Year: 2025
Label: Bad Billy Records

The 15th of March, 2008. That’s when I first heard The Bullet Biters and knew this was a band worth keeping tabs on. They were still a young band back then, with just a single demo under their belt. But even so, as they took the stage in Korso, Vantaa, it was obvious that this Finnish trio had what it takes. So obvious, that this gig is vividly etched into my memory even after all these years. (I admit I had to look up the exact date of the gig, though.)

It took five long years until 2013 for the psychobilly trio to release their debut album Stranglers United. The aforementioned demo, which I got my hands on pretty soon after aforementioned gig, and a 7″ called Intergalactic Mental Alert were promising, but still somewhat nascent. Not so the album: it blew me away, and revisiting it a few years back, when it was finally released on vinyl, it still blew me away.

And now, finally, after 12 years, their second album. Good things come to those who wait, right?

The band released an advance 7″ EP last year with three tracks from the album. If there ever was any doubt that The Bullet Biters still had what it takes, the EP quickly put ’em to rest. Especially the title track, Serial Drowner, instantly became one of my favourites in the band’s discography. It remains a key track on the album itself, but far from the sole highlight.

The single also made it clear that the band haven’t changed their sound, and the album confirms it. They’re still all about classic, old school psychobilly with a heavy emphasis on the “billy” part of the name. There’s a lot of rockabilly here, performed with frantic energy and a vicious snarl. On the other hand, there is very little punk to be heard here, and the band don’t lay on too much distortion on the guitars. It’s a nicely clean, tempered sound that still has an edge to it.

Take for example Brain Back: perhaps one could add the prefix “neo” to it, but there’s no beating around the bush here. This is a rockabilly song – with an added adrenaline kick. It sort of reminds me of older Reverend Horton Heat in its combination of neo-rockabilly and old school psycho.

The band’s true knack has always been in creating surprisingly atmospheric, moody or somber songs. Video track Dead Planets is a great example. It’s hard to put one’s thumb on why exactly, but there’s something endlessly melancholic in it. Not to mention an absolutely killer, melodic chorus. Aforementioned Serial Drowner is another example of this, incorporating slight rautalanka elements into the rockin’ billy. (Rautalanka is Finnish form of mainly instrumental music from the 1960’s which drew from local schlager, rock & roll and surf music, and has a very distinct tone.)

But make no mistake, this is psychobilly through and through. If you don’t believe me, check out the title track. The speedily galloping double bass and speedy guitar work leave no room for doubt. Or Eye For An Eye, a fast little number where each member gets to prove their dexterity with their chosen instrument.

Napalm Over The Rainbow is stylistically exactly what one could expect from The Bullet Biters. Qualitywise, it’s just about everything one could hope from them. In other words, this is an album that’s guaranteed to satisfy both long time fans and newcomers. Best of all, whilst not exactly bending the definitions of the genre, the album proves The Buller Biters have managed to forge something somewhat unique from a classic blueprint.

It’s sort of a cliché to bemoan the current state of psychobilly. I admit I’ve succumbed to it from time to time, too. But really, when you’ve got class acts and albums like this and fellow Finns De La Rocka keeping the flame alive, there is absolutely no reason to be despondent. Quite the contrary, in fact.

Visit The Bullet Biters on their official website, Facebook or Instagram