Review: Brat Break Down Norms with Social Grace
New Orleans grindcore darlings (and we mean that literally) are set to release their forthcoming debut album, Social Grace, via Prosthetic Records on March 15, and it’s an exercise in blasting the face off of gatekeepers with some of their heaviest music to date.
The band have kept it busy since they entered the scene in 2021 with touring and EPs, and now they’ve finally graced us with a full album. The album was recorded at HighTower Recording Studio, and the attention to detail they took on this full-length vs. some of their still-powerful but very DIY EPs really shows.
One of my favorite things about this band is how they lean into their their femme aesthetic and challenge folks who think metal, grindcore, hardcore etc. is for straight dudes and white logos on black tees. But they do all that without sacrificing any of the heaviness, and there is a definite grit about them.
This record doesn’t offer many surprises if you’re already a fan. It’s heavy, crusty, and loud still, just a little more polished. But the songs are definitely a bit more fleshed out than their previous work. Songs like the title track delve more into the realm of death metal and hardcore than crusty grind, and per usual, explore themes about societal ills and our dying planet.
There are still moments on the record like “Truncheon,” which is short, sweet, and brutal and feels more like the onslaught you would receive in a small, grimy club. But then songs like “Slow Heat” and “Snifter” feel almost death metal, relying more on clear song structures and riffs than just blasting your face off. This dichotomy is what makes the album flow so well and never get stale.
And then there are songs that are harder to classify and are just bangers. “Rope Drag” is just heavy as hell. I haven’t looked up the lyrics yet to see if this is about bondage, the ills of society, or dragging someone by a rope, but why not all three? “Blood Diamond” is another one that I can’t really classify, but it just rips, almost thrasy at times. This whole record is a banger.
One of the best things about Brat is how they convey big themes like anger at the ruling classes and disgust with society and how we treat the planet without coming off as preachy. They instead just give the impression that they’re telling it like it is.
And as someone who has interviewed the band as well and read interviews with them, I appreciate how they always say they want to provide a space where marginalized people, especially queer people and women, feel seen and welcome. Their barbiegrind/bimboviolence monikers and aesthetic are all in good fun, but they also serve a serious purpose. As a queer woman who often worries how any femme presentations will read at band practice, shows I play or attend, or when readers look at my online presence as a journalist, I appreciate a band pushing the limits of what being punk and metal looks like.
Don’t sleep on this one if you like fast, heavy, loud music with a mission. This is a contender for my best album of the year.
Brats’s Social Grace will be available this Friday, March 15 via Prosthetic. Preorder your copy today.
