There’s no denying that chick musicians can be an anomaly. It’s not that they’re not out there - they just might not be as out there.
But that isn’t really why Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, or DVAS, has been busy for the past few months - busier than most bands that have only been playing for six months might be - they might be a four-female band, but they’re a four-female band that’s as talented as they are kick-ass.
They’ve described themselves as psychedelic-punk, but it’s hard to attach only two words to lead singer Zoe Edward’s transcendent and melodic voice as it transitions to that delicate Detroit sound: pissed-off and soulful.
And the same goes for rhythm and guitar. It’s a mixed bag of a few decades, namely the '60s-'80s, that composes the grittier rock sound, but that’s not to say DVAS doesn't have something going on all their own.
Each of their three songs available on Bandcamp right now for purchase sounds entirely different, from punk to sonorous rock, and they only started writing months ago.
Call it the perfect soundtrack to your breakup or hangover and you’d only be partially right - you’re going to be taken with each crescendo or psychedelic slow-down.
DVAS is composed of four 17-year-old metro Detroiters: Ava East on guitar, Kerrigan Pearce on drums, Kate Derringer on bass and Edwards on vocals.
Not all of the girls knew each other initially, just that they each were passionate about music in their own respect. Drawing influence from Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin, Patti Smith and more, they were itching to perform for a while.
They formed in late December after Pearce received a drum set for her birthday, spawning a series of texts that lead her to find East and Derringer.
Edwards came in the picture soon after, Pearce said. After just one song, they knew her sound agreed with them. Since, things have been moving fast for the girls. They started writing soon after they started practicing, and performed for the first time in late April at the Black Lodge. Soon after, they started racking up shows at Elijah’s House of Dirt, Old Miami and New Dodge, to name a few.
When they catch a breath, likely in July, they’re going to set out to record a full-length album and music video. But for now, they’re going to dip their Doc Marten’d toes in the Detroit music scene and keep doing what they seem to do incredibly well: show us why a girl (or four) can do it better.
Check out the Bandcamp page.
