Hailing from Columbus, OH, Bea Brat has slayed audiences with not just her looks, but her shocking performances and satirical lyrics. In the age of Pandemia, it has been the independent artists who have suffered the most, losing their stages and, to some extent, their platforms. Not one to rest on her laurels, Bea used this time to make her mark and break away from her usual singles to bring forth her debut solo record, Heavy Metal Princess. Bringing some of her breakout singles into a new era, as well as loads of special guests along for this wild ride, Bea Brat has taken the throne by force, and has an army behind her ready to fight those who look to steal away her new crown.
The album begins with the robotic and stompy intro “A.I,” with a Siri-esque voice telling us how it’s going to be in this new dimension. Celebrity, excess, and perfection are the names of this new game. We pivot into the remix of “911,” with Yvie Oddly bringing fire with her bars. Her wordplay is stellar and delivery fatal, all as a bouncy, catchy production bolsters the whole affair. The final “fuck the police” vocal run in the ending still gets me, an unexpected “fuck yeah” moment of this sardonic song. “Mary with the Cleaver” starts off with a news bulletin by Miss Representation, before Bea lays down lyrics graphic and gruesome enough to make Divine herself proud. The bass is so punchy that this track could easily make its way to a club, once we get back to that point.
“Brat” is aggressive and assertive, laying it out for the listener how this is going to go, whether they like it or not. It’s dirty rap with an electro edge, and it serves it every ball. Next on the docket is “Anarchy Princess,” with its remarkably simple two-note bass line. It’s incredibly straightforward, but packs a Molotov level of wallop. Robyn DaCultyre teams with Bea for “Insect,” complete with classic dance track beat and creepy crawly lyrics. Robyn has some great flow in their verse, and as far as I’m concerned, I could use another single with this duo.
“Insect” bleeds perfectly into “She-Devil,” an upbeat and crisp track with a brutal verse from Peanut that goes in. Between this and “Brat,” it’s hard to pick a winner for most aggressive, but who cares, they’re both excellent in that regard. “Ratz” is shocking and unnerving for those unaware, and comes as another club-ready track. Chaseicon uses her ethereal voice to great effect, just as she did with the album’s intro, and it makes this song. The title track has another classic dance beat, with the vocal line not only doubled, but each one takes off in a different direction for maximum sonic variety.
For your consideration in the horror portion of this pageant, contestant number one Bea Brat submits “Human Centipede,” and holy hell is it a doozy. Full disclosure, I’m not usually a fan of Nitrah Neon’s valley girl voice, but somehow she makes it work here, so we will go with it. It makes for a cutesy, sweet but psycho motif that works, especially given that that is more or less Bea’s musical aesthetic in a nutshell. “Eat The Rich” has a great hook, and while Maxi Glamour’s verse is fine, they sound like they entered the booth stoned off their polka shoes. That said, Misster’s unclean vocals add an edge that’s a little bit dangerous and metal, and it works. Finally, we have the surprise bonus track “OMGIFLMD,” which stands for “Oh My God I Fucking Love Mountain Dew.” For as silly and left-field as the track is, it has no business having this good of production, riffing a little bit off the main line from “911.”
The album is what queer horror needs right now. It’s camp, it’s shlock, it’s socially conscious, and it’s transgressive. With Heavy Metal Princess, Bea shows that rules and conventions are made to be broken, and the expectations put on her for this debut album have been exceeded. As we approach Halloween, we all need something fun, and Bea’s album is just what the doctor ordered. Her connections, her producers, and her slice and dice lyrics make this a bloody path to the monarchy, but she may sit on her throne for some time. Long live.
Heavy Metal Princess is streaming now.
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