Dark Ride are another band that are completely new to me. I am very excited to hear them for the first time, especially because they are a punk band!
Dark Ride are: Emilio Menze on lead vocals and guitar, Jesus Lopez on bass and backing vocals, Rob Hyodo on guitar and backing vocals, and Briana Mota on drums. Emilio Menze formed the band back in 2019. They are based in Santa Cruz, California.
The band released a self-titled EP back in 2020, and are now releasing their debut album Blade Manor on 27th March 2026 with twelve tracks via Fiend Force/Massacre Records.
Dark Ride released their first track ‘Rewind’ on 23rd January 2026, followed by second track ‘Coffin’ on 14th February 2026.
I am very impressed, not just by the album, but the band themselves! How have I not listened to them before this?! They are very heavily influenced by Misfits, and you can definitely hear it in their music. It’s not a bad thing, I love Misfits. A well mixed blend of high-energy melodic punk, 80s/90s horror, and some metal influences within. In some tracks, it’s almost cult-like. Their dark and heavy themes with their cinematic storytelling bring the album together perfectly. It was really hard to choose just a few tracks to add to my favourites list! I love every track on the album, but here are the few that I managed to decide on to talk about.
First of all, ‘Coffin’ hasn’t just got a perfect-fitting name for horror punk, but the music itself describes the genre well. Melodic and authentic punk sound, with a hint of dark horror and a little heaviness within.
‘I Bury Boyfriends’ has a catchy chorus which you can easily sing along to. The drums are very loud and pronounced, which I love a lot. The guitar riffs come in with a loud high-pitched sound nearer the end.
‘Seascape Samhain’ is only 59 seconds and has no lyrics, but it expresses an authentic heavy punk and dark horror mix. It’s like it’s getting you prepared for something that’s about to happen.
‘Fever Dream’ is very high-energy melodic punk. You get a cult-like horror sound mixed in and some catchy dance moments. It’s hard to sit still to this track.
And lastly, ‘Ruined’ is a bit heavier and faster, but still holds an authentic melodic punk rock and dark horror mix well. You can easily headbang and dance to this track, maybe even do a bit of skanking and jumping around! It’s one of the shorter tracks on the album, and I think it might be my favourite track overall because of the heavier punk side.
This whole album screams horror punk! It is another album which will be on repeat for me and I will definitely be recommending the band to everyone I know. Go check them out and hear for yourself how great this album is when it is released!
