Gamma Girl - 'Van Helsing killed kids' - Track Review

Released on July 1st, North-West native Gamma Girl’s newest track entitled ‘Van Hesling killed kids’ is as weird and awesome as its striking name indicates. Following on from the success of her debut solo album this DIY punk artist is moving from strength to strength. Drawing on satanic iconography Gamma Girl embraces all things bloody as she conjures images of pain, violence and pain throughout her lyrics.

No stranger to longer tracks ‘Van Helsing killed kids’ comes in at nearly six minutes long – an extended ode of Gamma Girl’s existence. Emotive and moving yet unable to simply come across as sad this is truly her story. Told through angry riffs, electric distortion, breakdowns, her own unique vocals, screams of anguish and a snare drum that is so driving it could pull a plane this track is Gamma Girl at her best and damn is it good. Only slightly shorter than her 7-minute odyssey ‘The Princess and the Frog’ there is not a moment this track gets boring.

It is so compelling to see a young artist so confident composing longer pieces of music, stretches of shoegaze, punk influences, emo riffs, vocals and instrumentals collide into one collective track that refuses to sit still and be boring. Well deserving of her spot on the Knife Punch Records roster Gamma Girl spits in the face of making single genre music and has already found her own style. For someone to record music like this alone is astonishing, whether you’re a fan of alternative of not it is undeniable the quality Alice squeezes out of each beat.

Drawing on inspirations of the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees and Foxtails Gamma Girl describes herself as indie but is so much more. Lo-fi elements of the track add a feeling of authenticity, whilst shoe gazing aspects keep the guitar track fresh. I can guarantee when this track is released, you’ll have it on repeat, hailing from Blackpool I sincerely hope that Gamma Girl heads into the city to play gigs soon. Both ‘Van Helsing killed kids’ and self-titled the album strike me as projects that will translate incredibly well to a live scenario.

I was lucky enough to interview and feature Alice on my radio show The NorthWest Emo Show, she told me then she had big things coming and she hasn’t disappointed. Although not announced yet I certainly hope this track forms part of a larger project. In the meantime go and check Gamma Girl out; an absolute must for fans of Punk, Emo, indie and all things in between!

-Reece Ritchie-