This debut album has been nearly five years in the making, but it cements Wargasm’s position as one of UK heavy music’s leading forces. The London-based duo – singer-instrumentalists Milkie Way and Sam Matlock – turned heads as soon as they debuted in 2018 with their ear-catching blend of electronic and industrial sounds. Having supported Limp Bizkit, Corey Taylor and Neck Deep in the past 18 months, ‘Venom’ arrives on a significant wave of hype.
At the same time, it’s been a long and winding journey to this point. Before they came together, Matlock – the son of original Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock – was working in bars after the promise of his former band Dead! faded away, while Way was juggling modelling and sporadic session work after moving to London from Northern Ireland.
It turns out they needed each other as much as heavy music needed them. From their monstrous 2020 breakout single ‘Spit’ to this year’s rap-metal masterclass ‘Do It So Good’ – a highlight on this album – they’ve proved why, arguably, they’re this generation’s answer to The Prodigy. Following an impactful appearance at 2021’s Download Pilot, Wargasm have garnered a vocal and passionate fanbase, who revere the band for both their charisma and genre-splicing approach to their music.
Slayyyter played her take on Turnstile’s ‘Birds’ onstage for the first time in Atlanta. You can watch footage of the performance below.
Slayyyter is currently touring with her ‘Wor$t Girl In The World’ show. She added the cover to her set at The Eastern on Monday night (September 21).
She sang ‘Birds: Slayyyter Version’ near the end of the main set, following ‘Brittany Murphy’. She then came back for an encore featuring ‘Brand New Chanel$’ and ‘Beat Up Chanel$’.
It was her first live performance of the song. She originally recorded it for Turnstile’s ‘Never Enough: Versions’, a collection of reworked tracks released on August 28.
The 22 track release brings together new interpretations of songs from Turnstile’s fourth album. Contributors include Elton John, Hayley Williams, Blood Orange, A. G. Cook, Faye Webster, Four Tet, Oklou, Floating Points, Nourished By Time, Alex G, Julien Baker and Mustafa.
Panda Bear recorded a new take on ‘Magic Man’, while Dying Fetus gave ‘Birds’ another interpretation rooted in death metal.
See Slayyyter perform the track live and listen to her studio recording here:
Slayyyter trades the original song’s hardcore intensity for a bigger electronic sound that feels at home alongside her latest album, ‘Wor$t Girl In America’.
Turnstile first released ‘Birds’ on their 2025 album ‘Never Enough’. The song won Best Metal Performance at the 2026 Grammy Awards, where the album also won Best Rock Album.
In its five star review of ‘Never Enough’, NME pointed to ‘Birds’ and ‘Sole’ as reminders of Turnstile’s hardcore beginnings. It also praised the album for “furthering their unique, pop-facing take on hardcore”.
Slayyyter will join Turnstile on another stage next month. She and Die Spitz are set to support the band at the University of Kansas in Lawrence on October 6 for the ‘Never Enough Tour Pt. 2’.
It has been a big year for Slayyyter. Her third album, ‘Wor$t Girl In America’, came out in March, and NME’s review highlighted its mix of “brash, sleazy pop” and late 2000s indie sleaze sounds.
Last month, she performed Hole’s ‘Violet’ for triple J’s Like A Version. Courtney Love called the cover “a delight” and encouraged Slayyyter to “keep wiping the floors with us”.
A few weeks later, Slayyyter took ‘Wor$t Girl In America’ to Reading Festival. NME’s live review declared that there was “undoubtedly a star before us on stage” and praised her “rasped, rocked-up delivery” and growing confidence as a performer.