Whipping Boy planted its stake between the caustic post-punk of the ‘80s and the sweeping alt-rock of the ‘90s. Frontman Fearghal McKee used his half-crooned, half-spoken vocals to address taboo subjects like mental health and domestic violence. Within the darkened undertones the band delivers bold choruses that rise up like fighting anthems. Though the group split in 1998 due to frustration with the record industry, their intensity and integrity sets them apart in an era of self-conscious grunge rockers and flashy Britpoppers.