BRAT
Photo Cred 📷: @generationgreta
After a few years of touring, EPs, and bedazzling their name across the metal scene, New Orleans four-piece, BRAT, are finally bestowing their debut album, Social Grace, onto the people this Friday, March the 15th. With a polished sound and grim lyrics, the album is 10 tracks of genre-fluid ear candy that combine into a single gritty experience with a smooth flow that’s gift-wrapped in pink. Brat’s brutality and dark themes in pageant-ready packaging is giving the hardcore, death metal, and grind scenes no choice but to clear space for what has generally been rejected or left out of them thus far.
Recorded with James Whitten of Hightower Studio, this album acts as proof of BRAT’s reluctance to be genre-confined, achieving a sense of freedom while still coming out cohesive. From short, sweet, and fast tracks such as Ego Death to the more defined and death-y Slow Heat, the album keeps you interested, with catchy riffs and impressive drumming acting as the reliable consistency. While being just as much fun as previous releases, Social Grace is clearly elevated, which generates excitement for the direction the group is heading and what may be in store for future music. As explained by guitarist Brenner Moate, the album “was a much more collaborative effort, which has resulted in a more dynamic sound. We took a lot of inspiration from the bands we’ve toured with, as we are constantly inspired by the musicians we meet and come to be friends with”.
Fun is certainly a main component to BRAT’s music, aesthetic, and approach, as they break down the walls of what’s to expect in heavy genres, and make a point to welcome people of all kinds into their realm with open arms. As Moate states, “We just want people to have fun at our shows, and everything we do is for that reason. The aesthetic is just a tool for that, as it tends to disarm people into letting go and just having a good time, regardless of who they are, how they identify, or whatever may be going on in their life…
“FOR ONE THERE’S NEVER ENOUGH PINK IN THE WORLD. BUT ALSO, THERE’S NOT ENOUGH BANDS OUT THERE PUTTING A GOOD TIME FIRST AND FOREMOST. THAT’S NOT TO SAY NO ONE IS (DRAIN IS A GREAT EXAMPLE) BUT I JUST WANT TO SEE MORE OF IT.”
- BRENNER, @MEET.LOCAL.SINGLES
The group’s juxtaposition between sound and imagery is one of the most celebrated and exciting parts of them. Sporting Barbie font and booty shorts while drawing on psychological horror fiction (notable on tracks such as Hesitation Wound and Truncheon) and the damnation of the Earth as key inspirations and components of their music. “Lyrically, my love for creative writing and dark literature drove the themes of futility, despair, and hopelessness that’s present on most of the songs” Moate expresses. But not all is a pit of despair in the creation of their sound, as the wholesome and productive writing and recording environment was affirmed by Brenner, who also informed that “one fun thing is for pick slides on the album, we scraped the guitar strings with the blade of a butter knife”.
Commanding a good time in a serious tone and putting on incredible live shows, this is only the start for BRAT as they plan for a slew of upcoming opportunities for you to see them in person. As Moate emphasizes, this is just their debut and a beginning to a more expansive and fleshed-out discography, “we’ll see what elements we like most after beginning to play these songs live for a while, as well as what songs our fans take the most to”.
Just as excited to begin touring with this new music, you can keep up with Moate and the rest of BRAT across social media to see when they may be in a city near you, and don’t forget to tune in on March 15th for an album you won’t want to be late to.
March 15th album debuts here : Brat
Writer : @ab.bashara
Editor : @just_reidz
03/12/24
