Hounds of Love has been brewing up its share of festival buzz since the gritty horror drama debuted at SXSW where it earned heaps of critical praise and a still-standing 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The directorial debut from Ben Young is a brutal watch that pulls no punches when it comes to investigating the dark psychology of co-dependent, abusive relationships and how that can translate into a string of dead bodies when one partner has an urge to kidnap, rape and kill.

This nasty little psychodrama deserves your attention, and today brings a new trailer that teases just what kind of a visceral emotional experience your in for. It's the kind of horror that stems from staring point blank into humanity's worst acts, the frailty human life, and the randomness of survival. So yeah, it's kind of intense, but it's also a fantastic character drama that's well worth the buzz if you can stomach the watch.

Hounds of Love stars Emma Booth, Ashleigh Cummings, Stephen Curry and Susie Porter, all of whom give bracing, fearless performances. The film will open in select theaters and on VOD on May 12. Watch the new trailer below.

Here's the official synopsis:

In suburban Perth during the mid 1980s, people are unaware that women are disappearing at the hands of serial killer couple John and Evelyn White. After an innocent lapse in judgment, Vicki Maloney is randomly abducted by the disturbed couple. With her murder imminent, Vicki realizes she must find a way to drive a wedge between Evelyn and John if she is to survive. Hounds of Love is an exercise in expertly-crafted tension, offering a bold, challenging debut from writer/director Ben Young.

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Image via Gunpowder & Sky
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Image via Gunpowder & Sky

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