NEW NOISE
DEATH PILL
The Ukrainian hardcore punk trio fighting for a better world against a backdrop of sexism, war and uncertainty
WORDS: EMILY SWINGLE
REALITY CAN OFTEN be a bitter pill to swallow and Ukrainian hardcore punk trio Death Pill know this only too well. Formed in 2017, the group had steadily built a reputation in their hometown of Kyiv and were working on their debut album when Russia invaded their country in February 2022. The band’s world was turned upside down; rather than continuing to produce their debut, their focus instead shifted to that of personal safety and survival.
As lead vocalist/guitarist Mariana Navrotskaya’s face freezes onscreen, the Kyiv internet connection staggering, she nonetheless makes the reality of her situation crystal clear.
“When you read the news, you never think that it will be you. We woke up in a nightmare, and we must live in that nightmare.”