Dead & Breakfast-Rebirth

Independent/Self-Release
2017

Dead & Breakfast is a (metallic) horror punk band from Italy that has been around since 2007. The ghoulish group includes Pachu (vocals/bass), G.I. Joe (guitarist/vocalist), and a drummer name Piffy. Preceded in life by 2012's "Worse Case Scenario", "Rebirth" is the latest batch of goodies from this heavy rockin' trio that (unfortunately) shares it's name with one hell of a crappy movie. Unlike the so-called "horror comedy" film of the same name (which is neither scary or funny kids), Italy's Dead & Breakfast serves a purpose in life and actually knows what it is doing! Built out of raw heavy metal, (basement) hard rock, and electrified punk(!), Dead & Breakfast's third full-length album seems poised to challenge all of the preconceived notions that some metalheads still seem to have about horror rock. If that sounds like you (and all you know about the genre starts and ends with The Misfits) then be sure to give this one a shot.

For more information on this powerful trio be sure to head here.

Raging Dead-Born In Rage

Self-Release/Independent
2015


Heavy punk/hard metal band Raging Dead was formed in 2014 by Cloud Shade (vocals, guitars) and Matt Void (lead guitar). Bassist Simon Nightmare and drummer Traci Decadence complete the line-up of "Born In Rage" and this horror-infused EP opens strong with the track "Awakening The  Damned". From there you'll be treated to numbers like "Scratch Me", "Redemption" and "Nightstalker" with the heavy rock thrash of "Vengeance" closing things out just as effectively as "Awakening The Damned" opened things up! With influences such as Rob Zombie, Marylin Manson, Wednesday 13 and the Murderdolls listed you'd be forgiven if you thought that this EP might just lean towards the electronic side of horror rock. Thankfully that's far from the case as the group's horror-inspired debut offering is more in line with The Misfits and The Exploited than Marylin Manson and Rob Zombie! Otherwise listing Skid Row as a source of inspiration, Raging Dead errs on the side of caution with this EP drawing a straight as can be line right through gritty hard rock, raw heavy metal and horror punk/hardcore. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Oscar Burato at Atomic Stuff Studios in Isorella, Brescia, Italy, "Born  In  Rage" is full of rage and fury and for that I offer a tip of my hat in appreciation towards this up and coming Italian band ! 

Dead Federation-Dead Federation

Red Hour Records
2014

With Halloween less then two weeks away right isn't it about time that we pull out all the party favors? And no, we're not just talking about hard cider and hot wings here (even if those two particular items are a must-have for all my horror-related excursions!). Or for that matter all the lovely ghouls that one can dig up for the evening's festivities! Rather we are talking about how no party would be complete without some maddening tunes for all the creatures of the night to get on up and get down to. Especially if all you want to do on October 31st is to shake a leg and wake the dead! That's where punk metal misfits of science like Dead Federation come in handy. This Akron-area group has been lurking around these parts since at least 2010 and even if some of the band's original freaks have succumbed to the environment (corpses actually do not last long in the hot sun friends!) there's always grave robbing as an option right? Right! With the current line-up featuring lead singer Tom Dark, guitarists X46 ( Jeff Hardy ) & Mike " Shoobs " Schubert, bassist Caitie O' Shea and drummer Tommy Rocker Jr Dead Federation now has a lively bunch of misfits on hand for what is merely the latest slab of horror-related punk metal madness from this Ohio lot. While the band self-describes their sound as being like "a werewolf howling at the moon on a rocking Halloween night" a closer examination of the crime scene reviles the DNA of a dark metal band with some old-school goth/horror-punk leanings. That might sound an awful lot like Danzig/Misfits worship (and even some Samhain love), but for Dead Federation this eight-track album rocks a different beat entirely with the cast of characters involved here reinforcing the notion that Ohio's punk, hard rock and heavy metal scenes sound unlike any other. One has to imagine that Dead Federation is an absolute hoot live, but no imagination is needed when it comes to this self-titled studio piece as you can hear it here: https://deadfederation.bandcamp.com/     

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dead-Federation/200599879953057 

Jokerbats-"Vampire" Single

EvilZ Records / Exor's Magicvision Entertainments 2014 Hailing from a mythical land called EvilZgate, which may or may not actually be in London somewhere,  Jokerbats are a two-piece band comprised of vocalist/guitarist Byron and vocalist/bassist Trix. Along with help from Blond Wolf (lead guitar), Jester (drums/percussion) and Exor (Theatrical voices and keyboards), all of whom help out in studio and/or live situationist, the pair have created a band that is as capable visually as they are musically! Self-described as such: "We're a rock and hard rock band with a penchant for gothic horror and more. With a pinch of parody and a smack of glam, we are, when all is said and done, overall, quite a theatrical thing" the band, who list their influences as being Rob Zombie, Lordi Alice Cooper, Wednesday 13, Bauhaus, Motörhead, The Cure, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Ozbourne, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Murderdolls, Queenadreena, The Stranglers, The Cramps and Metallica has also been described by some sources as a hard rock/heavy metal version of The White Stripes! Truthfully Jokerbats, who will be officially releasing this single on the 24th of February, are all of the above while unlike anything you could imagine! A long-talked about and long-delayed EP was in the works although it now appears as if that will be expanded into a full-fledged album. One can only hope for as much seeing as "Vampire", which can be previewed below thanks to it's official video, is captivating even with it's (somewhat) camp overcoat! Be sure to check this pair out for yourself (and trust me you'll want to friends if for no other reason then the lovely Trix!) and "Like" their Facebook page below so you can be kept up to date on the comings and goings of this EvilZgate-based band! Video for "Vampire" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s5DnwlzNbQ Official Site: http://evilzgate.com/ Facebook Page for Jokerbats: https://www.facebook.com/JokerbatsBand

Superhorrorfuck-Death Becomes Us

Logic(Il)Logic Records
2013

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? No? Would you care to? If deep down inside, hidden behind those innocent eyes of yours (and I know this because my own set of eyeballs gives off an innocent glow), you find yourself saying "Yes" to that very question then man, do I ever have a band for you! As the back-story for this one goes: "Four guys, members of a band called Morphina, are driving through the woods of Desperation City towards a dirty pub where they were supposed to play for an Halloween party. The four guys never reached their destination, their car crashed mysteriously and their bodies had never been found... Instead of them, four fresh dead corpses reached the pub, they called themselves Superhorrorfuck". So there you go. Ghoulish rock from "Desperation City" as played by guys like Dr. Freak (vocals) and Mr. 4 (bass). Seems legit to me. With a current line-up that also includes Deadly Bucks & Izzy Wyldhell (guitars) and Franky Voltage (drums), and guest musicians such as Paghalloween (lead guitar solos),  Sgt. Anubis (rhythm guitars) and Littlebomb (drums), the band's latest album features just the right combination of sleazy punk, ghetto glam and horror heavy metal to get your Halloween party hopping! This LP, which is actually their 3rd full-length endeavor (the group has also released one EP.), cuts right to the rotten heart of Desperation City's Superhorrorfuck and their cool as shit style. The group's less-then-subtle make-up and  image does come across as "interesting" and it might look to some as if these crazed, demonically-possessed zombie rockers can't be taken seriously. But, strip away the make-up and overall theme of this Italian act and there is so much more to be discovered. Unlike the old hair metal and glam metal days of old when bands were all dressed up in an attempt to hide their lack-luster talent (no need to name names although groups like Nitro and Pretty Boy Floyd spring to mind) the musicians that make up Superhorrorfuck know all to well to get things done. Here on tape these Frankenstein-like creatures of the night rock out hard and if you were to drop the outfits and the often times bizarre and ghoulish lyrics you would still end up with a very special sound that appeal to the large majority of heavy metal fans out there. Sure enough these "monsters" do combine all of the sick and twisted elements/fantasies of  artists like Alice Cooper, Lizzy Borden, Murderdolls, Samhain and Wednesday 13. But on the other hand you're looking (or rather listening to) a band that has an almost Guns N' Roses meets Mindfunk vibe about them that is most definitely metallic. So, even if this album's artwork and the band's name threw me for a loop when I pulled this particularly strange promo out of a package of many (which I would suspect it would do to others) the actual music that these guys pump out is hard & heavy and it features some tasty guitar licks, a thick back-side that keeps everything crunchy (in a 80's hard rock way) and vocals that are kind of gnarly! Yet again you just cannot judge a book by it's cover!