THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Glutton For Punishment is the highly anticipated debut album from formidable South London auteur Heartworms.
Produced by longtime collaborator Dan Carey, Glutton For Punishment combines the propulsive, motorik tendencies of gothic stalwarts Depeche Mode, the lyrical dexterity of PJ Harvey and the off-kilter rhythms of LCD Soundsystem into a powerful sonic onslaught that is entirely Heartworms. “With my EP, people kind of pigeonholed me into post-punk,” she says. “I was like, ‘Cool, I can do that, but I can also do way more’… I can also be poppy and catchy, and this album represents that. I think people might be surprised when they hear it.
“I’ve been chastised my whole life; made to feel as if I didn’t belong, punished for not fitting into a perfect image of how a growing woman should be. When you’re told something enough times you start to believe it. I often find myself locked into an unhealthy cycle of craving harsh discipline, greedy for the familiarity it brings but terrified of the consequences — better the devil you know. But this album doesn’t just reflect my own experiences; it reflects those of the people in my life and the stories of others that I think need to be heard.”
The album was preceded by the single Warplane, a bold yet stark offering that utilises the metaphor of combat and self-sacrifice. Heartworms elaborates: “The opening lyrics set the scene of a dogfight in the air while civilians are witnessing it take shape. My imagination is always out of my control, and my love of Spitfires even more so, so I couldn’t help but make this about a spitfire pilot. I am dedicating this to William Gibson Gordon — a Spitfire pilot who was killed in action by an Me109 at just 20 years old. The song ends how I imagine his falling Spitfire sounds to me, like an angel losing its extraordinary wings.”
The video was shot by Gilbert Trejo, and features the distinctive metal object Heartworms adorns in her press shots. “Gilbert Trejo and I were lucky enough to enlist the help of an incredible blacksmith called Gus Baldwin. I’m wearing his Brutal Bridle, a take on the scold’s bridle, a medieval instrument of punishment intended to publicly humiliate and silence women.”
