Hardcore D.C. based quartet Pickaxe have bottled righteous anger on their Provocateur EP. Vocalist Emily Rainey takes a swipe at toxic relationships and gun violence, while shouting at the heavens - mostly at Melpomene, the muse of tragedy and song. The music is in-your-face, goes straight for the gut (or the neck when not paying attention).
Hitting a listener over the hard with hard facts is not really fashionable (was it ever?), but punk and hardcore never gave a fuck about what John Doe and soccer moms might believe in. Provocateur is a roundhouse kick and sometimes that is what is needed for people to get their attention.
