Piss Ant Proudly Shouts "Speak Up!" If there’s one thing more provocative than a punk rock-dominatrix-diva, it’s a punk rock-dominatrix-diva with something to say. On their fourth release entitled Speak Up (STP Records), this veteran L.A. band which features fetish model/genre actress/singer Josi Kat, has produced some of the most anthem-etic, loudest, boldest, rebellious and down right pissed off punk rock songs of their career. In the past Piss Ant was best known for their outrageous stunts on such TV shows as Oxygen Channel’s Girls Behaving Badly, USA Channel’s Friends or Lovers (Where Josi was actually "fired" from the band!) and Comedy Central’s Hollywood Hell House where they posed as a Christian rock band. More recently the band has turned its attention to re-vamping their sound and recording an album’s worth of riff-laden tracks with substantial lyrics such as the title track "Speak Up", "Who To Trust" and "Public Opinion." Produced by Piss Ant guitarist FossFace, Speak Up features vocals by Josi Kat and Ray Zor arranged at times in a point/counter point manner with back up vocals by bass player Cheyne Bastard. Ray Zor’s gruff vocals are well complimented by Josi’s trademark she-devil snarl which wail over the loud, aggressive but still melodic guitar work. While the band may have toyed with metal and hard rock conventions in the past, Speak Up reveals itself to be, ultimately, a tough sounding and well produced punk rock album. Appropriately enough, the album includes a compelling cover of Penetration’s first single "Don’t Dictate", which underscores the band’s classic punk influences. Songs on Speak Up were mainly written by Josi and Fossface with additional song writing by Cheyne Bastard and departed drummer Ray Zor, who wrote and sang lead on "Public Opinion." Ray Zor has since been replaced by two new members, veteran punk rock singer Jeremy Sandeen, who has been signed to Mystic, Sibling and Geffen Records and played with B**ch and B9 and drummer Jimmy Wooten who has toured with many accomplished acts. All Speak Up CD and cover artwork are original paintings by James Lee Stewart (RedArtbyJames.com) and the album will be available for download and on CD on STP Records, home of Vice Squad, Dragster and 4 Past Midnight. Josi has most recently been featured on Gene Simmons Family Jewel and L.A. Ink and has been obsessed with producing and directing gore-style music videos which have made the club and art gallery circuit with the likes of Clive Barker, Dave Naz and The Devil’s Muse director Ramzi Abed.. -Bob Cantu (Baby Jeepers fanzine)