Las Vegas sisters Jyl and Jules Wylde have been making quite the impression on TikTok, information which I reliably informed from the ladies of my household whose ears immediately pricked up at their mere mention so not only have I been introduced to a new group but also a subgenre “baddiecore”
Massively feeling my age here but I am going to attempt to strip away the social media element and deep dive into this debut offering.
Strong mall-goth aesthetics to the most visceral corners of metalcore and according to Jyl, the album explores themes of collapse and resurrection, of battling trauma-forged ego structures and reclaiming feminine power from the haunted shadow void society fears to face. That’s quite the mission statement, and whilst it could easily veer into pretentious territory, The Pretty Wild somehow manage to ground these lofty concepts in genuine emotion and sonic brutality.
Opening salvo “Paradox” wastes absolutely no time in establishing what The Pretty Wild are about. There is an immediate assault of guttural screams paired with those clean, almost ethereal vocals that seem to float above the carnage like some kind of vengeful spirit. The production here is massive – think Motionless In White levels of polished devastation – and it is clear that every layer has been meticulously crafted to maximum effect. When Jyl growls “Tear off my skin, rip it off,” it’s delivered with such conviction that you cannot help but take notice. This is not performative aggression; there’s genuine catharsis happening here.
The title track shifts gears entirely, introducing sawing violin elements that give the whole affair an unsettling, almost folk-horror quality. It’s a bold move to follow such an explosive opener with something so deliberately eerie, but it works precisely because it demonstrates the duo’s willingness to traverse different sonic territories. The digital, mechanized energy running through this track creates an atmosphere that is simultaneously futuristic and ancient, like stumbling across some cursed algorithm in the depths of the dark web.
Anyone who is familiar with Coraline will immediately understand the vibe The Pretty Wild are channelling, and nowhere is this more apparent than on “Button Eyes”. The track is dripping with that particular brand of whimsical horror that Henry Selick perfected, all wrapped up in crushing metalcore production. It’s Tim Burton meets Bring Me The Horizon, and whilst that description might sound like a recipe for disaster, The Pretty Wild pull it off with surprising grace. The hook is undeniably catchy, worming its way into your consciousness like one of those Other Mother’s button-eyed creations.
“Priestess” and “Omens” continue this exploration of dark feminine power, with the latter featuring those programmed strings that sit perfectly flush with the mood despite their artificial origins.
The Trial” leans heavily into that mall-goth aesthetic that I mentioned earlier, and whilst there’s definitely nostalgia at play here, it feels more like the sisters are mining the palette of the style rather than simply regurgitating it for easy likes. There’s substance here, emotional weight beneath the theatrical presentation. The same can be said for “hALf aLiVE” which manages to feel both ethereal and crushing, often within the same breath.
Guest spot from Magnolia Park on “AFTERLIFE” adds an interesting dynamic, their contribution slotting seamlessly into The Pretty Wild’s established sound whilst adding just enough variation to keep things fresh. It is a well-chosen collaboration that enhances rather than distracts, which is always a relief when dealing with feature spots on debut albums.
“Infrared” strips things back ever so slightly, allowing space for the emotional core of the album to breathe. There is a vulnerability here that contrasts beautifully with the more aggressive moments.
“Persephone” serves as the album’s penultimate statement, and it’s fitting given the mythological weight the character carries. The goddess of spring and queen of the underworld – talk about duality. The Pretty Wild use this as a framework to explore their own themes of transformation and reclamation, and whilst I won’t pretend to fully grasp every layer of interpretation Jyl and Jules have woven into this record, the intent is clear enough to resonate.
“sLeepwALKeR” is a great a bonus track – the viral hit that started this whole journey, complete with that infamous cough sample. It is a smart move to include it as a bonus rather than forcing it into the album’s flow, allowing zero. point. genesis to stand on its own whilst still giving fans what they want.
When asked about the album, the band shared:
‘zero.point.genesis’ is an album of collapse and resurrection, mythic, yet memeable in its rawness. For me, it’s about battling and ultimately healing the fake ego structures forged in trauma that kept me small, erasing my feminine gifts to fall in line. It’s crawling through the haunted shadow void society is too afraid to face, and emerging closer to my core essence through reclamation of those feminine gifts.” – JYL
“This record is layered with multiple dimensions of interpretation; the more you listen, the further you traverse through them with us. We pushed into concepts that once felt untouchable to us, we set external input aside and wrote them anyway. It’s an album of poetic contrasts, brutally heavy moments, with haunting instrumentation and flayed open lyrics. Woven throughout are nods to our personal interests, theatrical elements, classical composition, and moments of rage and playfulness.” – JULES
Zero Point Genesis Track Listing:
1. Paradox
2. Zero Point Genesis
3. Living Dead
4. Button Eyes
5. Priestess
6. Omens
7. The Trial
8. h Alf a Li Ve
9. AFTERLIFE (Ft. Magnolia Park)
10. Infrared
11. Persephone
12. s Leepw ALKe R (Bonus)
Line-up:
Jyl Wylde
Jules Wylde
https://www.wearetheprettywild.com
https://www.facebook.com/wearetheprettywild
https://www.instagram.com/wearetheprettywild/?hl=en
