his skins. With a tone that calls up the throaty edge possessed by the likes of Courtney Love and Joan Jett, Saunders’ vocals take songs like the brilliant closing title track and give them an elevated sonic quality, pushing each melody into an even more musically exciting place. While the band’s future currently seems to be in jeopardy, this lovingly-produced full-length will serve as an adequate document of This Is My Fist’s energy and songwriting skill.