Asking For It by M(h)aol

Following the release of their critically acclaimed EP Gender Studies post punk band M(h)aol announce debut album Attachment Styles, out February 3rd via TULLE Collective, and share new single Asking For It.

M(h)aol (pronounced male) are formed of Róisín Nic Ghearailt, Constance Keane, Jamie Hyland, Zoë Greenway, and Sean Nolan. Asking For It is an incredibly intimate and rough song that has evolved over time. It was the first song Róisn ever wrote to try to process some of her feelings and experiences with r*pe culture.

On the track she comments: "I wrote it initially in 2016 then revisited it in 2020. I was shocked by how much internalised victim blaming there was in the lyrics. I rewrote it, then we recorded it and it was released to raise money for Women's Aid in 2021. The album version is a lot angrier than the 2021 one and almost satirical insofar as it's highlighting how ludicrous the notion of anyone 'asking for it' is."

Far too often, the person has been handled with lack of regard for how distressing, and unshakeable an event like this can be for a victim, and the band wanted to point out the available resources and services.

One more video directed by bassist Zoë with contributions from Róisn, the accompanying clip comes across as an utterly sensitive work.

Zoë says: "This has been the most difficult video I’ve made for M(h)aol to date. There’s so much power and emotion in Róisín’s lyrics and performance, so we worked really hard to create a responsible and sensitive portrayal of this experience she’s conveying, do it justice and make people care."

Róisín adds on the video: "I think lots of media and cultural depictions of r*pe can be retraumatising. We wanted the video to be cathartic rather than traumatising. We both wanted to offer resources and highlight services that are available to survivors. The quotes in the video highlight the change in the song too, over the years it became a much more hopeful one."

Zoë adds: "I hope watching the video inspires compassion and empathy in people. I think it’s important to open channels of communication around sexual assault in a way that validates a victims traumatic experience and shows a path towards a more hopeful and supportive healing journey. I think empathy is paramount in trying to build a better world."

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M(h)aol

Cover artwork & video by Zoë Greenway
Band photo by Naomi Williams