14th October 2024

Review: “6” by Psychotic Outsider

“When writing songs for EP “6” we wanted to deal with a certain era in our work and at the same time open a completely new chapter, the songs are aggressive and dark and mark a new direction. Lyrically, it talks about depression, phobias and mental problems. This EP also shapes the direction in which our future full length album will go” ~ Psychotic Outsider

What happens when a group of Polish Metal Heads settle in Galway Ireland? In the case of guitarist and programmer Piotr Michalik and bassist Wiktor Klukowski, they found vocalist Luke Holbrook and connected with a mutual love of Groove Metal and Hardcore Punk, forming Psychotic Outsider in 2018. A year later their unleashed demo “Motherfucker” as a precursor to 2020 album “Psyching Out Mentality“. Endorsements from Skull Strings Signature Set, Vermilion pickups and Fat Cables soon followed as the band played a run for festivals including Siege of Limerick, Templemore Metal Fest and Unleash To Horde. Sharing stages with the likes of Archives and Survivalist as well as a run in Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses surrounded 2022 EP “End Of The Line” and 2023 single “Till We Decay“, the band continuing to build a reputation for their live show all the while.

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Devils Sound Productions and adorned by artwork from Michał Boruta, its a curiousity that opening cut “Crazy Little Things” is a re-recorded version of a track from the aforementioned album “Psyching Out Mentality” with lyrics from Nikita Khodakivska. It’s not the first time the band have done that either with previous cut “Ragnarok” also appearing on two releases. For what it’s worth, this new version sounds a little bit more mechanical with a drum machine replacing a drummer of flesh and bone on the original. That enhances a harsher quality this rendition has with the vocals having more of a vicious edge, the band sounding like a feral incarnation of Wednesday 13 minus the hammer horror. That’s not a bad thing by any stretch and the story telling in the lyrical narratives is exemplary. The aggression levels increase with “Till We Decay“, a track that first reared it’s ugly head in 2023 and which finds the band punching like a prize fighter. An eerie solo is a nice touch, the Death Metal vocals from Luke Holbrook the ideal counter weight to the solid riffs from Piotr Michalik.

So the first 100% new cut is title track “6“, one which has a personal introspective lyrical narrative as Holbrook cries out to be taken away from the hell in his head. The Industrial Nu-Metal overtones are inescapable with the track something of a throwback to 1999 during a chant-a-long chorus. The rich, dark melody of the post chorus adds another dimension, it’s brighter than you might expect sound an interesting move. Sonically there are White Zombie vibes to “Drift“, slick riffage with a tasteful crunch bolstering the introspective lyrics. Here the drum machine actually makes this one sound like a polished demo, as if the band are label shopping for an album deal. Lead guitars on “Amen“, a cut which finds the band joined by Greg “Zielak” Zielinski flip the script entirely, adding a Zakk Wylde flamboyance to the darkness that the previous cuts offered. Dropping the guitars out allows bassist Wiktor Klukowski a couple of moments in the limelight during this instrumental, a dark yet fun edge being present throughout. All in all a solid EP which will no doubt find new fans diving into the bands discography in search of more hidden gems [7.5/10]

Track Listing