Last I saw Quaaludes was over the summer when lead singer Aimee Belden crawled and writhed on the floor with outstretched talons at the Stork Club, a venue infamous for cheap punk shows.  Now they’re releasing their first music video ever for “Blood On The Ice”, and we called dibs for an exclusive premiere.

Completely unrestrained at any given moment, Quaaludes is all female, garage-punk, and drenched in tongue-in-cheek patriarchal symbolism. The name of the band references the ’70s incestuous cult classic Valley of the Dolls where “dolls” is a slang word for pills while also representing women who are treated like toys in a hedonistic boy’s club. Following that line of thinking, the girls scoured the Bay Area for vintage dolls in thrift stores with the concept that they would reanimate à la Bride of Chucky. Directed by Jeremy Valencia, the video begins with the band playing in a dark garage and the dolls holding a Ouija board séance, and ominously cuts to ice skates dripping with blood.

Watch the video for “Blood On The Ice” below, then be sure to head to their Bandcamp to listen and buy their self-titled debut album. Cassettes are being sold at local stores Aquarius Records, 1234 Go Records, Thrillhouse, and Needles & Pens, with plans to sell from their Bandcamp soon. Also make plans to swing by their next gig at Hemlock Tavern on April 11, where they’ll be supporting Oakland’s Younger Lovers.

Passionately political and pissed about it, Quaaludes is the antithesis of cutesy bands only out for image and Facebook likes – they’re out for blood.

Younger Lovers, Quaaludes, Bad Daddies, Yi
Hemlock Tavern
April 11, 2014
9pm, $6 (21+)