BRAT, Cage Fight

BRAT is a New Orleans deathgrind / hardcore band who formed in 2021. BRAT’s self-described barbiegrind / bimboviolence aesthetic is one of intentional dichotomy to their sound, with a keen focus to allow space and inclusivity for outsiders that shirks the traditional in favor of jubilant authenticity. 'Feral and ferocious in content and anti-purist in nature, BRAT’s Social Grace is a cataclysmically heavy party that everyone’s invited to'.

Originally started as little more than a bedroom project by TesseracT guitarist James Monteith and long-time friend and collaborator, bassist / MC Jon Reid, by their own admission Cage Fight were simply a project to unleash some frustration, and nostalgic tribute to the music of their youth, bands like Slayer, Terror, Hatebreed, Biohazard and Stampin’ Ground. Quickly, though, the idea began to grow legs, as they shared the music they’d made among friends, and they realised it was too good not to do something more permanent with. Bringing in drummer Nick Plews,

Cage Fight were completed in February 2021 by the addition of singer Rachel Aspe, a French national who James met eight years ago when TesseracT and her former band Eths crossed paths.

Spotting her doing a Black Dahlia Murder vocal cover on Instagram – via a post by that band’s singer Trevor Strnad, who himself appears on the track Eating Me Alive - James invited her in, and the band were complete. The result is one of the most furious and angry hardcore records to emerge from the UK in years.