If you are not quite aware of who BARB WIRE DOLLS are quite yet, then you definitely will, especially if you are on your way to Warped Tour. They are strong believers of making riot and not war. They are punk rockers from Greece who truly enforce their roots and how they have shaped the band over the years. Rub My Mind is their latest release. After following a very successful few albums such as Slit, there were very high expectations from their audience.
Rub My Mind opens with the anthem that is “Back in the U.S.S.A.”. This song speaks about the United States and what seems to be the American Dream for this band. With lyrics that are “Introducing a new band to the stage, introducing a new musical state, introducing a new lyrical fate”. This is probably speaking about how they came from Greece and were welcomed with open arms by legendary rocker, Lemmy. They are really letting us know that they are here and aren’t going anywhere. This song is also speaking on certain political issues and what is seen as ‘wrong’ by today’s society.
The second song off of this album is “If I fall”. This speaks volumes on how much dedication the music industry really takes. How sometimes people come with nothing and how it may take years to get anywhere. Sometimes the stress and anxiety of whether or not you’ll make it is an incredibly terrifying place to be. There is not a single band who has made it who did not have to work hard.
“Desert Song” could be interpreted in many ways, one could say it’s about love, or even chasing a dream. ‘You’ is very loose term in this song. It could be interpreted as another individual or even something more than that. “Desert song” is about doing more than just hoping about something, it’s about acting on something and making it happen. It’s about having a passion for something bigger than yourself.
The fourth song off of this album is “hole of isolation’. This is a song anybody can relate to if you’ve ever felt frustrated or alone. It’s about feeling trapped and alone and feeling like nobody is there for you. Almost everyone has been in that position before. This is one of the more relatable songs on the album. Isis is really opening herself up with this song which really gives the album a more personable feel.
“Gold” is the embodiment of the various choices we make in our lives and what it has taken in order to get where we are today. It’s about the journey of life we take and how it can be so good that it hurts. Everything we encounter as people leads up to those moments and that is what BARB WIRE DOLLS are trying to show us in the simplicity of a song.
The song “Call Me” is about the butterflies we feel when we’re waiting for that certain someone to give us a call. How we wait for nothing but them and concern ourselves with the past events that led us to this point. How we overthink and get anxiety from doing so.
“We Are Champions” is what BARB WIRE DOLLS are most known for. If you don’t live under a rock and have seen them at Warped Tour, you know Isis always wears the iconic ‘Make Riot, Not War’ crop top. This is about standing up and fighting for what you want out of life. It’s not about fighting, but about rioting. Its an anti-war statement made. It is all about building up self-esteems and positive activism in society.
The “Edge of Innocence” describes exactly what the title says. It is about being very naive to the world and everything in it. It is about being innocent and is about fighting the negativity of the world.
The ninth song off of Rub My Mind is “Fade Away” is about rising about and being ignited but then letting that flame burn out. It’s hoping for someone to bring you back to who you used to be. It’s about growing as a person and letting go of the past the negativity that initially made your flame go out.
“Contract” is probably one of the most political songs off of the album. It is talking about how political leaders can be criminals and how they perceive themselves to the media which goes into a deeper issue. It talks about how they hide behind ‘cooperate walls’ and how they try to censor people in the music industry and put an end to everything that goes against their agenda.
“Where Mountains Drink the Wine” really is the Greek roots coming out in this band’s music. It speaks of an angel coming and then leaving almost immediately. It speaks of the song they hear by the ocean in which this certain angel sings. Even the title is very Greek, speaking about mountains and wine, which Greece is known for.
“Fire to Burn” is a song about moving on and forgetting the past, even though sometimes we don’t want to. It is about forgetting past loves and accepting that the past is the past and that it cannot be changed. Although on that note, you are able to change your future and do everything to better yourself.
The final song off of the album is “Waiting To Be Lost”. This is about sometimes losing yourself but finding someone else on the journey. It is speaking about patience and how it is necessary for love and life.
The Greek Rockers have been on quite a journey since initially leaving their home country. This album describes their journey, feelings and everything in between. Be sure to check out BARB WIRE DOLLS on the remainder of Warped Tour 2017!
Check out BARB WIRE DOLLS on social media:
Facebook: @barbwiredolls
Instagram: @barbwiredolls
Twitter: @BarbWireDolls