THE REANIMATED: THE NECRO FILES REVIEW

  While most people think of horror punk as a bunch of goth kids ripping off the misfits, it's always nice to see a band that'll prove them wrong. Cincinnati based band The Reanimated are that band. 

  The vocal work of James Bondage (hah get it) is soaring and melodic while delving into a more metal style of growling when the time calls for it. He creates his own murderous hellscape to add a sense of believability to the lyrics. 

  Opening up is the catchy "Ghouls In The Mortuary" which has a fast paced sound that creates the vibe of being chased by a killer. Following that however is "LV-426" which is the biggest misstep on the record being boring and repetitive. After the crunching "Slit Your Throat" is the title track. That song really shows off not only the vocal talent but also the songwriting abilities of the band. It closes off with a cover of The Sonics' "The Witch" which has a very different feel than the rest of the record. 

  If you dig horror films, punk rock, and a decent singer this EP is definitely the place to start. 

  Rating: 4 out of 5

  Notable Track:

    "The Necro Files"

CAPTAIN BLOOD: FOR SAIL REVIEW

  "For Sail" is the first album (and only so far") by Denver based horror punks Captain Blood. 

  The record opens up with the energetic but overly long intro "Glow N The Dark" then goes into the more gothic feeling "Last Ride. Continuing through the record is very similar to a haunted house in the sense that it's a fun ride drenched in the blood of all things horror. Although the album does slow down for the almost love song "Dawn Of The Dead" which is as close to a ballad as you're gonna get. 

  Musically, it's punk stirred up in a cauldron of surf rock and the riffs similar of Calabrese. The stand out part here is due to (frontman) Markula. He forgoes the cliche swoon of Danzig for a more melodic style similar to that of Michale Graves. You'll definitely find yourself singing out loud.  

  One thing that they do right is capture the fun and humor of the genre. With songs such as "Where Are My Bones", the tale of a ghost that comes back to his  grave only to find his bones have been taken, to the purrfect "Black Cat". Plus, there's a song about The Toxic Avenger and c'mon, how can you not love that. 

  Are you looking for something to add to your Halloween playlist? Maybe something to tide you over while you wait for the Misfits to release something that doesn't suck (cough Devil's Rain cough)?  Then look no further. "For Sail" is available on iTunes for those outside of the Denver area. 

  Rating: 8 out of 10

  Notable Tracks:

    "Where Are My Bones"

    "Hangman"

    "Come Alive"