The Radical Art of Staying Alive: Death Goals’ New Manifesto
‘Survival Is An Act Of Defiance’ isn’t just a title : it’s a battle cry for a community under siege and UK queercore duo Death Goals frame existence itself as the ultimate act of resistance. Their new EP is a 15-minute distillation of the rage, exhaustion, and solidarity inherent in being queer in 2025. Harry Bailey and George Milner haven’t just released a record; they’ve ignited a fuse that transforms the shaking anxiety of the modern news cycle into a flaming catharsis.
A Sonic Molotov Cocktail
Trading mathcore intricacies for unfiltered, cut-throat anger, the EP feels like a phlegm-heavy lurgy spat in the face of prejudice. From the serrated chugs of the opener to industrial interludes that echo the crumbling of oppressive machines, the record moves with the frantic energy of a heartbeat in a panic attack. What makes the music so compelling is how it balances that rage with clarity; the message never gets lost in the noise, it becomes amplified—a warning that silence is no longer an option.
Building the Rebellion: Strength in Numbers
What elevates ‘Survival Is An Act Of Defiance’ into a seminal queercore document is its spirit of radical collaboration. Somewhere between Converge, Dreamwell, Every Time I Die, PUPIL SLICER, The Callous Daoboys or The Prestige, Death Goals have turned the EP into a community town hall, pulling in underground heavyweights to turn a duo’s vision into a collective testimony.
Harry Nott (Burner) adds raw venom to « Kill With Kindness, » deconstructing the hollow platitude of religious patience, while Jenna Pup (The HIRS Collective) lends a serrated vocal counterpoint to « Tchotchke, » a lashing critique of the devaluation of marginalized bodies. By the time Lotta Ridgely (Victim Unit) joins the title track, the record has shifted from a performance to a menacing, anthemic warning: those who wish us dead are digging their own graves.
Beyond the Noise
Arriving as a necessary « lifeline » during a relentless news cycle of scapegoating and hostility, Death Goals flip the script. They remind us that in a society built to sideline queer voices, staying loud and authentic is the greatest victory of all. This isn’t just music; it’s a rallying point for anyone who has ever had to fight simply to exist.
Death Goals have carved out an anthem. It’s time we all sang along.
