Revenge Is Sweet in Holywtr's: "Give Me A Show"

Holywtr is a name that's been defining ambition and steadily carving its way into the hearts of some of the most respected names in the alternative and metal scenes. From being part of Warped Tour to joining the renowned Architects on their North American tour: Holywtr is nothing to sleep on. People are obsessed, and like an endless fountain of supply, this band drops songs like there’s no tomorrow. Most recently, they released Give Me A Show—and with the music video that just dropped earlier this morning, plus catching them live tonight, I figured it was only fitting to talk about it.

Formed in Los Angeles, California, Holywtr has been active since 2020. But it was 2024 when the band hit the nitro boost in the music scene, delivering standout tracks like “eat me!”, “nail polish,” and “fade.” This sensual, grungy-metal band has since racked up millions of streams on their red-hot hits and is now sitting at over half a million monthly listeners on Spotify. Now that you're caught up on their rise, let’s talk about their latest drop: Give Me A Show.

The song opens with a slow, hymnal beginning, a new twist for the band’s usual sound. It instantly sets the scene, and the mood carries visually into the newly released music video, which takes place in a dark, church setting featuring the band. Atmospheric background sounds ease into the intro, and then suddenly, those yearning vocals hit, provided by Sir Mr. Holy himself. His range is angelic and expansive—something he flexes often (and thank the universe he does). This track honestly showcases the full spectrum of his voice, and I swear I’ll be on the verge of exploding when I hear it live tonight.

Holy doesn’t shy away from heaviness here, if anything, it balances out all the sing-along hits the band is most known for. There are phenomenal unclean vocals matched with intense drumming and razor-edged guitar. Slamming bass. Notes that bang on the skull. This one's giving pit vibes, guys- so don’t be shy about pushing into the crowd for it. The song morphs into completion with a chorus, catchy as usual. But what makes this one stand out is the 2:50 mark, a moment of complete peace, with sweet lullaby-type vocals. There’s such a lightness in that part; it’s truly something to hear. But after every gorgeous second of fresh air, we crave the calamity that follows. The song flows into a multi-layered vocal segment, then returns to the swirl of heavy instrumentals before it all ends in an abrupt stop.

Lyrically, the song is creative in its phrasing. I loved the inclusion of the Latin: "Ultio, ultio, ultio dulcis est"—which translates to “Revenge, revenge, revenge is sweet.” It gives the song an instant shudder and sets the tone perfectly. Revenge is sweet—and if you don’t think so, you probably did it wrong (joking). But in all seriousness, this song is lyrically dark. Nothing new for Holywtr, though—if anything, that’s part of the strong appeal for me. It gives you that sense of doing something bad... but freeing, if you fully let yourself sink into the track.

Standout lyrics for me were: “Inhuman // Hollow eyes // You deserve nothing // You deserve anguish” and “Turn up the dial // You plead: Relieve me // I crack a smile // And pray your death is slow // Give me a show.”

Eerie, right? And it leaves you wondering: who’s this song really for? But that’s the thing- I feel like it’s open to interpretation. It could be directed at a specific person... or yourself. One of those “can’t recognize my own reflection” moments, like fighting mirror matches on Mortal Kombat (nerd alert). Or maybe there’s someone who just really got you down, and you want to dedicate this one to them. Although there’s no concrete news out there that specifies the song exactly, I’m curious to see what you come up with as the song gains more popularity. But in the end, while it’s definitely a dark song, I still feel like there’s a massive sense of release in it- whether you believe in revenge or not. That can definitely be felt.

Overall? Another hit from Holywtr. And honestly, I’m starting to wonder if it’s even possible for them to make something that isn’t next-level.

Catch Holywtr on their summer tour with Architects and ERRA, stream the track, and watch the music video now!