AL B DAMNED - DARKER SIDE OF ME (CD REVIEW)

01.Katch Em And Kill Em
02.From Transylvania With Love
03.So Far So Bad
04.Better Left Undead
05.Lust For Death
06.Hate 2 Love You
07.Dead On My Feet
08.I'd Take Your Life
09.Everything Can Burn
10.Play Dead For Me
11.Muthafucker
12.Pretty When Your Dead
13.Darker Side Of Me
14.My Queen Of Halloween 2010


Al.B.Damned (Vocals)
Kodi Kasper (Guitar)
StarFish (Guitar)
Danny Toxic (Bass)
Pip Sickness (Drums)

Guests
Ed Lacey from Bezerker (Bass) Lust For Death
Scoty Scurvy & Abby Normal from FDQFP13/Graveyard Boulevard (Voices) Play Dead For Me


Al was of course the leader of Texas Drag Queen Massacre since its inception in November 2003 until its untimely death in 2009.
TDQM had built up a solid worldwide reputation as a major force in horror punk/rock and were equals to that american phenomenon know as Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13.

No sooner had the band finished and Al was back writing a solo album and soon found local musicians to back him, it became clear that far from being a one off that this was about to turn into a full blown band.

They made their debut in London at the Burlesque & Rock N Roll Show last October then followed it with a uk tour and released single Katch Em & Kill Em.

After more gigs and an increasing demand from fans the band went into the studio to record their debut album.


A new version of 'Katch Em & Kill Em' opens the album with the introduction of "Ladies and Gentlemen and freaks" immediatley kicking into a high voltage rocker with an anthemic sing-a-long chorus that simply slays every time.

A neat riff greets the ears to 'From Transylvania With Love' it keeps up the pace from start to finish, great lyrics, driving drums and great backing vocals complimenting Al's lead.

'So Far So Bad' is one of those sleazy, bouncy rockers that gets the feet tapping, throw in a couple of B-Movie samples and tongue in cheek lyrics and you have a near perfect song!

'Better Left Undead' starts with a sample from a trailer for an old zombie movie.The song treads generic horror punk themes and with its gang vocal backing adds a hint of trash to produce yet another great tune.

'Lust For Death' is a fucking monster of a song, with guest bass playing from extreme metal legends Bezerker's Ed Lacey, this is pure metal at its finest, agressive with a melodic chorus, screaming guitars and definitive drumming just move this along at a pace that stuns, and a face ripping solo that shreds with the best thrown in, what more do you need?

'Hate 2 Love You' is the one i still cant get my head around, there is nothing wrong with it but it just does'nt do anything for me, i just cant find anything to latch onto.


'Dead On My Feet' deals with the Zombie Apocalypse from the Zombies point of view, it starts with a sample from the trailer for 'Dawn Of The Dead' then armed with some awesome lyrics like "These dead white eyes that rotting skin, No recollection of where I’ve been,
I woke up in this cemetery and I can’t remember a thing, Am I going insane?".
Just brilliant in every way.

'Id Take Your Life' has some nasty metal riffs mixed with some great vocals and once again its as catchy as hell!

Oh wow, some superb acoustic guitar coming out of the speakers for 'Everything Can Burn' and Al's vocal is quite (dare i use the word?) beautiful.
This is a dark melancholic ballad that cries for sympathy but gets none even with lines such as "My family they betrayed me, Couldn’t be what they wanted me to be, All I ever got was hurt,But everything can burn".

The modern horror references in 'Play Dead For Me' make a refreshing change from the usual namechecking of 1950's legends.
This is the consumate modern horror song delivered with precision and perfection.
The guest voices at the end add some bad taste humor : "I like my women like i like my ice cream, cold and stored in the freezer!!!".

Oh hell yeah a real fuck you rocker called 'Muthafucker' think this could be many peoples facebook status "Well I can smile cause you are finally gone,Goodbye, Good riddance,
See you later, fuck you, fuck off".
Some awesome high powered backing on this neo rock n roll number and a solo worthy of Brian Setzer anyday!

'Pretty When Your Dead' is almost the sister song to 'Play Dead For Me', there is a touch of the Corey Taylor's on the chorus and musically not a million miles away from Stone Sour.There are some intresting timing changes and a few differing vocal styles thrown in as well.

'Darker Side Of Me', got to use that word "beautiful" again to describe Al's vocals here on yet another dark ballad as he sings "Something tells me to do the bad things that I do, There’s a devil on my shoulder and no angel to argue", the orchestration that also backs the song is outstanding.
Then half way through a rhythm not unlike Marilyn Manson's 'Beautiful People' kicks in with actual police report recordings from the murder trials connected with Manson.
Returning at the end to the slower mood, its a superb song and one which i could imagine Alice Cooper singing.

Finally a bonus song with a new version of the TDQM classic 'Queen Of Halloween', its slightly heavier and has another face ripping solo thrown in, and furious drumming to blow the speakers, a perfect end to a perfect album.

Now you can quote me on this and to hell with the consequences...."THIS IS THE ALBUM THE MURDERDOLLS SHOULD HAVE MADE!!!".

This is original, well produced, brilliantly arranged music that puts Al B Damned in the number one position not only for horror rock but without a doubt one of the best albums you will hear this year, and one which you will be playing for many years to come.


STU

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of: Alice Cooper, Murderdolls (Circa 2002), WASP, Marilyn Manson, AFI, White Zombie