Borstal

At her majesty's Pleasure

---

Genre: UK Hardcore, Hardcore.
Released: 01/04/2021

EP Review: Borstal – At Her Majesty’s Pleasure

The UK hardcore (UKHC) scene has a new player in town and their name is Borstal. Extreme Metal juggernaut Nick Barker (Ex-Dimmu Borgir/ Cradle Of Filth and Brujeria) joins Pierre Mendivil of Knuckledust to take on the UK Hardcore scene. With the stature these two possess in the metal world, it’s clear to see why the band’s debut EP has become so highly anticipated. I cannot wait to divulge into this one so without further delay. Here is my review of Borstal’s ‘At Her Majesty’s Pleasure’.

Sirens ring out over distorted guitars and intense drumming. ‘Refuse To Lose’ marvellously opens the EP. The use of audio samples to create a narrative before the all-out assault of Pierre’s vocals works exceptionally well. The song is blisteringly fast and Nick doesn’t disappoint with his outstanding drumming abilities being put on full display throughout this track. There is no slowing down as ‘Karma continues the assault. The blistering riffs from Lee Kitchener and Jamie Hunter are perfect for this aggressive hardcore sound. The use of blast beats and immense double bass captivates you and leaves you wanting more and more as the song goes on. A really strong start to the band’s debut EP!

Up next is ‘We Stand As One’, which is, in my opinion, the weakest link on the EP. The song feels a bit tame compared to the rest of the record and nothing impresses me about it. The musical ability that this band possess should be able to produce a much more impactful song than this, which is why I feel so disappointed by it. I guess this is their first outing in the UKHC scene so not everything is going to hit the first try. Luckily, this is then followed by probably the best song on the EP in ‘Vicious Circles’. This song is an absolute beast that will leave any room it’s played in completely trashed. I can already imagine the carnage this track will create when it’s performed live! It’s straight to the point and it contains some top quality riffs and licks that helps the song to stand out from the pact. 

The extreme metal influences can clearly be heard during ‘Worm Food’. From the use of ringing distortion and black metal like riffs, Borstal is certainly making use of all their knowledge and combining genres to make a memorable sound that instantly makes them recognisable. It’s a breath of fresh air to the UKHC scene that has been needed for some time now. The opening of the final track properly describes the band best. “No Mess. No Fuss. Just pure impact! Fuckin’ Borstal”. The band are not here to appeal to the mainstream and that is made abundantly clear during this track. A very in your face style accompanied by an extremely impactful vocal performance from Pierre leaves the listener with very little doubt as to what kind of band Borstal are. It’s the perfect way to end the EP!

Borstal is here to take no prisoners and completely mess stuff up. The majority of the EP has great promise and it seems that the only way is up for the new UKHC band. Nick and Pierre bought a huge amount of pressure on this EP being good due to their history in the music industry and they have not disappointed. I cannot wait till these guys can get on the road and tear up a town near you.