Band: Misfits
Release House: Misfits Records
Genre: Horror Punk
One Sentence Synopsis: An homage to 80s horror celebrated by The Misfits
Series: Standalone
Single/EP/Album: EP
Release Date: June 17, 2016
Running Time: 12 minutes
MSRP: $8.98
Discount Link: Click Here
Website: Click Here
Music Video: Click Here
Purchase Site: Click Here
Reviewed by: Reverend Leviathan
Final Score: 3.5 Moons
Just days before the announcement that the original Misfits would be reuniting, on Friday the 13th last month The Misfits also announced the release of a new EP entitled Friday the 13th. The music is performed by the current lineup.
Theme
The focus of this EP is 80’s horror films. Opening with the title track “Friday the 13th” it begins very strong and heavy, and you can’t have a song about the movie without Jason’s famous sound (ch-ch-ch-ah-ah-ah) being included in the song. “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Laser Eye” move a little closer to the horror punk roots with a faster pace and more punk riffs on the guitar. “Mad Monster Party” has a fifties rock influence mixed with horror, making it a modern day horror punk Monster Mash.
Jerry Only: vocals, bass and one of the original founding members.
Presentation
I’ll be honest, when Jerry Only took over the vocals over a decade ago, I was not satisfied. However, Jerry has grown tremendously as a vocalist. Is he Danzig? No, but he’s definitely not bad and he’s not trying to sound like the former lead singer, thus giving him his own sound. The growth and change of The Misfits style blend very well with Jerry’s singing style. And Jerry’s son sounds great as the new guitarist. He has also grown since I last heard him.
No doubt about it, “Friday the 13th” is the best song on the EP. The bass riff is strong and sounds great mixed with the other instruments; everything was equalized very well. Sounds like they put a lot of work into this song. “Nightmare on Elm Street” is good, but I was hoping for a similar hard-hitting sound as the first track. Also maybe some more lyrics rather than just repeating the first verse.
The lyrics in all the songs are a great reminder of the horror films of the 80’s. Both Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street” were two of my favorite movies as a kid. “Laser Eye” sounds more like the sci-fi horror that was around at the time. Very catchy and easy to start singing along with.
Gothic Fit
Gothic lovers of horror punk and the 80’s era horror films would appreciate what Jerry has put together in Friday the 13th. The darker aspect of the song “Friday the 13th” mixed with the more punk, fifties influenced “Nightmare on Elm Street” is a nice treat for those who were fans of the movies.
Closing Thoughts
If you’ve liked what Jerry Only has done with The Misfits, then you will definitely like Friday the 13th.
Theme: 4.5 Moons
Presentation: 3.0 Moons
Gothic Fit: 3.0 Moons
Final Score (not an average): 3.5 Moons
