“This is an EP with an increasingly relevant message for 2026, where women still struggle to be recognised as human beings.”
Are you frustrated with life? How men want to possess and control you? How displaying your emotions cause indifference instead of a genuine caring response? Then We Kill Cowboys EP Back from the Dead will appeal to you in many ways. With six songs at 22 min 54 sec, this is a short and sweet listening experience. Except that the “sweet” part comes as an angry, cathartic release of emotions.
A five-piece post-hardcore band based in Cape Town, We Kill Cowboys draws from many influences, including heavy metal, punk, grunge, and more. Originating from the mind of tattoo artist Alex Muller, who even lends her artistic vision to the cover of this EP, they’re now known for their heavy, groove-laden sound, loudly punctuated by Alex’s intense screams. Everything about them is raw and gritty, like grim that gets under your nails and won’t go away.
With melodic guitar riffs and breakdowns supported by emotional, deep, and shouted vocals, the EP’s overall sound is incredibly cohesive. Each track has these signature elements, interspersed with unique components, such as metal-guttural screeches or softer vocal breakdowns. One cannot mistake any of these as not belonging in the discography of We Kill Cowboys. However, there is the sense that some songs pull back on their lyrical and emotional punches.
Certain thematic threads also run throughout, with the strongest found in “Cherry Lips” and “Sweat and Blood.” Screaming at men who view women as objects to fix or possess, the lyrics of “Cherry Lips” speak to something powerful and true. Singing about how men want to have a taste of her, but that she has no time for them and their nonsense, “Good luck, man. Get the fuck out my way!” This track embodies the frustrations many women face in their interactions and relationships with the opposite sex, and how this makes us all want to scream.
“Sweat and Blood” is tonally darker, as it feels like it is describing a depressive episode, singing – “feeling numb. It’s been days since I’ve seen the sun.” It progresses to getting medicated by doctors, not to deal with the underlying issues, but rather to hide the pain. A sentiment also found in their opening track, “Dig Deep,” that, with a slower tempo and intimate sound that quickly speeds up, asks us to let it all go and hold nothing back. It’s saying that emotions aren’t supposed to be held onto, but fully expressed.
True to their name, We Kill Cowboys are here to take down the lone riders, who stroll into town, shoot shit up, and walk away unscathed. As a result, “Back from the Dead” aggressively serenades us into being respectful of ourselves and each other. This is an EP with an increasingly relevant message for 2026, where women still struggle to be recognised as human beings. But more than that, it is asking us to be mindful of what we are feeling, and it is better to let it all go than hold back for a single second.
