Review - Toria and The Terror 'The Operating Table' EP

Toria and The Terror

The Operating Table

EP, out May 15th from We Are Horror Records

Barely a week goes by at the moment without another storming entry into the current wave of UK horror punk - we're living through a golden age of the New Wave of UKHP, bands emerging and gaining wider recognition, releasing essential records and starting to take on the established scenes from around the world. At the forefront of this are the bands signed to We Are Horror Records - now with a renewed UK focus - a home grown label spreading fear, horror and spine chilling jams across these cursed islands and across the seas. Numerous UK acts have appeared on past compilations from the label (as punk rock always has done, compilations have proved essential gateways to discovering new bands) and one which has stood out, alongside the release of three standalone singles, are Liverpool's Toria and The Terror (currently based over in Tokyo), a ferocious force blending the theatrical gothic side of horror punk with the always outspoken empowerment of the marginalised and forgotten in the very best traditions of the feminist-led punk legacy of this country. The unholy trinity of past single releases have been essential - the caustic anger of 'I Want Blood', the skin crawling terror and insanity of 'Worms for Brains' and  the haunting 'Funeral' have mixed metal, goth and riot grrrl influences, wrapped them up in a horror punk cape and battered listeners who may have come expecting some good ol' fashioned horror punk melodies with something altogether more dynamic. 

News of the band's first EP release was therefore pretty exciting. When bands aren't rigid in their stylistic output you never know what quite to expect, so on firing up 'The Operating Table' I wasn't sure whether to expect gothic rock influenced tales of woe, anger-fueled riotous punk rock or something else entirely. Amazingly, all of the above - and more - weave their way into what is quite simply an excellent EP. It starts with a bang - 'Frankenstein Girl' is a fuzzy, metal meets garage punk tale of self-loathing and the perils of celebrity worship. It seethes with anger, barely containing the rage as it courses along, always threatening to explode and take the world with it as Toria screams 'with every little stitch I become a new bitch'. Few bands can properly blend the horror aesthetics with pointed social commentary (possibly the best example of a UK band doing so would be The Ruined, which is never a bad comparison) but the band do it superbly here. 

The second song ('The Morgue') takes a different tact, an atypical horror punk song blending influences from horror surf, psychobilly, 60s horror shock rock akin to Lord Sutch and a spooky vibe, all coupled with the teetering-on-the-edge of madness style that is somewhat a signature of the band. It's a marked departure from the bands previous output, but is enormous fun showing how varied their influences are, and is the sort of instantly likeable song that brings to mind their fellow Liverpudlian icons Zombina and the Skeletones. 

The final track of the release has appeared before - on WAHR's 'The Kids are all Fright' comp last year. I absolutely raved about it then, an intense cover of the classic Bauhaus song 'Stigmata Martyr' that sounds like Bikini Kill covering the goth rock pioneers and time has not diminished it's impact. It's a spine-chillingly powerful slice of blasphemous gothic riot grrrl noise.

With the two opening tracks set to appear on the bands upcoming debut album 'Wicked Hymns', and with the pedigree of their earlier releases and the bands range of influences and sounds, Toria and The Terror are set to take the horror punk world by the scruff of it's metaphorical neck before tearing it off, all whilst wearing a blood-soaked smile. An absolute class release from a band who brings something different to the table and who could very well be the UK's biggest horror punk export in the years to come. 

You can pre-order the digital release on the WAHR website and it will be on all the usual streaming and download services come the 15th may. Whilst over on WAHR pick up some band merch and the previous single releases. You can follow the band over on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, and over on WAHR's Bandcamp page (and give the label a follow over on Instagram and Facebook too!)

Random classic reviews - a trio of Murderland!

Thanks to an Instagram post from Esmeralda's Ghost (check out the new album!) I felt I had to revisit the glory that is California's own weavers of tales of serial killers, gore and comic book horror Murderland. As a band which re-enforced my love for horror punk but offered something a little different, they remain close to my heart and a personal favourite.

Murderland - Lights Out (Album, 2007)

I first stumbled upon LA's Murderland some time between the release of this, their debut album, and 2011s 'Prelude To A Kill'. I don't remember how exactly - probably some random find when compiling a yearly Halloween mix CD - but I'm so thankful that I did, especially as this remains one of the very best the genre has to offer. At just 7 songs long it's a sharp, short, monstrous attack of fast and melodic So-Cal hardcore and a touch of metal influencing their tales which, fittingly for the superb artwork, could come straight out of an EC comic story. Every song lands brilliantly, each delivering 2 minutes-something of horror-pop-punk with memorable hooks and impeccable story telling. I love this album so much I had it played at my wedding as it was a fave of both myself and my wife, and whilst every track is a banger it's hard not to single out 'October Sky' - a song so near-perfect, so perfectly pitched between emotional resonance and comic book horror, that it deserves a place in any future Horror Punk Hall of Fame (and my love for it outlived my marriage - but we're both still big fans of the band!)

Murderland - Prelude To A Kill (Album, 2011)

Murderland's second album is a classic. Not just of the horror punk genre, but of punk more generally. It's a hill I will absolutely die on. Whilst it was no doubt hard to top 'Lights Out', which was seven songs of near perfection, taken as a whole this just about manages to do so. It's still comic book horror, fast and melodic punk rock that California is so good at producing, with fabulous lyrics, unrelenting hook-laden pop-punk with noticeable thrash elements, but there is so much more thrown in this time. From perfectly placed sound clips to a gore obsession that would not be out of place in the repertoire of your favourite death metal band, this is 13 songs of twisted tales of Americana, of late night seedy motels, dismembered bodies in the bathtub and smiling serial killers. It feels almost like horror punk noir - whilst 'Lights Out' dealt with the ghosts and ghouls, this is a more human sort of terror. Whilst nothing quite tops the glory of 'October Sky' as a stand out track, 'Hacksaw Romance' runs very close. A twisted tale of dismemberment and love, it's like a sickly sweet pop-punk cover of a goregrind track, a masterful macabre monstrosity told with the band's usual tongue-in-cheek humour. One of the very best horror punk releases of all time, an album I would include in a top ten of any punk releases and which was a major factor in me re-embracing the genre around 2011. And yes, this also played in full at my wedding. 

Murderland - Splitsville (Album, 2016)

Described by the band itself as a move away from the pure horror punk of their earlier releases, Splitsville is definitely a more 'mature' third album, a more personal and introspective collection of songs that still pack a punch with solid, infectious punk rock. Being a bit of a fan of turn of the century (...well, that makes me feel old) pop-punk this is no bad thing and this would not look out of place as a Drive-Thru release circa 2001, with a touch of Alkaline Trio vibe running through it, an accomplished and well written album. However this isn't the short and sickly sweet deranged tales of before - whilst there's a splattering of horror punk themes it lacks the gruesome fun of either of it's predecessors and the change up from two minute storytelling perfection to longer more 'emotional' songs lessen it's impact. A solid and highly enjoyable release if you're missing the days of Midtown, The Starting Line, The Movielife and New Found Glory - but it's not the genre classic of either Prelude To A Kill or Lights Out. Must be noted though that there are few bands who could match the intensity and quality of either of those - and for most people who aren't as obsessed as we are with the horror element, Splitsville is a very good release indeed. 

The band are on Instagram and Facebook as well as Bandcamp and Spotify. 

Review - Ultrafiend X - 'Cold Dead Me' single

Ultrafiend X

Cold Dead Me

Single, May 5th 2026

Emerging from the crypts of Sacramento Ultrafiend X are one of the most exciting new bands on the scene at the moment; a melding together of gothic glam metal and horror punk, theatrical darkness, riffs and tales of terror that are dripping with atmosphere all wrapped in a distinctive style and passion that rips through every song. A live album release, as well as several demo tracks, have given way to a year of killer single releases in 2026 which has helped to build the bands momentum that doesn't look like stopping anytime soon.

Their third single of the year (after the excellent pounding horror punk of the lycanthropic loving 'Moonlight Hell' and the soul burningly dark and heavy Danzig-like 'Devil's Lake') is now here, in the form of 'Cold Dead Me' and it's another beast of a song. Going down the more 'traditional' horror punk route, this is a melodic, catchy and energetic song with a touch of nostalgic horror 'n roll, just the sort of thing that every self-suspecting genre-fan will be right at home with. Coupled with their previous singles, and the live/demo output of the past, this release just underlines how accomplished the band are and how excited you should be for the future.

Out now as a single (with some great artwork) to purchase (Bandcamp) and on streaming services (Spotify). Go follow the band over on Instagram too!

Review - Rise From Your Grave - 'Stay Awake' single

Rise From Your Grave

Stay Awake

Single, releases on May 15th

Pittsburgh's Rise From Your Grave have established themselves as one of the most dependable and respected of the current crop of horror punk bands, mixing horror punk harmonies with crunchy heavy metal and delivering catchy, hook-laden horror odes over the course of several singles, EPs and - when you include their incoming new album 'Choose Your Score' releasing in the autumn - half a dozen excellent albums. With a killer back-library behind them already, news of an imminent single release is always cause for celebration, so when 'Stay Awake' landed in my inbox I was already excited - and after spending some time with it I've still got the sort of buzz that only great horror punk can give me.

With inspiration from the exploits of every one's favourite clawed, nightmare infesting killer of teens Freddy Krueger, Stay Awake delivers a melodic assault replete with horror punk woah-oh's and soaring vocals; a catchy-as-hell song with those touches of horror love that we all find so irresistible. The subject matter may have been used many times before, but this ticks all the boxes for any self-respecting horror punk fan and goes right up there with The Casket Creatures 'Springwood Slasher' and Shadow Windhawk's '1428' as the best examples, and comfortably sits alongside both as the sort of instantly memorable and anthemic song which makes this the best music genre in the world.

It's a pretty damn great teaser for the upcoming album from a band that wins the award for 'Best Band Name' from me due to my self-proclaimed and longstanding Sega fanboyism, instantly drawing me to the band the first time I heard them. Probably the best thing to ever spring forth - sorta - from Altered Beast as well! Now we just need a horror punk album based around semi-forgotten Sega horror classics like IllBleed and D2 and I don't think I would be able to contain myself. But...I digress...

Stay Awake is out on the 15th May on streaming and over on Bandcamp, where you can currently also hear a preview of the song. Whilst you're over there pick up some merch and take a dip into the band's catalogue, you won't regret it.

Review - Esmeralda's Ghost - 'Invasion of the Zombee Girls' EP

Esmeralda's Ghost

Invasion of the Zombee Girls

EP, self released on April 15th

I don't want to worry anyone but with the sheer amount of horror punk bands crawling from the depths of this island right now I'm pretty sure we're about to be consumed by some sort of undead uprising. This may or may not be an improvement on our current situation. To disgracefully paraphrase Emma Goldman, though, 'If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your damn apocalypse' and this new wave of British horror punk (NWOBHP if you will) is ushering in the end times with fun. Enter Esmeralda's Ghost from Leeds who drift into the melee with a debut EP to add to the Zombie Girl Summer of punk we're about to embark on. Emerging, phoenix-like, from the remains of previous solo project Ashes On The Cemetary Ground this is a full-on horror punk assault (rather than delving into the goth rock elements of AOTCG) which delivers some toe-tapping good tunes.

Starting off with a minute of zombie moans in the appropriately titled 'Zombie Shuffle' it soon shifts into the excellent, dark and bouncy 'You Make My Screams Come True' and a track resurrected from AOTCG 'Zombie Girl', a gloriously fun horror punk anthem which remains just as fun as it was a couple of years ago when I heard it's previous incarnation. Amongst the rather somber offerings of the previous band this stood out; a hideously catchy, and fun, story of loving the (un)dead which can sit happily alongside the numerous similar tales of necro-love in the annals of the genre - and on it's own merit, too. Infectious B-movie inspired punk is very much the theme of this EP - the short but sweet 'Invasion Of The Bee Girls' buzzes in, leaves an impression and then flies off.

'(I'd Love You More) If You Were Dead' hits with menacing 'woah-oh's' before another stand-out track rumbles in with 'Screamplay'; name dropping horror icons as it rolls along on a solid horror punk foundation that would not sound out of place among the best of the current crop of US bands. 'Night of the C.H.U.D' is another punchy track referencing classic b-movie fare (and may or may not have another meaning), before the EP is rounded off by a spoken word afterlude which finishes things off nicely.

There's an awful lot to like on this strong EP - impressive as a solo effort, it's clearly born from a love for the style and sound of horror punk, drips with an admiration for the spooky and b-movie chic, and is full of fun, catchy tracks that leave an impression. 

You can purchase the EP digitally from the 15th April, with a physical CD release also imminent, as well as being available on all the normal streaming services. Go give the band a follow on Instagram and Bandcamp (where a quartet of the songs are already available).

And a special thanks to Esmeralda's Ghost for designing the new logo of this blog - fitting that this EP is the first review in the newly named era of the site!

Review - Tricie and the Phantom Punks - Ghost Town single

Tricie and the Phantom Punks

Ghost Town

Single, released 3rd April 2026

Houston, Texas's formidable horror punk force of Tricie and the Phantom Punks have unleashed their latest single on the world - a near-3 minute rock n roll undead assault dripping with punk rock heritage and spookiness. After last years exceptional 'Date Night at The Morgue', one of my highlights of 2025, and the ode to Tobe Hoopers chainsaw-wielding horror masterpiece that was this years 'Saw Serenade', 'Ghost Town' arrives with some potential to fulfill - and does just that. 

There's a supernatural strut to the song which mixes the hard hitting punk rock with an underlying gothabilly / gothic country vibe - befitting the Weird Wild West cover art (and a style I am particularly fond of). It never veers too far away from a solid horror punk basis, the horror-Americana elements just ripple through the song, but it's highly effective and is another great track from a band on the top of their game. There's an undeniable love for Texas and H-Town (the song written by Houston punk legend Mike Porterfield of Poor Dumb Bastards) which runs through the band's releases which give them an identifiable vibe mixing American cultural tropes (zombie cheerleaders, Disneyland) with a Texan swagger. The state is not short of great horror punk but at this rate we will be talking about Tricie and the Phantom Punks alongside Ghoultown as masters of the craft (as well as many other current Texan bands ripping it up).

The band play Black Magic Social Club in Houston on Saturday April 4th and, excitingly for me, cross the pond to appear at the Horror Punk Fest in Birmingham, England on October 3rd where they are sure to be a hit.

'Ghost Town's is available to stream and download (from the 3rd April) from your regular streaming and digital music download services! The band can be found on Bandcamp and Instagram (and various other places - check out there Linktr.ee)

Review - Midnight Feature - Hex Rentals album

 

Midnight Feature

Hex Rentals

Album, released 17th April 2026

Birmingham's Midnight Feature have been around for a couple of years now in the UK horror punk scene, releasing a few singles and last year's 'Creeping Fear, Raging Monsters volume 1' EP to some acclaim - delivering a theatrical yet menacing gothic punk meets horror punk sound, they very much threatened to become a leading light in the unquestionably small (but rapidly growing and always thirsty for more) scene on these islands. Stepping into 2026 and the news that they would be releasing their debut album was warmly received, and I've spent the last few months eagerly awaiting what promised to be yet another quality English horror punk release. Now it (it being Hex Rentals, which is a great name by the way) is here and - early spoiler alert - we've got another banger of an album on our hands here.

Every good album needs a kick-arse start, and Hex Rentals certainly does that. 'Final Girl' is a new one and an extremely strong start; a rumbling, atmospheric gothic horror punk number dedicated to iconic female names and reverberates with the sort of dark menace that the best of the genre manage so effortlessly. Listen in a dark room with only the flickering light of a CRT TV playing iconic b-movie horror and this is close to bliss.

'Vampires and Other Creatures' is next up, and whilst this appeared on their 2025 EP the version here sounds much better. Production is cleaned up but it loses none of the brimming terror which ever-threatens to consume you. It was a good song previously but it's now a great song. 'Night of the Demon', named after that classic of British horror cinema delivers another slice of goth-tinged horror punk; this also appeared on their earlier EP and yet again the improvement in production elevates it (although I do miss the audio clips!). There's little better in life than a dirty ol' horror punk band delivering rock n' roll the way Satan himself intended - three tracks in and Midnight Feature are contending with Calabrese (masters of the craft) in doing just that. To underline that very point, next track 'Death Walks in High Heels' swaggers in with a Gothabilly attitude that I'm an absolute sucker for. Another new song to me this is just a foot-tappingly awesome, and rightfully satanic, gothic tale.

'Hellavision' was first released as a single back in 2024 (as 'Hell-A-Vision'); it's been reworked but still slices with precision as it delivers a Danzigesque number showcasing the bands range within the often pigeon-holed genre - next track 'Saturday Night Fever Dream' taps into the same rich vein, another song which just glistens in its gothic punk assault, less full on assault more slowed down suffocation in the doom-laden riffs and attitude. It benefits from being another song greatly improved production wise from its appearance on the earlier EP.

'His and Hearse' hits with some more atmospheric gothicness before 'Satans Night Out' (released as a single in March) melds catchy horror punk with a sort of deathrock sensibility; satanic cries mixed with 'woah-ohs' and more unrelenting, leather jacket-wearing sauntering that would make Glenn blush, delivered with the intentional DIY gloom and confidence of a band that knows exactly what it is going after. Take next track 'Lets All Do The Frankenstein' - a gothabilly influenced ode to B-movies which comes off like The Brickbats doing a Blitzkid cover of a Zombina and the Skeletones song; that hint of whimsy which good horror punk needs, but an underlying doom and gloom and old school horror aesthetics.

The range of the band is noticeable, and the influence from various sectors of the scene makes its presence felt again in next track 'Damned If You Do', a take on horror punks borderline obsession with the sound of doo-wop - done right. A new version of a song which appeared on their EP and much improved again, this is a (serial) killer take on the melodic, nostalgic mix of horror and 50s sound which comfortably sits alongside the best examples other bands have produced. 'From the Grave' is another previous single released back in 2024 and my first exposure to the band and this improved version delivers another great slice of 'traditional' horror punk with those hints of goth, Danzig-inspired darkness. It's missing the audio clips from the single again (I do love a good audio clip) but the improvement of production is noticeable and is a stronger song as a result.

'Rite Here' first saw a release a single in 2025 and is another song which benefits from the production overhaul here. A spooky, Samhain-meets-Calabrese vibe, this is another one you can chalk up as a staggeringly cool and confident track, before the album closes up with the haunting and sombre slowed down title track. Few bands deserve comparison to some of the bands mentioned in this review (I don't like dropping other bands names in too much as it feels like taking credit away from the band itself), but its hard not to compare the style and vibe to those greats of the genre, although Midnight Feature still maintain their own identity.

We've already seen some great albums crawl from these haunted shores this year and Hex Rentals join that list - stirring up some darkness with a mix of gothic horror punk, accomplished musicians and improved production, this can comfortably sit alongside the best in the business.

Hex Rentals is available to stream and for digital download on the 17th April; a limited run of physical copies will also be available at upcoming shows. The 'Satans Night Out' single is also out now!

You can find Midnight Feature on Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube, as well as streaming on Spotify.

Review - Oracular - Jack the Ripper

Oracular

Jack the Ripper

Single, released 30th January 2026, We Are Horror Records

Leicester horror punk band Oracular are a band to keep an eye on as we stumble into 2026; they impressed with the literary-inspired 'Fictious Science' on last years WAHR comp 'The Kids Are All Fright!!!' but return here with a new iteration of the band, promising to deliver some more top tier horror punk to these islands. Their first single is now here, a classic take on the genre in more ways than one, dragging the UK horror punk scene into the new year with singalong-worthy, hard hitting melodic punk rock with a new take on an old tale. 

Fronted by Danny Demented, formerly of UKHP legends Siblings of Samhain, these misfits from the Midlands delve back into the smog filled, gas-lit streets of Victorian London to tell their tale of old Saucy Jack himself, from the infamously unknown serial killers own point of view. A scathing manifesto of the Whitechapel fiend follows, speaking of the joy in his murder spree, of cementing his legendary status which - more than a century on - transcends the murders and has turned the Ripper into an iconic horror figure drenched in the blood soaked events that happened on those dark London streets.

Guitarist Alexander the Grimm, bassist Gonz Van Ghoul and drummer Dee Kreeper deliver horror punk in the 'traditional' style, taking the melodic but aggressive approach of genre luminaries such as Blitzkid, Ripsnorter and the aforementioned Siblings of Samhain and adding a suitably British take on the sound - there's a touch of a rougher, Victorian-slum-like street punk sound to the song, from the spoken-word intro delivered by 'Jack', right through the crunching riffs and the anthemic chorus.  

It's a great start to the year for the newly energised and refocused band, delving into a subject matter that is always ripe for content and delivering a solid and highly enjoyable song which is sure to introduce them to the wider horror punk scene in a suitably blood-drenched and murderous way. 

'Jack the Ripper' is available to stream on all streaming platforms from the 30th January. You can also buy the song from We Are Horror Records which I certainly encourage you to do!

2026 update - the future of the blog

 As things have been going on in the background for the site, but no real new content has been posted in a couple of months, I wanted to post an update here for anyone who is following the site.

Originally I'd planned, somewhat randomly, for the site to solely be dedicated to the UK horror punk scene that I was re-discovering after several years pursuing other interests. I was - and still am - really digging finding new bands and wanted to do something vaguely creative to have an outlet whilst doing so. I had a blog and a name but a very vague idea what I was going to do - some reviews, the odd interview, some random playlists. No real grander plans aside from that.

But delving into the local bands delivering some killer releases in a genre I've always loved led me to widen my horizons. I realised very quickly that whilst I knew plenty of horror punk bands from around the world, there were dozens, hundreds even, that had passed me by. There were plenty of sites online showcasing them, but nothing really seemed to leap out at me as a place to go to discover the wide world of the genre. Seeing as I had this blog in it's early stages it seemed obvious to widen the scope a little. International reviews, a worldwide horror punk band map and list (because I do love a list) and just a wider view of the genre.

Moving into 2026, the horror punk world map has developed into something pretty cool, with over 1,000 bands on it at the moment plus a further 800 already penned in to be added in the next couple of months. After tinkering with some HTML, I also got a working template for the horror punk band list which, whilst still in very early days and not populated by more than one proper entry at the moment, is now setup to allow me to add many more bands quite easily. I'm restarting reviews, have some killer artwork on the way (and attempting to get 100% away from any AI art in the process any that I did use was always placeholder artwork until I got proper bits sorted) and my passion and enthusiasm is at a very high point!

Which leads me to the future. A UK based perspective will obviously remain - I am, after all, from here - but I am currently weighing up whether to change the name of the blog to 'Horror Punk versus the World' to better reflect the direction the blog will go in (and giving me a chance to get some killer b-movie inspired artwork in the process!). I've managed to somehow convince myself this will be a good change as I've written this post, but need to do some checking online to make sure the name hasn't been used before before making the change. So what will happen now in the future, if that change does happen?

- The world horror punk map and band list remain and will be the focus for the next few months. It's nerdy as hell sure, but I love lists and geography (yes, I know!) and from feedback from numerous bands this seems to be a genuinely useful resource. 

- I will add a new section to the site retaining all the 'UK Horror Punk' bits, and still focusing on the UK scene. This hopefully retains my original view of what I was going to do here.

- If I do indeed change the name of the site, I will change address and everything - and fix any links that would therefore not work! Best to do this change before I add tons of content!

- I'm very keen on showcasing horror punk style artwork on the blog and will be, throughout the year, getting in contact with artists to hopefully do this. Not only because the artwork is sick, and it will make the blog look cool as hell, but any very minor thing can I do to shine a spotlight on artists alongside the focus on bands and the horror punk genre has to be a good thing. I will hopefully be commissioning artwork from various sources throughout the rest of the year.

- When I get the above sorted, and settle down a little bit, I'll see about expanding other bits - as always I've got 9000 ideas and time to focus on 2. Putting on some gigs down here in the south west of England is on my agenda (it's been 20 years since I put a gig on, time to get back to it!), a compilation would be cool, and down the line would be great to do some merch - but that's all very far off, and I need to put some proper content up here before thinking about most of that!

- The site will still remain horrendously and gloriously D.I.Y. Whatever I decide to do in the future it will be messy at times, always independent of any bands and labels and very much punk rock. At the moment it's just me, but hopefully that will change as the year progresses and I'm always looking out for similar minded people who are as insane as me and may share some of what I think the site could be!

Just want to finish up by thanking all of the bands and people who have reached out to me since I started the blog. I'm not going to get all sentimental here, but horror punk has literally saved my life this past year (and punk saved me 25 years ago too) and this blog is giving me something to really focus on and which - I really hope - will be of some use to people. The music deserves some more attention and if I can do that at all, even in a small way, and have some fun along the way that's pretty damn cool. 

New International Reviews Roundup

Here's the latest selection of relatively random reviews for recent releases from the wider world of horror punk.

Zipperguts - Books of Blood (Album - 2025, USA)

The first full-length release from Zipperguts is a brutal lesson for those that think every horror punk release sounds the same. Describing themselves as 'Grindhouse Punk' is spot on - this is a dirty, raw, bloodied soundtrack to a serial killer; a grimy piece of malevolent horror punk that should be played with the lights out, preferably after indulging in obscure exploitation horror movies. The gravelly, tortured vocals of Jared Lord tell tales of murder, disfiguration and unhinged horrors - 'Smile', 'Shallow Grave' and 'Last Rites' being particular standouts, whilst the bells toll to open 'I Fuck Nuns' before it descends into blasphemous horror punk savagery. It's like a mix between dark 80s hardcore and first wave black metal (without the metal; through the grime and dirt this is most assuredly a punk album), the audio equivalent to that supposed snuff VHS tape passed around in your teenage years. It's a pretty great album.

You can purchase digitally at the bands Bandcamp page. 

You can also purchase on CD and Vinyl from HorrorShock Records. 

Review - Haddonwood - Deadcase

Haddonwood

Deadcase

Album, released 31st October 2025

Haddonwood hail from the North East of England, that current hotbed of horror punk talent, and have been steadily releasing tracks for all of 2025, each teasing the eventuality of this debut album release which arrived, fittingly, on Halloween. With a stated goal to deliver anthemic, energetic and catchy horror punk covering a wide variety of horror themes (and boasting a literal skeletal drummer, which must be unique) and a good reception to their earlier releases, this is certainly a band on the up - so how does the album hold up? Is it yet another top UK horror punk release this year? Time to take a look.

Review - Bats Bats Bats - All My Friends Are Ghosts and Soon I Will Be Too

Bats Bats Bats

All My Friends Are Ghosts and Soon I Will Be Too

Album, released 30th October 2025

Bats Bats Bats describe themselves as 'emotional punk rock' and that's a very valid description of a band who are horror punk in the vein of Creeper, Alkaline Trio and Salem. A mix of the gothic side of the genre with the emotion-driven melodic punk rock, the band (hailing from London and the south east of England) deliver a polished sound but keep a strong DIY ethos. After a string of a very good single releases, they finally release their debut album - but can it fulfill the potential those earlier releases promised? Let's take a look.

The album (the artwork for which, I must add at this point, is beautiful. It has a vintage Halloween vibe to it which sits very well with the bands sound) starts in a suitably hauntingly way with the scene-setting The Deep, a spoken wood gothic poem before kicking straight into a reworked Ghosts, which was the bands second single release. The original has quickly become a firm favourite of mine, driven along on an energetic melodic punk sound, and the version is here is just as good. There's an added 'echoey' element which works really well and loses none of the punch. A memorable and catchy track to open things up, and legitimately one of the best UKHP songs of all time.

International Review Round-up - A and B bands, classic reviews - part 1

In my continuing attempt to review as many horror punk releases as is (in)humanly possible here is the next in my international reviews, a bunch of classics here all focusing on bands starting with 'A' or 'B'.

AFI - All Hallows (EP - 1999, USA)

Chances are you may be familiar with this classic EP. As AFI moved to a distinctly horror punk/hardcore sound after their earlier releases (of which I am a massive fan - 'Very Proud of Ya' being one of my all time favourite albums), and in the midst of the pair of classics 'Black Sails in the Sunset' and 'The Art of Drowning' that would propel the bands popularity, they released this 4 song EP containing a Misfits cover to make their inspiration readily apparent. The three original songs here are all killer. The relentless energy of 'Fall Children' mixes with a gothic edge and is a classic of the genre; 'The Boy Who Destroyed the World', featured on Tony Hawks 3, is a skate punk meets Misfits ripper, whilst 'Totalimmortal' is just a singalong masterclass. The version of 'Halloween', not a song lacking in cover attempts, *nearly* exceeds the original. Rounded off by some incredible artwork, the All Hallows EP is a horror punk classic.

Streamable on Spotify and available in physical form on various websites!

International Review Round-up - 'numbered' bands, classic releases - part 1

Whilst the focus of this blog is on the UK horror punk scene it would be remiss of me not to take a look at bands from all corners of the world plying their trade in the genre. Whilst I'm aiming to do a monthly (or so) round up of releases starting from the new year (that's 2026, readers in the future) I'm also embarking on a bit of a crazy mission to go through every horror punk band I can discover in, literally, alphabetical order. Why, I hear you say? Because I am insane, obviously... but also, now I'm very much in the groove I can revisit some old favourites and discover many (many) new ones.

The international review round-ups will work a little differently. A short paragraph for each but each post will have at least a half-dozen releases; some old, some more recent. Each post will be sorted by the letter the band starts with - so this post will (slightly annoyingly for fans of the alphabet) focus on bands starting with numbers and is part 1, with part 2 (or 3, 4 etc.) carrying on the trend. It should give some order to things, right? In the case of a few of the more productive bands, I may just do a single post with the reviews of that bands output. There's also a good chance I'll just end up posting random short reviews of classic releases. Who knows how this will pan out!

Numbered Bands - Part 1

5¢ Freakshow - 5¢ Freakshow (EP - 2018, Canada)

The first 5¢ Freakshow introduces the world to the bands psychotic, circus-freak horror punk and it's a pretty damn good EP. The 5 songs are all punchy, with a pronounced psychobilly influence, and the circus theme plays through the release which gives it a style of its own. 'Self Made Psychopath' is the stand out, walloping along with a sense of menace, whilst 'Zombie Girl' starts with a Night of the Living Dead clip and is a classic horror punk love song (with the undead). Not a bad song on this one. 

Available for free on Bandcamp. Can't say no to that, but definitely worth throwing the band some money for this. 

Review - We Are Horror Records - The Kids Are All Fright!!! Compilation

The Kids Are All Fright!!!

Various Artists

Released by We Are Horror Records in 2025

Review

Punk Rock is built on great compilations and the discovery of new bands. I practically had my 90s punk exposure dictated by Epitaph's 'Punk-O-Rama' series and Fat Wreck Chords 'Fat Music'; legendary 80s compilations like Dischord's 'Flex Your Head' or the 'This is Boston not LA' record expanded the spread of early hardcore punk in the states and stand as testaments for the era today, whilst 'Bullshit Detector' did the same for the anarcho-punk bands of the day. In fact it would be impossible to even try and list all the great examples that have peppered the punk scene over the decades - and if I had to list every band that I got into due to hearing them on a compilation, I'd never finish this review (although special mention to the Household Name Records comps in the early 00s which capture the punk/hc/skacore era perfectly). Horror punk is not immune to a good comp either - the 'This is HorrorPunk' records are essential and my first exposure to dozens of great proponents of the genre has come from the numerous examples available from labels both small and big. In the last few years however, it has been UK record label 'We Are Horror Records' which has put out the most noteworthy examples, packed full of great bands and with plenty of representation from these islands. It's not an understatement to say that the labels continued devotion to the genre has given me, and no doubt others, a real boost in our own love for the music with quality releases aplenty and - some would say finally - a real UK edge to the genre. The latest release from the label - just in time for Halloween! - packs in 19 songs from 19 bands (15 songs on the vinyl release), the majority of which are previously unreleased, with strong representation from UK horror punk bands, some genre-adjacent picks and some pretty awesome covers to boot... so how does it compare to other great compilations? Let's take a deep dive...

Review - The Magnetic Monsters - Wrong Side of Town

 

The Magnetic Monsters

Wrong Side of Town

Album, released October 11th 2025

There seems to be something stirring in the North East of England. Fast becoming a formidable location for up-and-coming UK Horror Punk bands (with both Hellbound Heist and Haddonwood also from the region), there's clearly something horrific blowing up to the area from the gothic paradise of Whitby, as here comes The Magnetic Monsters with a debut album to welcome in the spookiest of months. The Washington-based duo (Conor Dutson and Alexandra Duston-Mitchell) deliver 11 tracks of straight up Horror Punk with clear inspiration from the masters of the genre, whilst not being afraid of putting their own spin on things. I'd been following the band on social media for a while, eagerly awaiting this release - so how did it turn out?

Classic Review - das Ghoul - Noise-Das-Noire

 

das Ghoul

Noise-Das-Noire

Originally released on October 31st 2019

Calling this a 'classic review' is perhaps a misnomer. Not you understand because of the quality of the release (more on that in a second), but because when you read the word 'classic' your mind no doubt is taken to Horror Punk of old; the big daddy, The Misfits. Maybe Blitzkid. Screaming Dead to keep things local. Maybe even some old school T.S.O.L.? Well, whilst a release from 2019 may not be of the same vintage as those mentioned (indeed, for this blog 'classic' will just mean anything released before the blog's inception!), this initial offering from Oxford's das Ghoul does share something in common with at least one of those bands. T.S.O.L. could have been their own scene's Horror tinged synth masters ('Beneath the Shadows' remains a chronically under-appreciated second album from the So-Cal masters of gothic-punk) if audiences were more open, and Das Ghoul could very well be the UK's current answer to that admittedly slightly niche sub-genre of a sub-genre. Describing themselves as 'Gothic-tinged, horror-stained, punk'n'roll terrorpop', this is 13 songs of incessantly catchy synth-pop-horror-punk that runs through the usual horror tropes and themes, but does it extremely well. It never outlives its welcome (the band being masters of writing short songs that indeed leave you wanting more, a rare commodity) and the gothic, slightly-Victorian feel to the album evokes a pretty original and enticing sound.

Starting off with the chillingly strong 'There's Something Wrong with Sara-Jane', a rollicking horror punk masterclass on the theme of possession and exorcism, the album never lets up. As an opener it sets things up well - gothic, strong horror theme, catchy-as-hell, a distinct synthy sound that perfectly encapsulates the self described 'terrorpop' of the band. 'Invisible Simon' is possibly my favourite song on the album, a wickedly delicious 2 and a half minute tale of an invisible, trouble making friend. It slows the speed down, but remains memorably catchy and is another sign of the gothic element that is evident throughout - and carries on, seamlessly, to the next song, steeped in Victoriana and a twisted tale of 'Jacqueline' the Ripper. 

Welcome to UK Horror Punk

For those reading this, brought here either through a quirk in the matrix, a google search gone awry or as a result of my soon to be relentless spamming of this blog on social media... welcome! It doesn't look like much at the moment but hopefully soon it will be somewhat more than a placeholder blog and an actual useful resource!

Why Horror Punk? And why focus on the UK? As a genre Horror Punk has been an ever present in my life since I first heard the incredible sounds of the Misfits, which must be getting on for some 30 years ago now. As I've grown up, it's been an ever present soundtrack - not necessarily the most important cultural touchstone at all stages, but in the background the mixture of Punk Rock and Horror aesthetics has always been there, influencing my other interests and as a constant companion through times both good and bad. B-movies and classic Horror films have always been in my heart, a low level gothic charm where all things 'spooky' have an incessant pull on my psyche, and punk rock was a life saver for me. 

It was 'classic' hardcore from a different shore that was my first love - 80's American Hardcore consumed my musical tastes for many years; not only the haunted spectacle of the Misfits, but the So-Cal melodic hardcore of Adolescents, Descendents, D.I., Angry Samoans, Channel 3; the No-Cal oddness of Dead Kennedys and Crucifix, the sounds of the midwest (Negative Approach, Crucifucks, The Zero Boys, Husker Du), the awesome bands from Texas (the Dicks, MDC, Big Boys); the DC and NY hardcore bands (Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Reagan Youth, Government Issue, the early Dischord bands, Cro-Mags); the bands from the North East (SSD, Negative FX, Jerry's Kids, Gang Green) - I could not get enough. Mix that with a more-than healthy love of 80s Anarcho-punk (Crass, Conflict, Subhumans, Flux of Pink Indians) and then a broad love of anything else from across the world of the era (the Japanese hardcore weirdness, Finnish and Italian hardcore chaos... I could go on!) and my musical path seemed set.

Which was, in hindsight, odd, as I was not a teenager in the 80s. I liked the bands that were around in my teens - Pennywise, Bad Religion, NOFX, Rancid etc - as well as all forms of loud, rebellious music, but I always felt an infinity to something a bit different. It was the early 00s that saw my first delve into the local music scene, and my exposure to a punk and ska scene in the UK that was massively enjoyable, full of extreme talent and wildly energetic. Capdown, Lightyear, Ye Wiles, Howards Alias, The Scrub, The Filaments... they were great times. But as time passed, and doing three gigs in one night and being awake enough the next day to work became harder, I retreated to a less active gig life and more stay-at-home musical interests. It's at this stage that Horror Punk became more than just a part of my interest and more central - alongside an altogether darker musical taste.

Bands like Blitzkid, the Vladimirs, The Rosedales, Zombina and the Skeletones, Wednesday 13, Bloodsucking Zombies from Outer Space, The Coffinshakers - bands that I didn't see many people talking about but which were able to fill a hole in my soul. As age overtook me, I seemed to become more interested in that darker element - alongside Horror Punk came an interest in Black Metal, Doom Metal... anything hard, loud and dark. Every year I'd dedicate almost certainly too much of my time to finding new bands, new sounds to be the 'soundtrack of my life' and whilst tastes change and some styles I can go in and out of love with, it's horror punk that always pulled me back, despite me being somewhat distant from any scene that existed.

Fast forward to now and the start of this blog. With more time on my hands (don't ask!) and a still burning desire to both discover new music and expand my knowledge of bands I've not delved deep enough into, I thought it was time I started being a bit more focused. And one gap I noticed quite early was despite there being a few UK Horror Punk bands I really liked, I didn't know enough to know what was really going on. Time to change that, and it's always good to support the local scene - I delved deep into the UK Black Metal scene some years ago and that was eye opening, and immersing myself in the list of Horror Punk (or adjacent) stuff coming out of the UK has had a similar impact. Nothing wrong with a bit more promotion of an under-represented set of bands, and we have some seriously great ones on this island!

I'll also be looking at older stuff from the UK, as well as Horror Punk more broadly - and no doubt be touching on other bits which sort of fit in to a greater or lesser extent. So expect some other punk stuff, some horror influenced music of other genres, as well as old horror movies, random goth ramblings and who knows what else!

And finally, anyone thinking the UK focus means I'm sort of flag-shagging nutjob - I'm a proud antifacist, I have no tolerance for racism, sexism, homophobia or transphobia. Doesn't have a presence in this scene or any other. I don't intend to write long diatribes about any of that on here or extol the virtues of 19th century anarchist writers in great detail (although I must mention the awesome t-shirt from We Are Horror Records, with the quite simply amazing back design of 'No Gods, No Masters, Just Monsters' which is legendary and fits nicely for this blog), or go into great painful detail about how whilst I adore the Misfits (and Danzig. And Samhain) I have absolutely no time for Glenn's personal politics, as this is intended to be a horror punk focused blog and I'm fine if that means the talk is mainly on the spooky. That being said - I *really* don't like fascists. If that offends you I could not give less of a shit. 

Anyway, with that pre-amble out of the way, and without as many spelling mistakes as I feared there would be, I guess it's time to start writing some stuff for this blog!

I do intend on eventually having a gig calendar, a release guide, reviews, DIY mix-tapes (basically mini-playlists with links on where to buy the songs rather than just sticking a playlist up on Spotify... although I do have a playlist on there by the way, which I'll embed here at some point but can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4r1rDVWSQEATEEUMgIkqXD?si=Ku4z0Wg5T3y5Cq9QlyJ5IA) and other random bits.