BRAT On Bimboviolence, 'Manslayer' and Dialling Up The Camp For Their Live Show
Monday, 21 September 2026
Written by James Palaczky
Photo: V. Valadez
Metal music is supposed to be scary. As a genre, it’s always had one foot in the world of horror, from the first devilish guitar notes of Black Sabbath through to the golden era of the satanic panic. Whether it’s gnarly riffs conjuring demons from the depths of hell or little black and white stickers appeasing pearl-clutching parents, it has always been part of the appeal. BRAT understand that implicitly, and they have a couple of ideas up their sleeves about how to step things up.
The New Orleans deathcore connoisseurs are poised to unleash the most visceral, gory and piss-your-pants terrifying metal album of the year. Grounded in feminist fury, ‘Manslayer’ is packed with harrowing imagery as well as some truly eyeball-melting riffs. Leapfrogging between thrash and hardcore, it inhabits a space the band have called Bimboviolence.“It’s just a term that we made up because we don’t really fit comfortably in one genre,” lead singer Liz Selfish explains.
Though the lyrics and imagery on this album are at times difficult to stomach, their approach owes a lot to being playful while also dishing out the macabre. “We keep it fun, we keep it campy and there’s a lot of pink involved,” Liz says, which is a difficult line to walk as each song depicts the violence and harassment that women face on a daily basis.
Trophy Hunting, for example, takes aim at old men seeking a younger wife while the imagery in tracks such as body horror tale Botch Tox will give you nightmares. It’s only midway through the album that ‘The Manslayer’ enters the fray, with the ensuing Spit On His Grave and Ways To Kill Your Husband embarking on an unforgiving, epic odyssey of righteous retribution. Liz and guitarist Brenner Moate have a quick sidebar to discuss any particular movies that influenced the LP before landing on a cult classic. “The main one would be Jennifer’s Body,” Liz says. “It’s a good representation of women getting revenge and committing acts of violence.”
It’s no surprise to hear that Megan Fox’s finest hour comes to mind here. As Liz elaborates, there is a similarly clear intention behind the narrative of rage and revenge on ‘Manslayer’. “It is a little bit of a statement in the sense that it’s not a theme that I think is traditionally presented in metal,” she says. “We’re kind of looking at it from a different perspective. You know, a woman’s perspective. There’s just not that much of that in metal.”
First and foremost ‘Manslayer’ is a visceral metal album, but is also the same thrill of watching your favourite slasher in its campy vibe — you don’t want to look away, but instead dig deeper into the bloodbath. “It’s introducing something new but still a little bit in line with what’s traditional for metal as far as horror and violent lyrics,” Liz says. “But through a different lens.”
The record has some gnarly influences, with Liz particularly inspired by the work of Power Trip and Brenner namechecking Sodom, Annihilator and early Turnstile when it comes to the sound of the record. But under the horror and heaviness there’s a layer of something more traditional: country music’s many murder ballads. “There’s always been a trope of women killing their husbands and it’s funny cause that’s such a death metal thing,” Liz says. “There should be more of that in metal.”
Even if we were to confine ourselves to the more recent chapters in country history — songs such as Earl by The Chicks, Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood and Gunpowder & Lead by Miranda Lambert, for example — you can see the point Liv is making. Once you peel away the shock factor and theatrics, Music Row can stand toe-to-toe with metal. Liz also sees that influence bleeding into mainstream pop. “Ariana Grande just put out a music video too where she goes ham and kills a bunch of men,” she says.
If this is where BRAT sets themselves apart from other metal bands on the circuit, their creative fearlessness and commitment to offering a turbulent and unique experience extends to their live show. Brenner doesn't want to just play the album and the band are hell-bent on creating something extra. “If people are paying to see you live, you owe it to them to put on a show,” Liz says. “That’s why we like to bring the camp element to the live experience — we never want someone to leave and find it forgettable or boring.”
There’s little chance of that given the way ‘Manslayer’ wraps guttural vocals, cinematic characters and the righteous anger of a southern wife wronged in a bright pink bow. It’s everything you didn’t know you wanted from a metal album. If you can stomach it, see them play live in the UK this autumn, with shows planned in Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol and London.
Brat Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Wed October 28 2026 - CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
Thu October 29 2026 - MANCHESTER Star And Garter
Fri October 30 2026 - GLASGOW Room 2
Sun November 01 2026 - BIRMINGHAM Flapper
Tue November 03 2026 - BRISTOL Crofters Rights
Wed November 04 2026 - LONDON Black Heart
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