REVIEW: BREAKKER “BREAKKER” EP

If you made it here, I assume you most likely love the NWOTHM, and it should come as no surprise that so do I. However, I must confess I have my pet peeves too. I don’t understand sounding bad for the sake of it. I appreciate the old-school vibe, but many new bands just don’t sound great to me. I also get easily bored with the occasional repetitiveness—something that I know any genre faces when things start bubbling. And I can’t get on board when groups are either too soft—some just lack punch entirely to me—or too Speed Metal-y in every single song, with super high vocals at all times. That tires me out pretty quickly (but here I am, a King Diamond aficionado, so go figure!).

That being said, guess what? I think BREAKKER has the perfect formula to balance that all out and I may have just found my favorite release in the genre this year so far: BREAKKER’s self-titled debut EP—self-produced and self-released as well. Take note of that, folks!

The production has that demo-like muffle that echoes the early albums of our favorite bands. But there is also clarity! The guitar tone is great, the vocals are well-produced, and you can distinguish what’s being played on the drums. It has commercial appeal, but the bass is prominent, the riffs are fire, and the melodies are Metal. The material is coherent, yet somewhat diverse.

But first things first: if by a twist of fate, you are reading this review but don’t really know who BREAKKER is, I will cut you some slack and confide that this is a kick-ass 4-piece Traditional Metal band from Philly that just put out their first official release last Friday, July 26th. But yeah, that will be it! Now, take a 30-second break(KER), click on the search bar, and look for their interview here in the portal. Add that to your reading list, and as soon as you are done with this post, while playing their EP for the 3rd or 4th time in a row, you can then get to know these guys better and how they came to be.

Talking about the EP, it features five tracks, three of which are previously unreleased. As mentioned a few lines above, it was recorded and produced by the BREAKKERS themselves in their rehearsal room. That alone—being a sucker for the underground and DIY initiatives—would be enough to steal my leather heart. But they didn’t stop there: they also sign the artwork themselves! No AI shenanigans here: they bought an old switch break(K)er at an antique store, attached it to mini set they built, and shot it on Kodak Gold 200 film. And if you are thinking the same as I am, well… you are right like a blade of a sword, maniac! And that was intentional.

The band did a great job with the mix. Everything is well-defined, warm, and organic. The EP is sprinkled with some synths that add a nice ’80s feel to the songs. I love the drum sound and the bass runs. There’s no big wall of sound with eight guitars tracked on each side, yet the chords sound full and precise—I hope Teagan takes this as a compliment, as I’m not diminishing his lead skills at all, but the rhythm guitars here are gold! You can tell a guitar player is good when their rhythm playing is solid, and this guy’s is rock solid. Great tone and playing! On top of all that, Clare is a natural star. She never overdoes anything. Her voice has character, attitude, and feeling, and I particularly adore her delivery.

‘Time’s Not Gonna Wait’ kicks the door open, and I’ll spoil things right away: this one is my favorite! It’s perfect driving music. I’m obsessed with the guitar riff that opens the verses—it reminds me of ‘Walk Like an Egyptian’—don’t get mad, guys; I mean it as a compliment! I think it’s genius and a fantastic build-up for the vocals. The vibe it gives off is like those chase montages from classics like The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, or Risky Business. But for me, the real highlight is the chorus! One of my favorites this year! Interestingly, it comes a bit late in the song and doesn’t repeat that often, but each time it does, it hits right when you’re craving that reward, and it doesn’t disappoint.

‘Tight Leash’ is a Hard Rock powerhouse driven by Clare‘s commanding presence, featuring irresistibly tasty guitars and powerful gang vocals. I love the verses, particularly when Clare belts out ‘Sacrifice to the enemy!’ Extra kudos to Ben for the entire section before the solo—it’s ‘Wild Child’ on steroids! Speaking of guitar solos, this one might be my favourite, with its Frehley-esque licks at the end. And tell me, don’t these synths make all the difference?

Another favourite of mine is the epic ‘Under the Overlords’. This track is where everyone truly shines and where the band gets the closest to their NWOBHM roots. In my opinion, that’s also Clare at her best. The drums are on point, and Stevie delivers his best bass lines so far. And I know I am repeating myself, but those rhythm guitars, man… Damn! The top three moments in this song are: 1. The section ‘Live without leaders. They’re liars that thrive in the shadow of fear‘; 2. The guitar solo, with its harmonies and the accompanying drums, that would definitely make Mr. Harris a very happy man; and 3. The high note at the end of the song. By that point, we are all begging for that note, and I’m confident that everyone listening will be very pleased when Clare delivers it!

‘FEVER’ is an anthem! I wonder if these guys got pictures of naked ladies lyin’ on their beds, because it gives me an extremely W.A.S.P. vibe! At the same time, it’s definitely its own thing, and by now, you should be able to tell that this is pure BREAKKER! I have a feeling this is their definitive song—the one they’ll have to play at every single encore until they’re replaced by avatars in 2084. It has everything: sleaziness, energy, a catchy call-and-response chorus, a guitar theme that’s perfect for singing along, and an irresistible “oh, oh, oh” section. It’s short, direct, and radiophonic… a masterclass of a rock song! Great job, guys!

With an intro that reminds me a bit of Dokken, ‘Lipstick Trace’ wraps it up in chains and pins! Full disclosure, every time I listen to this EP, I feel this song isn’t as strong as the others. But the BREAKKERS quickly prove they know what they’re doing and that I have no idea what I’m talking about: from the 3:25 mark on, the build-up to the end is top-notch! That’s good songwriting, kids! The acoustic guitar is awesome, Clare sounds like a pro, the backing vocals are a fine touch—and I love that it’s the band, not just Clare overdubbing. And I also need to say that even though these maybe the simplest bass lines on the record, this is probably the song where the bass sits the best in the mix, with Stevie grounding everything perfectly. He is the unsung hero on this one.

CONCLUSION

This is a very strong EP—coherent, fun, and dangerous. Everyone knows their place and plays their role well. The record doesn’t overstay its welcome, and all the songs are solid. It starts strong and ends strong.

They have the name, the logo, the looks, the skills, and the drive. If these guys are serious about playing the game, I can’t see why they wouldn’t go far. I’ll be keeping an eye on them, and you should too because BREAKKER is the talk of the town!

If you are in the Philadelphia/ Delaware area, don’t miss BREAKKER‘s EP release show on August 10th at Bar XIII Delaware, featuring Instinct, As We Become Ghosts, and Corners of Sanctuary. Follow their social media channels for more details!