A year ago Sean Keller (and friends!) thrilled the world with Killer Sounds of Halloween, a collection of fun, spooky, horror-themed songs that paid tribute to all the different kinds of terror music out there. It started with an homage/sequel to “The Monster Mash” and continued on, galloping through Rob Zombie-style songs, Bauhaus takeoffs, and murder ballads. Included was a mix of fake movie trailers and fake ads. Keller has returned to haunt us all once again with a new spooktacular collection of tunes called Revenge of the Killer Sounds of Halloween. Will this one hold up to the excellent standards of the original?
In short, yes. Keller does here what he did on the first record, mimicking and paying tribute to the many different styles of horror songs that came before. It opens with an invocation in the very best TV Horror Host style (“Enochian Warning”) and then proceeds to blast off with some rockabilly via “The Haunted House.” He covers some of the same bases as he did on the first album, but this time he seems to be concentrating on catchier tunes. Take “Never Be Your Bride,” a song that echoes Duran Duran in its suave, mature danceability. If that’s not groovy enough for you, spin “You Won’t See Me” (a riff on the Invisible Man) that dares to, um, unearth the funk of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and combine it with some super-smooth R&B. This song should really be a radio hit and would be, if it wasn’t considered so niche. But don’t fear, rockers, you get some love on this one, too. “Undead” is a great 80s Metal take, not going the Hair route but sticking with a more Ozzy sound. And there’s the punkish drive of “Halloween in Hell” to warm your cold, cold hearts. “Might As Well Dance” is a rocking little number celebrating the end of the world by the cosmic horror of Cthulhu (tang-a-lang, indeed!). There’s a tender ballad in “Renfield’s Lament” that really sounds like a Contemporary Christian song before, you know, the evil gets revealed. And for you country fans, you’ve got a real treat in “The Night the Scarecrows Came to Town,” which riffs on “Devil Went Down to Georgia” just a wee-bit and manages to rollick right along with the same sort of frenzied, rural wildness. In addition to this and other great songs, you get the usual assortment of fake ads and exhortations.
All in all, this is one hell of a fun ride. Like its predecessor, you’re going to really enjoy this if you have one single bone in your body that loves horror and Halloween. The songs take themselves seriously so none of it mockery or send-ups. They’re just clever, and well-executed. Keller is a talented dude. So get this one and the first one, if you haven’t, and enjoy your new soundtrack for Halloween, if you’ve got the guts!
Four Buckets of Blood out of Four
Grab a copy now at Bandcamp!
Kelly is the author of dozens of stories and dozens of reviews. He likes to write, he likes to read, he likes going to the movies, and he loves to laugh. He hails from the wilds of Kentucky and if you'd like to see more of his work, check out his website: www.kellymhudson.com or on Amazon
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