Here we go: the man, the myth, the legend, Mr Kris Barras is back with his glorious band for the release of his latest album, ‘Monsters We Made.’
It has been quite a while since I have had the pleasure of Kris and co. In our home city of Belfast, Northern Ireland, he last appeared as support to Black Stone Cherry quite a few years back, and prior to that he had played a sold-out solo show at The Empire Music Hall. After seeing how well he had done, I expected more regular visitation rights, but alas, his mother said no.
In truth, Kris’ star was on the rise; he went from grafting UK Blues rocker to rubbing shoulders and sharing stages with the biggest names in the business, and he hasn’t quite looked back since. But that grafter instinct ingrained in his DNA keeps him constantly on the go with fresh new music flowing regularly, and he is back doing his thing once again with his own band, and that is always good news.
Right from the off, you get a taste of his explosive energy with the album opener and album title track ‘Monsters We Made ’, as Michael Caine famously once said, “Blow The Bloody Doors Off”, and announces the album’s intention with a blistering opening track. As always, Kris has a glorious melodic edge to his songwriting; regardless of how heavy it hits, it will always be a sound with vast appeal. Beyond that, you almost forget this guy is a beast as a guitarist, as the band is fundamentally forged around his gargantuan-sounding songwriting; the guitar player he is almost seems to fuse into the songs seamlessly, which is no mean feat for an artist as talented as Kris.
His sound for this album is quite contemporary; he was never one for resting on his laurels, always pushing the boundaries of how he interprets modern rock and blues-infused rock at any given time, and you get the sense that with his new album, that desire to better himself is as strong as ever. The riffage is thick as treacle, Kris’s vocals cutting through the mix before anthemic choruses kick in to elevate each and every track on the album. Kris has always had a fresh sound considering he inhabits that Blues/Rock sphere, playing without constraints and allowing for free-flowing expression to be the main sonic force that drives his incredible energy live, especially. If you have not, for any reason, had the pleasure of catching Kris and Co. Live, they are one of the best live bands on the scene today. Technically mind-blowing in every aspect, Kris is a monster guitar player who, live, just takes it to another level you never knew was possible. So with ‘Monsters We Made ’, we have a bigger, bolder soundtrack for which the band can bring a behemoth live performance to a stage near you.
Monsters We Made is the perfect bridge between Kris’ earlier work and the more contemporary, rock-laden sound that he has embraced over more recent recordings; his talent knows no bounds, and with an album this polished, he will no doubt win over an army of thirsty rock fans looking for a new, fresh take on classic rock songwriting but with the gurth of wall of Marshall stacks meltng faces in the front row. The production is first class, the playing just sublime. The whole vibe just has Kris set up to spread his wings in 2026/2027 and beyond. All killer, no filler. The Kris Barra Band has the world at their feet and a soundtrack to take it on.
Monsters We Made lands Friday, August 14th, courtesy of Earache Records.
Pre-order “Monsters We Made” HERE.
“Monsters We Made” Track Listing:
2. Beautiful Lie
3. Riot Of One
4. Unspoken
5. All Falls Down
6. Alive
7. Otherside
8. Fake
9. Rewind
10. End Of Me
11. Levitate
With the new album right around the corner, KRIS BARRAS BAND will be embarking on a string of in-store appearances across the UK this August that will coincide with the release of “Monsters We Made”. The events will include an unplugged acoustic session featuring Kris Barras (vocals/guitars) and Josiah Manning (guitars/piano), and a signing session (excluding Kingston date).
Most venues will include an album pre-order + ticket bundle for entry (with the exclusion of Kingston, which will offer a ticket-only option).
Monsters We Made In-Store Tour Dates:
Fri 14th Aug – 1pm – LEEDS Crash
Fri 14th Aug – 7pm – BURY Wax And Beans
Sat 15th Aug – 1pm – GLASGOW Assai
Sat 15th Aug – 6pm – EDINBURGH Assai
Sun 16th Aug – 6pm – LONDON Rough Trade East
Mon 17th Aug – 1pm – GOSPORT A Slice Of Vinyl
Mon 17th Aug – 7pm – KINGSTON Fighting Cocks
Tue 18th Aug – 6.30pm – BRISTOL Rough Trade
Wed 19th Aug – 6pm – NOTTINGHAM Rough Trade
Thu 20th Aug – 7pm – LIVERPOOL Jacaranda
Tickets are on-sale now.
Get yours here: https://linktr.ee/KBB2026.
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