How Carpenter Brut’s “Turbo Killer” inspired me to start VHS PANTY RIOT

How Carpenter Brut’s “Turbo Killer” inspired me to start VHS PANTY RIOT

It was “Turbo Killer” by Carpenter Brut.

Apart from soundtracks, it was the first time I’d found myself enjoying music that wasn’t strictly metal.

It had everything: the songwriting, the melodies, the arrangements, the heartache, the tension. All with this beautiful, nostalgic 80s flair that reminded me of the good things from my childhood. I was sold.

Here’s “You’re Pretty When You Panic”, the opening track from KISS KISS CUT CUT. Press play while you read.

Listen to You’re Pretty When You Panic on Spotify

I binged Trilogy, then Leather Teeth, then Leather Terror. After that, I struggled to find many other artists making the exact kind of music I’d fallen in love with. I’ve since put together a guide to artists like Carpenter Brut, with songs to start with.

I discovered Perturbator and ended up loving some of his music, especially Uncanny Valley. Beyond those two, though, I found it difficult to find more of what I was looking for.

A lot of what I discovered leaned towards the EDM side of synthwave, or towards guitar driven metal and electronic crossovers. Great music in its own right, but it didn’t quite fill the gap.

That’s when I decided to put down the guitars and pick up a synth. I just didn’t have enough of this music to enjoy, so I found myself wanting to write it myself.

That’s why I started VHS PANTY RIOT.

A lot of what I love about metal comes down to heaviness and melody happening together. A riff can be aggressive as hell, but put the right melody over it and suddenly there’s something sad underneath. That combination is a big part of what I’m trying to do with VPR. I’ve explored that connection further in my darksynth for metal fans guide, with five tracks to try.

I make instrumental darksynth, and my metal influences come through in how I approach the songs. I want riffs you remember, drums that hit hard and breakdowns that feel like they’ve been building towards something. I also want quieter moments that you actually care about.

With VPR, I’m trying to work those influences into something that develops its own personality. The bass is a big part of that. I like it to have a recognisable character, including the clangy quality that runs through some of my tracks. It should be something you notice and remember.

I also spend a lot of time thinking about how a song moves between sections. A softer bridge can change how the whole track feels. When the heavy part comes back, I want that quieter passage to have made it mean something.

“Melancholy inside aggression” is probably the closest I’ve come to describing what I’m aiming for. I want music that makes you want to headbang while leaving you feeling a bit sad, sometimes without quite knowing why.

The horror side gives all of this a setting. The idea behind VHS PANTY RIOT is soundtracks to 80s slasher films that never existed. That gives me something to picture while writing: suspense, a chase, a moment of relief, then everything going wrong again.

My debut EP, KISS KISS CUT CUT, explores that across five tracks. “You’re Pretty When You Panic” opens the story, followed by “I Smile You Scream”. If you’re curious about VPR, listening through the EP in order is a good way to hear how those ideas fit together.

You can listen to KISS KISS CUT CUT on Spotify.

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