Biography
Baltimore hardcore outfit War On Women channels feminist principles into its righteous brand of hardcore. Riot grrrl icon Kathleen Hanna lent her voice to the group’s 2018 album Capture the Flag, after which the band unveiled a revised roster on the 2020 release Wonderful Hell.
The project began in 2010 when Baltimore residents Shawna Potter and Brooks Harlan—previously bandmates in the more indie-leaning AVEC—teamed with bassist Rusty Haynie and drummer Evan Tanner to launch a fresh endeavor. After several early performances, guitarist Nancy Hornburg completed the initial configuration.
Issued in 2012 on Exotic Fever Records, the EP Improvised Weapons established the collective as an outspokenly political force. Beyond the group, Potter pursued activism by launching the Baltimore branch of the anti-street-harassment network Hollaback!. Bridge Nine Records subsequently issued the band’s self-titled debut full-length in 2015, whose aggressive sound and explicitly feminist lyrics prompted parallels to the 1990s riot grrrl scene and acts such as Bikini Kill. Personnel adjustments followed, including the departure of Haynie in favor of bassist Suzanne Werner, the replacement of Hornburg by guitarist Jennifer “Jenarchy” Vito near the end of 2017, and a revolving cast of drummers.
Fittingly, Kathleen Hanna—known for her work with Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, and the Julie Ruin—appeared as a guest on the track “YDTMHTL,” offering an early preview of the second album. Capture the Flag arrived in 2018, co-produced by J. Robbins of Jawbox, its unapologetically feminist content arriving alongside the #MeToo movement’s campaign against sexual harassment and assault. In 2020 the band delivered its third long-player, Wonderful Hell, marking the first recording to feature the lineup of Potter, Harlan, Vito, Werner, and drummer Dave Cavalier.
The project began in 2010 when Baltimore residents Shawna Potter and Brooks Harlan—previously bandmates in the more indie-leaning AVEC—teamed with bassist Rusty Haynie and drummer Evan Tanner to launch a fresh endeavor. After several early performances, guitarist Nancy Hornburg completed the initial configuration.
Issued in 2012 on Exotic Fever Records, the EP Improvised Weapons established the collective as an outspokenly political force. Beyond the group, Potter pursued activism by launching the Baltimore branch of the anti-street-harassment network Hollaback!. Bridge Nine Records subsequently issued the band’s self-titled debut full-length in 2015, whose aggressive sound and explicitly feminist lyrics prompted parallels to the 1990s riot grrrl scene and acts such as Bikini Kill. Personnel adjustments followed, including the departure of Haynie in favor of bassist Suzanne Werner, the replacement of Hornburg by guitarist Jennifer “Jenarchy” Vito near the end of 2017, and a revolving cast of drummers.
Fittingly, Kathleen Hanna—known for her work with Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, and the Julie Ruin—appeared as a guest on the track “YDTMHTL,” offering an early preview of the second album. Capture the Flag arrived in 2018, co-produced by J. Robbins of Jawbox, its unapologetically feminist content arriving alongside the #MeToo movement’s campaign against sexual harassment and assault. In 2020 the band delivered its third long-player, Wonderful Hell, marking the first recording to feature the lineup of Potter, Harlan, Vito, Werner, and drummer Dave Cavalier.
Albums
Singles
