So far in their eleven-year recording career, Kris Barras and his band have been a fairly consistent bunch, and to their credit, a prolific one. Album number five, Monsters We Made, is the latest chapter in their story.
Kris Barras Band – Monsters We Made
Release Date: 14 August 2026
Words: Brian Boyle
I had the pleasure of seeing Kris Barras in Manchester back in February when the former MMA fighter and his gang supported Smith/Kotzen at the rather splendid O2 Ritz venue.
Now, I have no problem admitting that my trip over from Dublin was mainly to see Iron Maiden man Adrian Smith and his virtuosic wingman Richie Kotzen. But the Torquay native was a proper head-turner that night, a proper old-school smash-and-grab set.
And the fact that he had to pull out of the tour from a throat infection and being just days away from a big London show must have been like receiving one of the many bruising thumps to the gut he has regularly dished out himself.
So he deserves a big chunk of good luck, and the behemoth title and opening track may just be the catalyst. In comparison, the following track, Beautiful Lie, is a slight drop in momentum, but he is back in the saddle on the relentless jab of Riot Of One, a track drenched in hard-hitting melodies, something that Barras continues to deliver with relative ease.
As a self-confessed lover of a classic power ballad, it is hard to admit that the days of the bouffant-haired, ciggie lighter in the air variety appear to have passed. But if a ballad of the surrendering quality of Unspoken is the level from here on in, then there is zero to get wistful about.
Elsewhere, there is plenty with enough flavour for an immediate re-spin. All Falls Down is an all-action wrecking ball, and Otherside delights with a harmonious blend of sentiment and power.
Fake is not bad either, a more pop-vibed affair that once again triumphs in the chorus department. Rewind is a much different proposition, leaning more towards a Nu-Metal direction, but not a bit formulaic.
Genres, melodies and choruses aside, Barras’ guitar display on this album is exemplary. Not that we should be surprised, but there is a sense that he has found a few extra gears lying around.
Closing track and possibly the finest on the album, the instantly lovable Levitate proves this album at the very least deserves to match the number five UK chart position achieved by 2022’s Halo Effect.
And not to pour scorn on another band’s status, but when you see a band like Shinedown, whose product is not a million miles away from what is here, doing extremely good business in most places, you would have hoped Barras and co would be further up the ladder by now.
But we all know the music business is as fair as a Trump/Infantino World Cup these days. Griping aside, Monsters We Made is a colossus of a rock album that demands your attention.
And another thing. Despite being tatted up to his eyeballs and ripped like a Greek god, I still cannot picture Kris Barras in the octagon. That is because he is a rocker, for god’s sake. One who just happens to know how to execute a double-leg takedown.
Kris Barras Band release Monsters We Made on 14 August 2026 via Earache Records. For more details, visit earache.com/collections/kris-barras-band
October
Monsters We Made In-Store Dates
- 14 August, 1pm – Leeds – Crash
- 14 August, 7pm – Bury – Wax And Beans
- 15 August, 1pm – Glasgow – Assai
- 15 August, 6pm – Edinburgh – Assai
- 16 August, 6pm – London – Rough Trade East
- 17 August, 1pm – Gosport – A Slice Of Vinyl
- 17 August, 7pm – Kingston – Fighting Cocks
- 18 August, 6.30pm – Bristol – Rough Trade
- 19 August, 6pm – Nottingham – Rough Trade
- 20 August, 7pm – Liverpool – Jacaranda
