SINGLE REVIEW: Barmbrack – It's Halloween (Hold Your Face and Scream)

Barmbrack stomp out of the shadows with ‘It’s Halloween (Hold Your Face and Scream)’, a track that feels like the ultimate Halloween jam without ever leaning on tired clichés. From the opening creepy organ, there’s an immediate sense of menace and fun intertwined — a feeling that something both daunting and mischievous is about to unfold.

The guitars kick in with grit and drive, leading into vocals that drip with raw, unapologetic swagger. Barmbrack balance full-bodied alt-rock power with a playful edge, tacking from brooding, atmospheric verses into up-tempo bursts of guitar rain and raging drums. It’s tight, energetic, and perfectly paced, with a hooky beat that makes the song as infectious as it is spooky.

Lyrically, the track revels in classic Halloween imagery — wolves, witches, vampires, and trick-or-treat antics — but it never feels gimmicky. There’s a clever balance of spooky flair and playful mischief, matched by big riffs and a killer guitar solo that cement the song’s timeless alt-rock feel. The production captures the chaotic fun without losing punch or clarity, making it a track that feels both immediate and enduring.

‘It’s Halloween (Hold Your Face and Scream)’ is a rare example of a modern Halloween song that actually deserves to be called that — equally thrilling, playful, and rocking hard enough to make it stick in your head long after the season’s over. Barmbrack have nailed the balance between novelty and classic rock energy, creating something that could become a perennial favourite for years to come.