The Other Alienated Review

The Other

Alienated

Massacre Records

2025

Horror punk (horror rock, ghoul rock, death punk, whatever you wanna call it) is perhaps the nichest of all the niche genres. There are notable exceptions that have escaped the “let's sound like the Misfits and the Ramones all the time” trappings, such as Calabrese, The Rosedales, early AFI, and, some would even say, my own band. That’s not for me to decide, but it’s humbling to hear, nonetheless. Of course, these bands I’ve mentioned (save for AFI), along with other criminally underrated artists like Green Goblyn Project, Darkest of the Hillside Thickets, The Spook, and the very band we’re about to discuss, are part of the “second wave” and all fly painfully under the radar. There’s also a healthy third wave of bands that cropped up at the dawn of the 2010s and beyond, but THIS review is about to get down to the brass tacks of the new thirteen-song spookfest from Cologne, Germany’s favorite sickos: The Other.

For the sake of some background: The Other began in 2002 as a Misfits tribute band called The Ghouls. Soon after, they started writing originals and unleashed They’re Alive! in 2004, a debut packed with some of their most beloved material, which they still perform to this day. Lineup changes, musical growth, and seven albums followed, which brings us to their eighth: Alienated. This album was produced by Tim Schulte (Massendefekt, Rogers, Callejon, Stefanie Heinzmann), mixed by Arne Neurand (Guano Apes, Subway to Sally, ZSK) at Horus Studios, and mastered by Olman V. Wiebe (Kreator, Caliban, Sondaschule). From a production standpoint, the album delivers a modern sheen with their patented punk/metal rawness and intensity, without sounding too compressed or sterile. Having been a fan of the band since their inception, I can say without bias that this is the best mix they’ve ever had. Now let’s get to the songs, yeah?

The Other have increasingly woven metal into their songwriting, alongside melodic punk and, in recent years, a healthy dose of goth rock. If you can imagine a dinner party where Bad Religion, Pennywise, and The Damned break bread with H.I.M., Type O Negative, and the 69 Eyes, you’re on the right track. It’s worth noting, too, that lead vocalist Rod “The Lightning Rod” Usher (sorry buddy, I couldn’t resist) has greatly expanded his approach, using his low register, raspy midrange, and higher tenor voicings throughout. Joining him is returning founding member/bassist Andy Only (high five!), Jag Boone on drums, and Van Tom and J. Ends on guitars and backing vocals.

Thematically, the album revolves around loneliness, detachment, and estrangement. Lead single “Alienated” encapsulates those ideas perfectly with a three-and-a-half-minute goth-tinged dirge that still packs a punch with its catchy chorus and sing-along whoah-ohs. You also get the full-throttle proto-thrash of “I Need Blood”, the punk urgency of “I Give You the Creeps”, which slides into a keyboard-laden bridge before exploding into its earworm-worthy chorus, and my personal favorite, “A Ghost From the 80s”, which leans toward 80’s rock and new wave, just with way more teeth. As is par for the course with The Other, you’ll also find the campy horror-movie-inspired tracks “Horror Movie Monster” and “The Witch From Outer Space” included for the die-hards. “Heir Sein” continues their tradition of including one German-language track, and it’s a melancholic stomper with a strong minor-key chorus and tasteful harmonized guitars. The old-school, back-to-the-roots vibes of “I Know Your Name” and “Die Human Die” cap things off, and I can’t help but smile hearing these.

Seriously, if I were to list the great songs here, I’d just end up listing all of them, and I basically have, save for a couple. Alienated is just that solid of a record. No skips required. With their latest long player, The Other not only prove they have plenty of creativity and gas left in the tank of their hearse, but they’re also gonna drive it straight onto bigger stages, defy genre tropes, and sound resilient and vital while doing it. After all, EVERY day is Halloween, right? But Alienated isn’t just spooky season required listening. This is a record you should crank all year long.

~TB