Where to start with BRAT? The potential is on the wall as I don’t recall too many bands that get to release their debut LP – Social Grace, by the way – via Prosthetic Records. And bear in mind that this is an outfit that formed right before the golden days of the Coronavirus pandemic so it’s not like they’ve been toiling away in the dark for the better part of a decade. So, therefore, these kids must have the goods. 

Well, yes and no. More on the former here on Social Grace, but there are still some issues to address.

 The closest comparison for me is when I covered Oceans of Slumber’s Winter way back in the about-to-get really bleak year of 2016. If I recall the review featured something like this: “they’ve got the tools and with a little roadwork, Oceans of Slumber’s next could be album of the year.” And here we are in the year of our lord 2023 with a very similar conundrum. 

Vocalist Liz Selfish (great name, by the way) is all energy throughout Social Grace as she barks her way through Thrash and Grind-inspired numbers throughout 22 minutes. However, despite her spirited output it’s hampered slightly by her vocals being a bit monotone as the riffs and tempos continue to morph and mutate. Guitarist Brenner Moate delivers some of the gnarliest rhythm guitar of the year on ‘Sugar Bastard’ and dances beautifully between Bay Area thrash and tremolo picking on ‘Snifter.’ Dustin Eagan displays his drum chops on the aforementioned ‘Snifter’ but despite displaying a decent blast pattern early on ‘Truncheon’ can find himself holding back a bit on the latter half. The same can be said on the opener ‘Ego Death’ but Eagan once again comes alive on a number like ‘Rope Drag.’ 

For an initial full-length outing, there is much to enjoy on Social Grace, but things can and will only get better moving forward.

Buy the album here:
https://brat504.bandcamp.com/album/social-grace-2

7 / 10
HANS LOPEZ