These riot girls have spent the past couple of years growing into a sound and image that is as real and heartfelt as a high schooler’s diary. And their latest album Welcome the Worms withholds their pop punk roots and matures with dark melodies and finds itself deeply rooted in lyrics.

On their first album, 2013’s Ride Your Heart, Bleached took that cute California pop punk vibes that rang of summer flings, parties and daydreaming into late night hours. Since then they have lived through a lot, and it’s unapologetically there in the new album.—Asal Shahindoust

What Youth: Describe the growth of the band since the last album Ride Your Heart that came out in 2013.

The music has gotten harder and the lyrics have gotten realer. We grow with experience and we take those life lessons and put them into the music. We also added Micayla as our permanent bassist, so it’s a bigger project now then just Jess and I.

What you would consider a proud accomplishment that has come out of the new album?

Lyrics, for me. I didn’t hold back with what I wanted to say. I dug deep with what I was feeling and going through and just wrote about all of it. I’m not trying to sugarcoat anything, life is what it is. Now I have people coming up to me at shows or on the internet so stoked on the lyrics and that’s rad.

What is different in Welcome the Worms compared to last albums?

A few things. The confidence we were embracing added a feel and sound to the album you don’t hear as much on the past stuff. The sounds got scarier and the lyrics got darker because I was more honest and real with them and myself, talking about abusive relationships or self destruction in a way that made me feel good.

As a girl band, what other girl bands out there today do you admire?

Sheer Mag, the singer killsssss it.

Are there any obstacles you face in the music scene as a female fronted band?

I wouldn’t know since I’m not a guy so I can’t compare. But there will be always obstacles with people no matter what gender. The goal is to know what I want and what the next move is and to keep on keeping on.

Tells us about a memorable moment on this last tour with No Parents.

We had a live acoustic session and we decided the night before we wanted No Parents to perform vocal harmonies and percussion with us. So we stayed up all night in this basement practicing everyone’s parts. We ended up coming up with this stomp dance and it was so fun and special. I love those guys like they are family.

What are Bleached’s hopes and dreams for the future?

To keep writing music, performing and having unforgettable experiences while doing all of it. Life is short so making it count is a top priority.

Welcome the Worms is now on sale and can be found here.