We've been fans of Mermaidens for a while now at TMR; so much so that we thought we knew roughly what to except from the New Zealand trio. Alas, it's safe to say that their new single 'You Maintain The Stain' has caught us well and truly off-guard. Veering rather drastically away from the intricate art-rocky meanderings of their earlier works (see List Pick 'Satsuma'), 'You Maintain The Stain' is an angst-fuelled rollercoaster that reveals the band's sludgier side. Plunging straight into an angular, post-punky verse, the track's doomy chorus dives in at around 0:45, bringing the tempo wayyy down, whilst channeling the mammoth riffs of cult stoner-rocker legends Sleep as the lyrics taunt, 'You won't look me in the eye, You're afraid I'll See you'. Taking another unexpected turn at 3 minutes, a chorus-heavy Jenny Lee Lindberg-esque bass line takes the lead, as the track eventually glides to a close. Check out the DIY video for 'You Maintain The Stain' here now. -Holly Mullineaux