Monster Music Magnificence

Monster Music Magnificence

Wednesday 13 Album Review

by

Boris Lee

Horror themes and heavy music are nothing new. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins with “I Put a Spell on You”, Bobby ‘Boris’ Picket with “Monster Mash”, Sheb Wooley with “Purple People Eater”, and others laid the foundation for horror tales in music. Arthur Brown, Alice Cooper, and others then added theatrical horror visions to the monster mastery. With the creative brilliance of these legends being carbon copied by many over the years, some doing it well while others have failed to find a formula for frightful fun, standing out among the horror themed music hordes is not a simple feat.

Wednesday 13 finds a way to standout hammering the hatchet home with the twenty-nineteen release, Necrophaze. The album boasts killer creative collaborations with gruesome guests Jeff Clayton, Alexi Laiho, Cristina Scabbia, and the aforementioned Alice Cooper. The musicianship offering on the record is ‘Terrorific’. Roman Surman lays down creepy catchy lead guitars, while Jack Tankersley, Troy Doebbler and Kyle Castronovo compliment the creativity with their instrumental solidarity.

The title track of the record features Alice Cooper, providing a spoken introduction that bares a Vincent Price frightful feel, setting up the ‘Rippin’ Riffs’ and ‘Venomous Vocals.’ Cooper appearing on the album goes hand in hand with Wednesday 13’s vocal style, as I have found him to be a modern day Alice Cooper in musical creative design.

“Bring Your Own Blood” is a baptism in classic slasher film lyrical story telling. The song’s introduction reversed my usual ‘Frownward’ lip shape and when the industrial synth sounds hit my speakers, the image of party invading teens dancing to their doom decorated my mind. Monster Club meets Monster Squad with more massacre.

“Zodiac”is a pulsating pulverizer with a touch of the theme to John Carpenter’s Halloween in feel.

“Monster”is a modern macabre march of musical madness. Cristina Scabbia (Lucana Coil) provides supporting vocals that lift this terror tale into a commercial friendly fiend. A retelling of the Frankenstein story or message of modern heartbreak and the psychotic potential that can come from loves betrayals, the song’s meaning is open to perspective suggestion.

“Be Warned” is a creeping camp fire tale told by Jeff Clayton (Antiseen) that acts as a prelude to the horror of “The Hearse”. The song scratches the surface of Black Metal with a tonal totality blessed by King Diamond.

“Bury the Hatchet” is a humorous horror haven following the creative and campy tongue-in-cheek feel that Wednesday 13 lays out with his own signature vibe.

“Necrophaze Main Theme (End Credits)” is a nice close to the story like album. The synth work and dark piano chords are haunting harbingers to the final song of the album, a cover of “Animal” (Fuck Like a Beast) by W.A.S.P. Featuring Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom, the song is a ‘Terrorific Tribute’ to Blackie Lawless, who is certainly an influence for Wednesday 13 and others in the industry today.

Overall, Necrophaze is a solid offering from Wednesday 13 that falls into the category of ‘All Killer No Filler’ records. The music feels like a homage to the horror themed music-masters while staying original in overall tone. I give Necrophaze 4.5 raised horns.

To learn more about Wednesday 13 check out the following links.

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“NECROPHAZE” is out now via Nuclear Blast Records! Order your copy HERE.