ALBUM REVIEW: Keep Me Fed – The Warning

It’s been a successful couple of years for Mexican rock trio THE WARNING. Appearing on festival stages around the world and making waves last year supporting British act MUSE, they have come back to feed the beast of anticipation with their latest record Keep Me Fed.

An electrifying act in music right now, these sisters three are holding nothing back. The album kicks off with the catchy number Six Feet Deep, a real ‘see you in hell’ kind of song. Full of controlled anger and orchestrated vengeance, it’s just the beginning and the journey is going to be fast, furious and fresh into hell.

The trio have released a range of singles for the record; the first to appear was S!CK – a powerful piece of modern-age rock ‘n’ roll. Musically authentic and full to the brim with a badass attitude, this is an example of how THE WARNING are a part of the new uprising of rock and punk music. It feels raw and retro, while twisting in the right ways to make it a contemporary counterpart to acts of yesteryear and beyond. Compared to following single MORE, which takes on a more indie rock beat, THE WARNING are more than your everyday rock band. More than a stereotype, more of a collective role model for the scene. Taking risks, zigging in times of zags, and with the overall feel of Keep Me Fed, it works. It works wonders.

One of the strongest songs on the record is Que Mas Quieres, a track that the Mexican sisters wrote and recorded in their native Spanish. It’s about standing up to mental manipulation and gaslighting, and proves a notable track in its meaning and its making.

Rock, metal and alternative spaces are the most welcoming and accepting. However, there can still be struggles for minority groups in the scene. This includes LGBTQ individuals who are still fighting for their rights, women and non-binary people who still find themselves being dismissed or unfairly scrutinised, and non-white individuals and non-native English speakers who still find themselves sticking out like sore thumbs plenty of the time. Being the representation they wished to see when they were new to the scene, THE WARNING know how important it can be to make gestures to highlight their heritage in their music. Busting open the doors that are stiff to move, and busting them off the hinges. Representation will always matter, and THE WARNING are showing this with the inclusion of Que Mas Quieres.

Keep Me Fed has the chance to be a serious contender for 2024’s album of the year – a bold statement to make halfway through the year, but it’s bold and honest. With clean sharp production, bringing out the no-holds-barred energy of Daniela’s vocals, the undercover bounce of Alejandra’s bass, and smashes and crashes of Paulina’s percussion skills, it feels real and relatable. It gets the blood pumping and the heart racing, and goes from strength to strength from start to end, with final track Automatic Sun being the perfect example of how the Villareal sisters can come together time and time again and blow away all expectations (and a few windows while they’re at it). If this is still just the beginning for THE WARNING, then it’s just going to get louder, heavier, fiercer and better than ever.

Rating: 9/10

Keep Me Fed is out now via Republic Records.

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