By: Sarah Swetz

The Shania Twainsaw Massacre is a post-hardcore band from Bristol and they have been on the rise since their debut EP released in December 2024. Made up of members Connie Fairburn (vocals), Nick Fairburn (guitar), Ellis Fitzgerald (guitar), Tamlin Sinclair (bass), and Sam Harbridge (drums) they have been working to develop their own brand of music. They may have a funny name, playing on mixing Shania Twain with the film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but they are much more than that. Their music is raw, emotional and powerful. They plan to release their sophomore EP ‘Horsemaning” on August 21st but have given listeners an early taste with the release of the lead single ‘Dog-Friendly Bone Museum’ on Friday June 12th.

The single touches on dread, anxiety, and that sinking feeling in your gut that something bad will happen and that you can’t do anything to stop it. The song is about finding yourself in what seems like unfamiliar territory, being constantly overwhelmed and knowing something bad is going to happen. It’s about your choices causing a domino effect that you cannot stop and you are caught in the aftermath. They make reference to removing a bone from the skeleton, causing the whole thing to crash down around you and surround you and a bull meeting a china show and the plates all crashing down around you. The final verse shows that you are stuck living with the consequences of your decisions and actions as it references throwing one bone and the dog won’t stop hounding you.

The melody and rhythm play into this as the music builds, starting off more relaxed and becoming more strained and louder in the middle of the track – representing a breaking point before the breakdown puts listeners at the center of the storm hearing the fear and anxiety of the song’s lyrics reflected through the music.

This is a fantastic picture from beginning to end of a story about anxiety and fear, surrounding life’s decisions and then living with the consequences of those choices. The lyrics and melody mix perfectly and build throughout the song to reflect the building panic coming from within trying to get out.

The Shania Twainsaw Massacre have created a unique sound in the post-hardcore world and there is more to come with the upcoming release of their EP ‘Horsemaning’. Don’t be left behind with this band, you won’t want to miss what they do next if this single is any indication.