Review - Oracular - Jack the Ripper

Oracular

Jack the Ripper

Single, released 30th January 2026, We Are Horror Records

Leicester horror punk band Oracular are a band to keep an eye on as we stumble into 2026; they impressed with the literary-inspired 'Fictious Science' on last years WAHR comp 'The Kids Are All Fright!!!' but return here with a new iteration of the band, promising to deliver some more top tier horror punk to these islands. Their first single is now here, a classic take on the genre in more ways than one, dragging the UK horror punk scene into the new year with singalong-worthy, hard hitting melodic punk rock with a new take on an old tale. 

Fronted by Danny Demented, formerly of UKHP legends Siblings of Samhain, these misfits from the Midlands delve back into the smog filled, gas-lit streets of Victorian London to tell their tale of old Saucy Jack himself, from the infamously unknown serial killers own point of view. A scathing manifesto of the Whitechapel fiend follows, speaking of the joy in his murder spree, of cementing his legendary status which - more than a century on - transcends the murders and has turned the Ripper into an iconic horror figure drenched in the blood soaked events that happened on those dark London streets.

Guitarist Alexander the Grimm, bassist Gonz Van Ghoul and drummer Dee Kreeper deliver horror punk in the 'traditional' style, taking the melodic but aggressive approach of genre luminaries such as Blitzkid, Ripsnorter and the aforementioned Siblings of Samhain and adding a suitably British take on the sound - there's a touch of a rougher, Victorian-slum-like street punk sound to the song, from the spoken-word intro delivered by 'Jack', right through the crunching riffs and the anthemic chorus.  

It's a great start to the year for the newly energised and refocused band, delving into a subject matter that is always ripe for content and delivering a solid and highly enjoyable song which is sure to introduce them to the wider horror punk scene in a suitably blood-drenched and murderous way. 

'Jack the Ripper' is available to stream on all streaming platforms from the 30th January. You can also buy the song from We Are Horror Records which I certainly encourage you to do!