Just yesterday on August 27, news broke of a school shooting in Minnesota where two children died and 17 others injured, the shooter was allegedly transgender. Much, much more importantly, he was also a Nazi, but I’m sure you can guess which element is taking over all news on this matter as if it were the only unassailable, relevant fact. It’s nearly impossible to get a grip on actual facts of a situation like this because there’s a deluge of bad-faith actors and conspiracies, and there’s been shooters that claimed to be trans out of spite knowing the harm it’d do, but based on manifesto details, it looks like the shooter was regretful of becoming trans claiming to be brainwashed and desiring to detransition, but you know what? It really doesn’t matter at this point because the damage is done with far-right shitrags like New York Post (who I’m not gonna dignify by bolding their name as is our norm) running the most dehumanizing and abhorrent headline I’ve seen this year.
All the trans people I follow and see posting online are scared for what this means, already hearing even more pitchforks and torches coming toward them and their community. There are politicians and fascist influences calling for the literal eradication of ‘transgenderism’ from public life, touting that there have been so many acts of mass violence by trans people that it forms a concerning pattern when in reality it’s much less than one percent of all shootings, the overwhelming, near-100% majority being cisgender white dudes. No mention of the shooter’s beliefs, how he had ‘6 million wasn’t enough‘ and ‘Jew gas‘ written on his weapon and a smoke grenade respectfully, no mention of racial slurs being used in similar manners, or talk of race and hatred of immigrants from the manifesto. White people don’t have to worry about persecution when one of them is a mass shooter. Straight people don’t have to worry about persecution when one of them is a rapist or pedophile. Christians don’t have to worry about persecution when one of them kills their children in an act of religious psychosis. Muslims do. Queer people do. Any gender non-conforming people do.
Why the fuck am I starting this review with such a downer story? Because I think it’s important to know what’s happening and how it’s being used to scapegoat entire communities of people who are already extremely vulnerable under fascist rule and, with that in mind, it’s exactly the reason why Death Goals make music from my standpoint. If you don’t like it, this review ain’t for you and that’s fine. Emotions are high across the board, but there’s only one set I care about and it’s the fear, sadness, and anger the trans and queer community in general are enduring as I write this. It’s what’s made this new EP have the worst possible timing because I can’t just wholesale focus on it that much, but it’s also the best time for it.
Death Goals‘ whole thing is solidarity and protection, to make others feel seen and valued. They’re a duo with a lot of love to give in a fierce way, like being hugged by a towering, benevolent tiger. Since I started listening to them with their last LP A Garden of Dead Flowers, I’ve found their self-proclaimed queercore energy as endearing as I found The Blood Brothers at their peak – different executions, different missions, same elation when listening to them. Of course, Survival Is An Act Of Defiance is no different – blistering riffs, weighted and passionate performances across the board, and some of the most on-point lyrics in this realm.
In the vein of fostering community and togetherness, this short EP has a big guest on all but one track. One of my faves, Harry Nott from Burner shows up on “Kill With Kindness”, a molten takedown of religious zealots and the hypocrisy of their beliefs that’s become all too common – you know what they say: there’s no hate like Christian love. It’s an arresting intro, one that’s not surprising in the slightest coming from everyone involved, but goddamn, those downtuned chugs practically make your cheeks clench with how deep and vile they are. Jenna Pup from The HIRS Collective is next on “Tchotchke” which takes aim at the feeling of being tokenized and used by others for love and/or sex, primarily (to my interpretation) chasers who target queer and trans people out of fetishistic desires.
“Even An Empire Can Burn” splits the album nicely with an interlude of spoken word from Ewan Benwell from Cainhurst. Benwell speaks truth to power about the inevitability of crumbling empire and machines of oppression. This blends well into “Even A Worm Can Turn” which is Death Goals-centric and one of my favorite phrases out there, but they still brought like, ten of their pals for gang vocals that empower the track like no other on here. Finally, the title track featuring Lotta Ridgely of Victim Unit plows through with a menacing tone that we may feel today, but must take comfort in knowing that those that wrong us will soon feel that same way:
‘Is it obscene
To dream of a future
Where we can grow old
Instead of living in terrorNo more cowering
We’re taking centre stage
Whilst those who wish us dead
Are digging their own graves’
I always see joking, though no less true, declarations of life and defiance of death all over the internet these days. Don’t kill yourself, you have to outlive Trump. You have to outlive Israel and witness a free Palestine. You have to outlive your abuser. This is all great for those that find value or even just humor in them, but it’s also way important to highlight the benefits of living in contrast to only surviving. To find those you feel safe with, building community with them and bridging over to other communities to become a force, to find yourself living more and more outside of the fists of oppression, to experience raw love and acceptance without any platitude bullshit or half-baked allyship when Pride Month rolls around and rainbow capitalism bears its Cheshire grin.
Without a moment to spare or appear weak on this EP, it’s great saying they did no such thing. In fact, I wish I had more. There’s an urgency in the music and vocals that, unfortunately, perfectly mirrors the shaking anxiety so many of us are subjected to for one reason or another. That Death Goals still managed to make something coherent and riotously beautiful under tense and demoralizing conditions is a testament to survival as an act of defiance, showing that while being scared is natural when you’re preyed upon day after day by those in power and with hate in their hearts, there’s strength in numbers. When you feel small, think of how everyone shouts ‘queer lives forever‘ simultaneously on “Even A Worm Can Turn”. Think of how even on this ten-minute EP, there’s room for collaboration, support, and unity in the face of true, serious, sinister evil. I’m beginning to resent how relevant good, powerful music is and Death Goals‘ latest project is no exception, but I’m also thankful they exist as a beacon of light and flaming catharsis that burns bright like the cloth sticking out of a Molotov cocktail bottle.
Trans rights forever.
Band photo by Kate Feast Photography
