HORRORHOUND –IT’S ONLY A MOVIE

 

“To avoid fainting, keep repeating ‘it’s only a movie'”.

In the past I wrote a rather scathing review of an artist on this compilation, have said band improved? We will see.

It’s only a movie is an album entirely built around the cover song, in particular cover songs featured in horror films and just like a movie, everything seems so familiar and known to you that you feel you can predict the next bloody murder, the next plot twist or the next line. However, like a good film it takes these familiar elements and presents them to you in a way that feel unfamiliar. The plot twists and turns that make you question what’s coming next. And that bloody murder scene? Well, let’s see if any of these ballads are murdered…

To be honest, I don’t know a lot of these bands. I do know the covers, but I do not know the artists expressing them to me here. I’m sure fans of these individual bands will form their own opinions of each of these covers and the way they’re expressed.

That being said, right off the bat is a band I do know and have a soft spot as big as the Grand Canyon for: The Creepshow. The Creepshow’s cover of The Door’s classic “People Are Strange”. This song is a huge task for any band, and The Creepshow does a solid job, but really, it’s nothing compared to other covers done before. For me, it lacks a little pizazz. From such a good band, I expected something a little less straight up.

Up next we have “Save Me Tonight” covered by Argyle Goolsby. They’ve taken an already stellar 80’s song and somehow managed to amplify that 80’s feel tenfold. Boasting a synthesizer that would make John Carpenter shiver and ET definitely phone home, this one is certainly a strong contender for top cover of the album. It drips 80’s.

For the Wolf aren’t a band I am familiar with; however, I am familiar with the song covered here: Alice Cooper’s “He’s Back (The man behind the mask)”: a screamer of a song from a screamer of a film, Friday the 13th Part IV: Jason Lives. For those not familiar with the song or the film, I suggest you get familiar like a dog with a bone. For the Wolf don’t have my favorite vocals, I’ll be brutally honest. Despite this barrier for me I found their cover of “He’s Back” highly entertaining. It keeps faith to the original, but marks its own territory.

I wasn’t feeling the 80s vibes being thrown out by Stellar Corpses. Unlike the Argyle Goolsby contribution, it falls short of the mark. It feels a little labored. You may feel differently and I can understand that, but there’s just this wall I can’t break with them. They have a clear talent but my match hasn’t been lit.

The Big Bad tackle a very precious ground for me, a Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds classic. Nick Cave is one of my favorite artists of all time, the tales he weaves could well be the plots of horror films themselves and his insanely stunning poetic imagery leaves a lasting impression. So, after my confession of love for Nick, how did The Big Bad fare with such a big task? I’m screaming and crying in a ball on the ground! The Big Bad maintain the basics of the song, which isn’t very basic at all, and inject a punk attitude straight into its veins. Imagine Tiger Army playing The Cure. It’s a solid cover with a solid feel.

Did someone ask where the dick hammer was? The hammer that smashes all the dead dicks? Dead Dick Hammer flies into this album and interjaculates it with a lot hot love makin! I am in no way familiar with this band or the original of Life at Last, but after hearing this sex machine of a song I sure am now!

I do have to say that I found Shadow Windhawk interesting. Again, don’t know the band, but the original of Stigmata Martyr is from Night of the Demons, a film I’ve been shown whilst, to put it in a family friendly sense, completely fucked up. Luckily Shadow Windhawk don’t want to make me vomit. It’s enjoyable but not my favorite.

Here’s an interesting one: let’s take a very depressing and downbeat song like “Burn” by The Cure and give it to a bunch of upbeat life lovin manics like The Heathens. The Heathens infuse a huge sense of fun and push an upbeat almost silliness into The Cure classic. A high moment for sure.

Black Cat Attack, other than having a sweet name, have also covered a sweet song from everyone’s favorite film soundtrack: “Partyime” from Return of the Living Dead. I really dug the old school rock n roll vibes on this one. It reminds me Accept’s “Balls to the Wall”. It’s aggressive and it’s raw and it kicks you in the danglers.

Psycho Charger’s cover of “Pet Semetary” is a letdown. I can tell what they’re going for but they are far from the mark, I guess when you’re covering n the greatest punk band of all time you have a lot to achieve.

Well well, my old friends Harley Poe, how ya doin? You’ve come a long way guys! Muse is a hard bitch to tackle and I do have to say it sounds like you’ve been practicing! You’ve stumped me. I don’t have anything to say other than, “Well done!”

Finishing up this album we have Mister Monster with “Looking for the Magic”. I’m not familiar with either. It’s a fun cover and the band sounds like they had fun recording it. The Heathens come in with a second entry, this time with “Hellraiser” by much beloved Motorhead. A classic track from a classic film. Whilst it doesn’t pack the punch they did with their Cure cover, it still manages to land a wallop.

It’s only a movie is a fun and entertaining adventure through music and film. If you’re a fan of either I recommend it.

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Review by Rob Ryles, RockRevolt Journalist