Bratakus
Hagridden
Venn Records
There’s such an almighty energy about ‘Hagridden’ that listening to it makes you feel like Bratakus have set up the amps in your brain. This is proper punk rock, but crucially, played looking forward. It sounds 2026 not 1976. Each song fizzes along with twin vocals igniting through the distorted but melodic guitars. The singing is raw but there are some fine clean parts too, enough to let you know you’re hearing people who can more than hold a note. The production sits in that just so spot between polished and garage, you can hear everything and everything screams scuzz. Fans of acts such as Maid Of Ace and 18Fevers will absolutely love this. It’s not just thrash and go. There are some lovely creative tempo changes and nice use of the bass guitar driving rhythms during less frenetic passages. The levels never drop from start to finish making this one of the most complete all killer no filler albums released in quite some time
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Review by Gary Trueman