I’m finally taking a closer look at the phenomenon that is Brat.
Described as a blend of Death, Grind, and Powerviolence, the band led since 2020 by Liz Selfish (vocals) and Brenner Moate (guitar/vocals), with Ian Hennessy (bass) and Dustin Eagan (drums) released its second album Manslayer in 2026 on Prosthetic Records.
Despite the obvious violence the album displays right from its intro track, the vocalist revealed that what inspired her lyrics was… Country music. It’s hard to imagine that while Aileen Wuornos is openly trampling on our eardrums especially when you know the story behind that name, as well as the fourteen other tracks that make up the album, but fortunately, her bandmates deliver the heavy, thick riffs we’ve come to expect from this Louisiana-based band! Ranging from less than a minute to nearly four, the tracks flow one after another in the grindcore tradition, featuring explosive mosh parts, hoarse screams, and screamed choruses, all while exploring themes that perfectly align with “Bimboviolence,” the nickname the band gives to its style. I can easily picture the four musicians running around the stage, headbanging or haranguing the crowd while the screeching harmonics crash over the energetic rhythm section, and the vocalist draws inspiration from the legends that are Napalm Death (whom the vocalist had, incidentally, temporarily replaced during a previous tour). Also worth noting is the appearance of David Davidson (Revocation) for a solo on the ferocious Femicidal Vengeance, followed by Candace Buckingham (Walls of Jericho) on Blistered Tongues, the album’s final track, which also proudly showcases its abrasive aggression.
If I had to sum up Manslayer – and indeed the entire band Brat – all I could say musically is that effectiveness reigns supreme! The compositions are certainly fairly simple, but they remain catchy, and above all, they’re quite committed to their message!
70/100