Under a Nightmare - Monsters 89 - Album Review

*** (out of 4 stars)

"Now the Armageddon's here.

They've got your sister.

The dead walk the earth.

You'll never see that bitch again"

- Blood on the Wall

Track Listing:

1.  Intro

2.  Can't Wait Till Halloween

3.  Blood On The Wall

4.  She's A Banshee

5.  Monsters 89

6.  Boneyard Road

7.  Lost

8.  Become The Stranger

9.  Ghost Town

10.  Shelly & The Vampire

11.  Into the Unknown

12.  Frankenweenie

13.  Take It To The Grave

14.  Devil's Dragstrip

15.  Curse of the Living

16.  Wish It Away

17.  Lay Upon The Dead

18.  Beneath

19.  You Haunted Me

20.  Between Madness

21.  Make Me A Zombie

22.  The Rotting

23.  Dead Youth 

Under a Nightmare is based out of Pittsburgh, Pa.  They formed in October 2002 and have been unleashing hell ever since.  The line up for Monsters 89 is:  Coffin Keenan - guitars/vocals, Marky Madness - guitar/vocals, Jordy Coroner - bass/vocals and The Cubscout - Drums.

Under a Nightmare's 2007 release, Monsters 89, is the perfect love child from punk and grudge.   In fact it's some of the best horror punk I've heard.  As a person following the band for many years, I've watched them grow from afar.  There's a perfect simplicity to Under a Nightmare that I really adore.  The catchy sing-a-long choruses, the guitar work, fast punk drums, and the howling of the bands guitarist/front man, Coffin Keenan.  Keenan has one of the better voices in the genre.  He reminds me of  T.S.O.L's Jack Grisham.  His vocal range keeps the band interesting and makes you want to hear the lyrics that he's singing.

Monsters 89 is packed with twenty-three songs.  Can't Wait Till Halloween starts the album off as a fast-paced, in your face, punk song.  I love when the bass comes in and really sets the tone for the tune.  From there, Blood On The Wall kicks in.  This is the song that made me want to purchase this album.  I love the opening guitar riff, and I love the solo later on.  This is one of the best songs on the album.  The title track, Monsters 89 has a great feel to it, and another great guitar opening that turns into a relentless horror punk attack.  My favorite track probably has to be Make Me A Zombie, a track near the end of the album.  Catchy all around.  A song I go to often when listening to the album.

But the above-mentioned tracks are just a sample taste.  There are so many other songs that are really great.  Frankenweenie is a return to the early days of The Misfits with all the Whoa-oh-ohs. Take it to the Grave starts off slow and groovy, then hits you the face with a hammer.  Never fear because for those of you who want mood, just check out the next to last track, The Rotting, where the acoustic guitar and keys are the driving point.  Keenan's vocals and lyrics for The Rotting are haunting too.  The last track of the album is Dead Youth, a great song, but a depressing reminder that the album is done.  Dead Youth is a great way to finish off.

Although Under a Nightmare has been prominent in the 2000's, I could easily see them finding success thirty years ago.  They sound like a band that could have came from the late 80's early 90's. Overall, this album is really great.  If you're a horror punk fan, do yourself the favor and pick this CD up.  They're currently working on a new record with some great material.  Anything you can purchase will help the band out.

Top five songs on the album:

Can't Wait Till Halloween, Make Me A Zombie, Blood On The Wall, Dead Youth, Monsters 89

Weakness:

Bass seems to be lost in the mix for certain songs, while others it's prominent.

Favorite Lyrics:

Make Me A Zombie

Get their music here:

http://kunaki.com/mSales.asp?PublisherId=138213

UAN's facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Under-A-Nightmare/139709342455

  

  

The Horrifics - Now Fear This - CD Review

****(out of four stars)
1. The Overlook
2. Uzumaki
3. That Which Lurks
4. Forever The Night
5. Under My Knife
6. This Hungry Suffering
7. In Dark Descent
8. Do You Remember Hate?!
9. SCAREcrow Fields
10. Go! Go! Godzilla
11. Hell-O Mary Lou
12. Target Earth
13. Dead Kidz
14. Fury Of The Goat-Man
15. R.I.P
16. Shadowcaster
17. The Overlook (Reprise)


I received this Cd in the mail about five years ago. I was over on myspace (remember that place?) and I sent a friend request to Boo Gruesome, singer and partial songwriter for the band. After hearing some tracks on their myspace page I was hooked, but I wanted a little more to chew on, so I ordered the CD, which also came with patches, pins, flyers and stickers. Man, they hooked me up!

I'll admit that before I bought this album I was never a big punk fan. But I love when bands use horror as a main theme to the music. It's the best of both worlds if you ask me. Like I said, after listening to a few of their tracks, I just had to hear more.

I'm really not too educated with a lot of punk so I have nothing to reference them next to. I just know what I hear and if I like it then so be it. The album is fast; as expected, but some of the songs are a bit slower paced, which in my opinion balances this album out nicely.

The album starts out in a fury. Songs like Uzumaki, That Which Lurks and Under My Knife are quick in pace and drive a dagger to the soul immediately. Boo Gruesome's vocals are memorable and stand out from most of the Horror Punk bands out there. Some of my other favorites include, Shadowcaster, SCAREcrow Fields and This Hungry Suffering. I can honestly say that listening to this album from front to back is how I enjoy it the most. There's really not a weak track on the album. I never expected nor did I anticipate this album being this good. However, at the time I wanted something new and fresh to listen to. I will also state that you'll get the best out of this if you listen during this wonderful Halloween season. Now Fear This correlates well with Halloween and October.

Even if you're not into punk, and you like horror, check this record out. The musicianship between the four members is really tight and the sound of the album is crisp and clean. It's not garage style. There's a great professional quality to it. I'm not saying that I hate the raw, demo style. (in fact, I'd love to hear some of The Horrifics demo stuff, which I heard is floating out there somewhere).

A great album that mixes punk and some horror. You can't get any better. Except if it's horror and METAL! Either way, they go great together. If you love the two (and I know you do), check this fucker out!