Big Evil Rat - Big Evil Rat
Self-Released
Released on July 4th, 2026
There’s been a buzz around Big Evil Rat in western Canada for quite some time now, so we’re glad to see the release of their debut self-titled album. It’s a tightly-executed set of 10 raucous roots-laden songs decorated with shrieks of terror at each turn. The guitars, bass, multiple vocalists, and slick synth and organ are all supported by the pummel of two drummers, a la Oh Sees. All the pounding and shredding is expertly harnessed by Tim Hatch and Emily Bachynski, and mastered by Nik Kozub, yielding an expertly composed pressure-wave of hooky garage rock and psychedelic freak-outs that bloom like experiments slipped beyond calculation.
The album begins with a shock front of beautifully blown-out synth, and a fuzzy bass riff eventually reveals itself among the settling plume. “Don’t let them rob you of your courage” initiates opener “Liquify”; there’s a positive message under the sea of velveteen riffage. Tape echo shenanigans and groovy organ harken to Green on Red or Comets on Fire. The track bleeds seamlessly into “Hold True,” which cuts straight to a differently snarled vocal accompanied by a staccato bomp and chromatic twang. The band vamps for a solo section that evokes the lineage of country music more than punk rock. “We Broke Down” dials back the rhythm, but the snarl and tension thankfully remain. Its breakdown/build-up section explodes into a crescendo, with acoustic guitar cinderfall, punctuated by a cat’s meow adhering strictly to the Dogme 95 Manifesto.
The caustic lead single, and sort-of-title-track, “Big Evil” kicks it up again, as they sing for their lives, eschewing pop punk for classic rock tendencies. Every move on the record is placed so perfectly, flowing nicely from track to track. The intro to “I’m Tired” reminds me of this; the little transitional sections that seem to solely serve a functional duty for sequencing a set. These are great pleasures for those of us who still value the listening experience of an album.
“Rat Television” changes the channel again with a new lead vocalist menacingly cautioning of the dangers of consumption; like the Halloween episode of some old western, but this one isn’t for kids. Next is the second single from the record, live staple “Insincere/I am Found”. It’s a two-for-one treat, beginning with a catchy arrangement that struts casually towards a seamless shift into “I am Found”, a peppy tune bookended by fuzz-drenched guitar excursions. They bring the tempo down for album closer “Wait Around” which contains the same wails of torment throughout that populate the record like lost souls trapped in the dusty PA.
In the end, it feels like The Mekons or The Scientists meet The Compulsive Gamblers off the shoulder of a desolate highway, standing beside a broken-down tour van to swap dark, glowing tales under the stars. The solid rhythm, cascading fuzz delays, and warm rock and roll organ are familiar but welcoming garage rock territory. The band’s not reinventing the wheel, by any means. The real payoff is their distinct musical sound, their specific timbre and swagger, their characteristic spooky resonance and vice-tight ensemble playing; harmony decomposed into volatile compounds, the emergent property that is Big Evil Rat.
