The Brains – The Monster Within
Album Reviews | Apr 22nd, 2013
Record Label: Stomp Records
Genre: Psychobilly
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Today is apparently horror punk review day. First up are Montreal horror psychobilly outfit the Brains. They are part of the Stomp Records lineup, which is usually known for various ska bands and surprisingly “The Monster Within” is the first that I’ve heard of the Brains. I have obviously been missing out.
Right off the bat I can draw comparisons to other psychobilly bands like Tiger Army and the Nekromantix, but the one thing that separates the Brains is their more streamlined focus on the horror punk elements. There aren’t any campy songs about vampires and alien monsters nor are there songs directly related to famous horror characters…none of which I have a problem with. Instead the songs kind of follow a comic book story format while keeping things vague and spooky.
As with most psychobilly bands, the punk sound is the predominant force in the Brains sound, but there are plenty of rockabilly elements found throughout “The Monster Within”. If I had one particular gripe about “The Monster Within” is would be that a lot of songs sound similar in sound and structure. There are a few standout tracks such as “Bleed” and “Rolling Down” that dwell more in the realm of rockabilly while a personal favorite “Electrik Shock” is probably one of the fastest punkabilly songs on the album.
I would have to say that my first listen from the Brains was positive and “The Monster Within” is a fun and energetic album minus the campiness of a lot of “horror” bands.
Bottom Line: A fast-paced punk heavy psychobilly album with enough 50’s greaser to keep fans of Tiger Army happy.
Notable Tracks: Electrik Shock, Bleed, Rolling Down, Devil In Disguise
Overall Rating:
