War on Women

Formed in Baltimore, Maryland in the early 2010s, War on Women entered the American punk‑hardcore scene with an explicitly feminist stance and a sound that mixes riot grrrl energy, melodic punk rock, hardcore and occasional noise‑rock passages. Led by vocalist Shawna Potter within a mixed‑gender line‑up, the band first released the EP Improvised Weapons in 2011 before expanding their audience with the self‑titled album War on Women in 2015, followed by Capture the Flag (2018) and Wonderful Hell (2023). Their songs are taut, direct and catchy, driven by incisive guitars, fast rhythms and a vocal delivery that alternates between punk confrontationality and more unifying lines. Over the years War on Women has circulated through independent punk and rock circuits in North America and Europe, appearing at festivals such as The Fest, Riot Fest, Warped Tour and Download Festival Australia, and touring alongside bands from punk, hardcore and alternative rock. The band’s trajectory is rooted in the DIY scene while maintaining songwriting closely tied to the social and political issues they champion.