International Review Round-up - 'numbered' bands, classic releases - part 1

Whilst the focus of this blog is on the UK horror punk scene it would be remiss of me not to take a look at bands from all corners of the world plying their trade in the genre. Whilst I'm aiming to do a monthly (or so) round up of releases starting from the new year (that's 2026, readers in the future) I'm also embarking on a bit of a crazy mission to go through every horror punk band I can discover in, literally, alphabetical order. Why, I hear you say? Because I am insane, obviously... but also, now I'm very much in the groove I can revisit some old favourites and discover many (many) new ones.

The international review round-ups will work a little differently. A short paragraph for each but each post will have at least a half-dozen releases; some old, some more recent. Each post will be sorted by the letter the band starts with - so this post will (slightly annoyingly for fans of the alphabet) focus on bands starting with numbers and is part 1, with part 2 (or 3, 4 etc.) carrying on the trend. It should give some order to things, right? In the case of a few of the more productive bands, I may just do a single post with the reviews of that bands output. There's also a good chance I'll just end up posting random short reviews of classic releases. Who knows how this will pan out!

Numbered Bands - Part 1

5¢ Freakshow - 5¢ Freakshow (EP - 2018, Canada)

The first 5¢ Freakshow introduces the world to the bands psychotic, circus-freak horror punk and it's a pretty damn good EP. The 5 songs are all punchy, with a pronounced psychobilly influence, and the circus theme plays through the release which gives it a style of its own. 'Self Made Psychopath' is the stand out, walloping along with a sense of menace, whilst 'Zombie Girl' starts with a Night of the Living Dead clip and is a classic horror punk love song (with the undead). Not a bad song on this one. 

Available for free on Bandcamp. Can't say no to that, but definitely worth throwing the band some money for this. 

5¢ Freakshow - Massive Monster Mayhem (EP - 2019, Canada) 

Canadian maniacs 5¢ Freakshow return for their second EP of chaos and fun, delivering 5 more psychobilly-infused horror punk tracks. It's another short and energetic affair which covers a wider range of horror themes (slashers, monsters, Satan...) and isn't as circus-heavy as the first offering. It's a blast ('Run Fatty Run' is an immediate tankard tapping affair) and any self-respecting horror punk fan will enjoy these freaks. Perhaps not quite as strong as their first EP though.

Another release available for free on Bandcamp. Worth a few quid of anyone's money though. 

5¢ Freakshow - Reanimation of Annihilation (EP - 2021, Canada)

The craziness continues with 5¢ Freakshow's third 'proper' release (other than splits and singles), and it's almost certainly their best yet. This is blistering horror punk with a psychobilly edge; of the 7 songs only one passes the 2 minute mark. Short music for freaky people. The lyrical content covers much ground - The Evil Dead, exhumation of the dead, serial killers. They even throw in an old-school punk singalong chorus. It's a punchy and relentlessly enjoyable release (with standout tracks 'The Night She Died' and 'Deader Together') that solidifies these Canadians as top tier horror punk. 

Available digitally on Bandcamp here. Definitely worth picking up. 

84 Tapes - Manic Reality (Album - 2024, USA)

Hailing from New York state, 84 Tapes bring a raw, uncompromising sound to the horror punk landscape. Self-described as 'crossover analog horrorthrash' it certainly pulls no punches. The aesthetic works, like a found-footage tape from the 80s with a lo-fi sound and plenty of menace in the hardcore influenced aural assault on offer. It doesn't completely do away with conventional horror punk standards as there is still a melodic element (like the very good 'The Ritual') in the songs on offer. It's a dirtier, rougher genre experience but a good one. 

Available digitally and on CD (although not many left!) on Bandcamp here. 

The 1428 - Acid Rain (Single - 2025, Germany)

German horror punk band The 1428 have released a series of single songs in 2025 (and a collaboration with Evelyn's Casket), with an upcoming release of an album in January 2026. All of their releases are pretty good, melodic horror-pop-punk but the best is probably this The Return of the Living Dead inspired song, an always popular influence in the genre. This is well produced, speedy pop-punk, with good lyrics (and movie audio clips). Time will tell if their debut album is able to continue the bands momentum. 

Available on Bandcamp here. The upcoming album in various guises available here. 

7 Minutos Para Morrer - Contos De Horror (EP - 2012, Brazil)

There's a thriving horror punk scene in Brazil and plenty of releases that will have gone unnoticed by many outside of the country. Whilst I can't speak Portuguese this is a genre where atmosphere often does a lot of heavy lifting - and this 2012 EP from 7 Minutos Para Morrer (7 Minutes to Die) has plenty of that. From the Trick r Treat inspired cover (great movie) to the great sounding 5 tracks covering a range of horror themes (standout track 'Mortos Vivos' translated to The Walking Dead; the Halloween III clipped 'Festa De Halloween' (Halloween Party) is also great fun) this is enjoyable regardless of where you're from and what you speak. It seems the band only released this one EP, which is a shame.

There doesn't seem to be anywhere to purchase this release, but a couple of songs from it are on the 'Isto é Horror Punk Brasil Vol. 3' compilation on Spotify here.