New Single, “Hell,” by Sleater-Kinney Released in Anticipation to 2024 Album

Graphic by Cate Banks

By Stephanie Weber

“Hell,” Sleater-Kinney’s new single, was released earlier this week on Oct. 3. Indie rock band, Sleater-Kinney, made up of Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, released “Hell” as a preview to their eleventh studio album Little Rope, set for release on Jan. 19, 2024. 

The album cover art features an ominously staged photograph of Brownstein flying in the air, above Tucker, who sits tentatively, while both look straight at the camera. Amidst the shadows, it’s layered with jewel tones—emerald, ruby, and citrine—and jarring symmetry. It’s foreboding, representative of the new rich, dark sound from Sleater-Kinney. According to Rolling Stone, the album is a reflection on grief; Brownstein’s father and step-mother passed away last year. It’s also a commentary on a disturbing global state of affairs. This is also the case for the “Hell” music video. ‘90s filmmaker Miranda July is featured in black and white images staring into the camera right as the chorus begins, setting a weird and disruptive mood for the song and hopefully album.

“Hell” opens quietly, almost as if there is no music being played. Any rational listener would increase their volume, only to be hit with smooth and slow guitar—Brownstein and Tucker have always had a complementary guitar playing style and this song is no different. They track over each other until the chorus, when they really open up accompanied with drums and distorted vocals. The song is guitar-heavy, but Tucker balances this out with strong vocals. The lyrics are fairly simple, but are presented really dramatically; the verses are crisp and clean whereas the chorus is loud and distorted. The verses are repetitive with each line introduced as “Hell is,” just one letter off from “hellish.” Sleater-Kinney comments on the unprecedented nature of the world with a “hell on Earth” narrative, singing lyrics like “Hell needs no invitation / Hell don't make no fuss.” This song suggests that hell lurks in the shadows, always ready to cause chaos. In this world, hatred is always welcome. They close the first stanza with the lyrics “Hell is desperation / And a young man with a gun,” most likely commenting on unprecedented gun violence in America. In the second lyrics, they sing “Hell is just a place that / We can’t seem to live without,” saying that hell is everywhere, all the time. It’s as if hatred provides life.

Then the song opens up to a classic Sleater-Kinney chorus of Brownstein guitar tricks and screaming vocals. Tucker belts out the lyrics, “You ask / Why like there’s no tomorrow / You ask / Why like there’s no tomorrow,” fading back down to a quiet verse two. It’s no doubt Tucker was ranked 155 on Rolling Stone’s “200 Best Singers of All Time.” Every song she sings is full of energy and her wide vocal range takes up space, even on a quick three-minute track like “Hell.” The chorus is reminiscent of their earlier music in the ‘90s but holds a more acquired and sophisticated sound. “Hell” is over quickly, but acts as a foreboding teaser for the album to come.