Scottish punk band comprised of two sisters Brèagha Cuinn (Guitar and vocals) and Onnagh Cuinn (Bass and vocals), they play in your face punk rock n roll.
Formed outside a small whiskey village called Tomintoul in the Highlands of Scotland, Bratakus have been fiercely DIY since starting out in 2015. This is my first exposure to their music, but it’s their second record. One thing is for sure, I’m delighted they dropped into my inbox and haven’t been far from my ears since first hearing them.
It’s easy to see why Venn Records got interested and picked up the girls from the strength of this record. (the label ran by Laurent ‘Lags’ Barnard of UK punk band Gallows, and previously the home of artists like High Vis, Bob Vylan and Witch Fever and more recently the excellent Split Dogs).
So what do they sound like I hear you shouting, well, turn it up would be my first piece of advice then remove all breakables because these ladies aren’t fucking about this shit is on fireas the kids would say. influenced by the garage rock scene and bands like The Distillers, The Donnas and the likes of Wendy O Williams these tunes aren’t just noise for the sake of noise the songs are well constructed and they rage with th ebest of them but when they need to lay back on the gas they aren’t afraid to lean on the melody and go wherever the song may take them. the album is focussed and covers a wealth of subjects close to their hearts; feminism, animal rights, media brainwashing and how normalised sweatshops have become in our society are all tackled on ‘Hagridden’ with raw, raging vocals, barbed-wire guitars and pounding rhythms.
Word was spreading, and before they knew it, Bratakus were being booked for live performances in countries as far as Japan. Support slots for bands like Propagandhi, Bis, and Discharge helped the sisters turn into a ferocious live combo. If there was ever any doubt that a punk band could pull off not having a live drummer, these two sisters are here to prove you wrong.
Maybe being so far North, the isolation of their surroundings helped shape their sound and unique approach. It doesn’t seem weird anymore for a “Band” to only be two people. Vylan is a drummer and singer, so why not a bass player and Guitarist? The band have been using programmed drums since their inception, so it’s no big deal to them, and with the quality of technology these days as good as it is, you won’t notice live anyway, but they went for the real thing in the studio, but don’t get hung up on it. Making a record sound as good as you can should be applauded.
Recording this, their second album with the same producer who did their debut, which happened to be a drummer, just makes sense. The album kicks off in style with their single ‘Final Girls’, which is a glorious, anthemic rocket ride. Nailing their colours to the mast and setting sail in the choppy waters of punk roc,k the girls have zero fucks to give for what the punk police might say, and the dual vocals works really well. I’m reminded at times of Dragster who were barking out punk rock many moons ago and Fis vocals remind me a lot of what Bratakus deliver.
I particularly love the energy of ‘Turnstile’, and they turn it up a notch on ‘Real Men Eat Meat’ with the Bass guitar cutting through like a chainsaw hacking and slashing. Excellent stuff. The pace eases back for ‘Hypercritical’ not! Don’t be fooled by the intro; this song rages. They do, however, venture into some early Nirvana grungy vibes by the time they reach ‘Tokened’, which just happens to be one of the strongest tracks on the album, reminding me of the finer time delivered by the likes of L7.
The album is made up of Ten tracks, and nothing outstays its welcome. When they go for broke like the UK Subs styled ‘Tonight’, they can rage with the best punk rock offers, keeping it simple and uncomplicated makes for a clean delivery and great production, which always helps.
Of course, there are no chart-targeted ballads or softer daytime radio-friendly pop tunes; this pair are kicking up a shitstorm, and I like it, I like it a lot, and you should give it a go. Move over, Lambrini Girls, this pair are fast approaching, and they’ve got the tunes to back it up. 2026 is already shaping up to outshine last year and this is the evidence. Pick up a copy of ‘Hagridden’, you won’t regret it.
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Author: Dom Daley
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