“Is there anything better than a horror-themed album? I think not. But, being the mentally unstable King Diamond fan that I am, I’m sure that’s no surprise to anyone. But you won’t find soaring falsettos and soloing as old as Steel on Black Cross Hotel’s debut record, Hex. Instead, you’ll discover Killing Joke-inspired industrial metal mingled with punky vocals and synths that you’d swear came from a John Carpenter movie.” The horror….
Misfits
Ghoultown – Curse of Eldorado [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]
“Yeah, yeah, ya’ll’ve told me: reckon I’m the only one ’round these parts that loves the Lone Star State’s Ghoultown. Staffer ev’n says to me, ‘What’s’there to like?’ But he ain’t considered this: ‘Wha’s there not ta like?'” Red neck, metal heart.
Caskets Open – Concrete Realms of Pain Review
“Alright, stop me if you’ve heard this one. Strife, Saint Vitus and Glenn Danzig walk into a bar. Danzig orders an absinthe, Saint Vitus order beers and Strife order Shirley Temples. Bartender says, “You boys can stay, but the penguin has got to go.” Ahhh? Wait, did I mention the penguin in the setup? Let me start over. Strife, Saint V…or maybe it was Earth Crisis. Is it funnier if Earth Crisis, has a penguin?” These are the jokes, kids.
Wraith – Absolute Power Review
“My review lineup had a fallow week in it and the promo blurb for Wraith peaked my interest with the phrase “blackened speed/thrash metal” with a “punk attitude.” In my head, this translates as something like Skeletonwitch playing The Exploited or Dead Kennedys covers. If this Indiana three-piece could only deliver on my own little fantasy there, I’d be up for that all day.” Absolute power corrupts absotutely.
Vanik – II: Dark Season Review
“There are many ways to celebrate Halloween: candy; costumes; horror movies; punk-influenced thrash metal albums from Cleveland. The latter is brought to you this October [Er, November… my bad – Ed.] by Vanik, a thrash band Frankensteined together from punk and metal musicians harvested from the likes of Toxic Holocaust, Ringworm and Vindicator. Following up their self-titled debut, Vanik have now sharpened their Voorheesian machetes in preparation for spreading terror with their new Halloween-themed record II: Dark Season, released by Shadow Kingdom Records.” Is one of the ways you can celebrate Halloween as dressing up as a retro thrash band and releasing a record? That answer, inside!