CRYPT-KICKERS - NOISE FROM THE UNDERGOUND VOL. 11
NOVA KOLOSO: NOVA KOLOSO (2021) CD - NOVA KOLOSO: SOURCE CODE (2026) CD - NOVA KOLOSO: HALLUCINATE YOUR FATH (2022) CD - RICHARD BAND: MUTANT: ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION (1984) CD - QUEMASANTOS: STRANDED IN HELL (2026) CD - THE MILKSHAKES: MILK BOX VOL. 2 CD - SUPER SCARY MONSTER PARTY: SPOOKY TV AND MOVIE THEMES (1994) CD - CLAUDIO SIMONETTI'S GOBLIN: TENEBRAE SOUNDTRACK CD - PEGZILLA: DISOBEDIANCE (2026) CD - EDOUARTH: STREET VENEGEANCE (2026) CD
Label: Big Curve Music
Duration: 30:00
Buy it: Amazon
We will start off this edition highlighting the first three albums from Nova Koloso, who are a Baltimore, Maryland based heavy psyche- as a project envisioned by songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Mark Colegrove, who recorded it during the COVID-19 lockdown alongside his brother/drummer Tom Colegrove. The album is progressive alt-rock with psychedelic textures, dynamic song structures and infectious as hell with crushing riffs, driving rhymes and just the right kind of what I like to call "skronk". I can see this appealing to fans of Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, without aping either, but they have that certain precision, inventiveness and groove dynamic that is kindred for sure. Favorite tracks for me are the heavy groove of "Idiots In Suspense" and the album openers "Smoking Gun", which has a Deep Purple over-drive vibe and then straight into the infections fuzzed-out groove of the cleverly titled "Feeling Convincible".
Tracklist:
1. Smoking Gun
2. Feeling Convincible
3. The Liar's Raga
4. Idiot In Suspense
5. Pure Enzyme
6. In The Code
7. Loving Errors
8. Uncanny Valley
Label: Big Curve Music
Duration: 42 Minutes
Buy it: Amazon
Nova Koloso second album expands on their debut with even more fuzz-drenched riffs that are more dynamic and progressive. Brothers Mark and Tom Colegrove are joined by former bassist Ken Moore on this outing, as well as some other contributors, the song craft is more layered and more atmospheric, kicking things off strong with the title track, which sucked me right in, heavy psychedelic guitar with acid-tinged solos that raised the hairs on my neck, the mathematical bass and drum work is solid, wonderful time changes, and those vocals with the layering in the mix are phenomenal. The third track "New Recruit" is a stoner-psyche slice of nirvana, I was mesmerized by it, the opening riffs and cosmic keyboard flourishes, just fuckin' lovely, this is one of those tracks that I just listed to on repeat on my way into work. The CD has a bonus track worth noting, a tasty cover of Black Sabbath's "Supernaut" which is just a perfect song for them to cover, keeping the spirit of the original but bashed out in a way that is easily identifiable as Nova Koloso.
Tracklist:
1. Hallucinate Your Faith
2. Whatever You Want To
3. New Recruit
4. Dead Tongue
5. Night Surf
6. Washout
7. Salamander
8. The Mastermind
8. Supernaut
Label: Big Curve Music
Duration: 52:00
Buy it: Amazon
Now were current, Nova Koloso's 2026 album Source Code, now a full fledged band, the Brothers Colegrove are joined by bassist Morgan Bell, keyboardist Dustin Maraczewski, and second guitarist Tim Yungwith offering an even more expansive and album with songs that explore the interconnected issues of AI, politics and environmental collapse. Again, a wonderful brew of heavy psyche, stoner riffs, and atmosphere, interesting layered vocals, but it's a bit of a different chemistry with the full band to be honest, I kind of missed the Colegrove magic the first listen, but it's been growing on me with each subsequent listen. It's just not an album that got all my synapses firing they way that "Hallucinate Your Faith" album did, but the alchemy is there, and I am coming around to it, with the album opener "Pterodactyls" and the epic 10-min closer "Rival" being the tracks that are easily my favorite.
Tracklist:
1. Pterodactyls
2. Electric Emblem
3. Twilight
4. The Devotional
5. Source Code
6. Eyelines
7. Rivals
8. Synchronicity I
All three of the Nova Koloso CD are released on the Big Curve Music label and arrive in four-panel CD digibook with a clear plastic tray I love the artwork on these, but i will say these are the cheapest digibook cardboard I have seen, very thin when compared to Ripple Music digibook, which are essentially the same style, but the cardboard panels on these are quite think, like index card thin and bend quite easily, so just be cautious when handling them.
ANNIVERSARY EDITION (1984) CD
Label: Dragon's Domain
Duration: 46:15
Buy it: Amazon
Dragon's Domain Records have released a 35th Anniversary Edition Soundtrack for the Mutant (1984), directed by John 'Bud' Cardos (Kingdom of the Spiders) with a score by Richard Band (Re-Animator). The b-movie flick starring Wings Hauser (Vice Squad) features a small Southern town overrun by goo-spewing zombies who have been turned by toxic waste. The score is a pretty wonderful mix of orchestral and synths themes, lots of tension ratcheting moments with strings and piano motifs, it's quite an effective score, this being the first time i ever listened to it separate from the film, I must say, I was quite impressed with it. The 26-track CD features the original soundtrack, plus 10 bonus songs that were originally included n the film but left off previous releases of the score. All 26 tracks have been newly mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland, and we get an illustrated 8-panel fold-out insert with new notes written by author Randall Larson detailing the production troubles and scoring of the film.
Tracklist:
1. Mutant Main Title
2. The Cannister Contents
3. Mike’s Death
4. Will Goes Out on a Limb
5. Inside The Mitchell House
6. The Missing Blood (Missing Blood / Holly to the Rescue)
7. At the Clinic /Mutant Attack
8. Josh and Holly Escape
9. Josh Walks Through Town (aka Walking Montage)
10. Search for New Era
11. School Boiler Room (No More Booze/Billy Gets It)
12. Josh and Holly
13. Car Attack
14. Inside the Storage Room
15. Mutant Onslaught & Finale
16. Mutant End Title
17. Sinister Shadows
18. Missing Blood
19. Will’s Past
20. Vic’s Transformation
21. Jack Attacks Holly
22. Josh Finds Mike
23. Penelope
24. Run For Cover
25. Well, Well, Well
26. Albert Attacks Holly
Label: Digmetalworld
Duration: 44:26
Buy it: Amazon
'Stranded In Hell' is the second full-length album from NYC based heavy thrashers Quemasantos, an 11-song concept that follows different personal journeys through Hell, with the album featuring guitar solos from eleven guest musicians from around the world, from Chile, Brazil, Columbia and USA. Apparently this is their first album entirely in English I would never have guessed that. The song are heavy as fuck thrash, driving rhythms and guttural vocals that brought to by Thomas G. Warrior (Celtic Frost) by way of Udo from Accept, with just a touch of Overkill's Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, especially on "Succubus". The riffs are aggressive, and I love that the band is not just a blur off fast riffs, they are meaty and defined, occasionally slowing things down to a crushing groove with lots of character to it, it's very 80s metal in that way, but with some nice modern production to it that gives it a beefy contemporary sound. The CD from Digmetalworld arrives in a four-panel digipack with a clear disc tray, not a hug fan of the artwork which looks AI generated, but I do not know that for a fact, but I do not see anyone credited with it either.
Tracklist:
1. One Foot In Hell
2. Burning The Black
3. Succubus
4. Stalking Sharks
5. Nameless
6. Red Planet
7. Vampire
8. The Oneironaut
9. Under The Moonlight
10. Before The Law
11. Lex Talionis
Label: Damaged Good Reserves
Duration: 120:13
Buy it: Amazon
Damaged Goods have release the Milkshakes - Milk Box Volume 2, collecting four of the garage rock superhero's 14 Rhythm and Beat Greats (1982), Milkshakes IV : The Men with the Golden Guitars (1983), Milkshakes in Germany (1983) and Nothing Can Stop these Men (1984). The Milkshakes were primitive and raw, a Brit beat group bashing out songs in the vein of the early raucous Kinks by way of slinky sounds of Link Wray, their sound became known as The Medway Sound, with songs about eternally relatable songs about girls and girl problems. The band were prolific during their six year run before breaking up in '84, with Billy Childish and Mick Hampshire going their separately proliofic ways. If you're a fan of Billy Childish's raw garage rock ways and not yet somehow discovered the Milkshakes, well, get on it, you have been missing out, and this four album collection is a terrific way to throw yourself into it! This collection arrives in a cardboard clamshell box with four cardboard sleeves inside mirroring the original album release artwork. We also get a 16-page illustrated booklet featuring the original album artwork and new 2026 liner notes by Mick Hampshire.
Tracklist:
Disc 1:
1. Seven Days
2. Black Sails (In the Moonlight)
3. Exactly Like You
4. A Girl Called Mine
5. Sad Girl Mambo
6. I Want You
7. Cadalina
8. No-One Else
9. I Need No-One
10. You Did Her Wrong
11. Can You Tell Me
12. Red Monkey
13. Take You Home Tonight
14. Wo' Now
Disc 2:
15. Chatham Drive
16. General Belgrano
17. Scapa Flow
18. The Wrong Man
19. The Klansmen Kometh
20. Thunderbird
21. Mumble The Peg
22. The Yorkshire Ripper
23. Flatfoot
24. Dogwatch On Monkey's Paw
26. Every Corner
27. Can You Tell?
28. Dreadnaught
29. Shed Country '83
Disc 3:
30. I'll Find Another
31. If I Get You
32. Last Night (Was the Last Time)
33. She's the Kind of Girl
34. Love Can Lose
35. Comes Along Midnight
36. One Day You Die
37. Late at Night
38. I'm Asking You
39. I Need Lovin'
40. Found My Girl
41. Sometimes I Wantcha (For Your Money)
Disc 4:
42. You Got Me Girl
43. Little Bettina
44. Ida Honey (Tell Me You'll Be Mine)
45. She's No Good To me
46. Chatham Train
47. Dull Knife
48. She's Just Fifteen Years Old
49. The Grim Reaper
50. Everywhere I Look
51. I'm the One For You
52. That's My Revenge
53. You've Been Lyin'
Label: GNP Crescendo / BSX
Duration: 56:00
Buy it: Amazon
Super Scary Monster Party was originally released in 1994. This 22-track album delivers a spooky collection of monster-themed songs from movies and TV covered by a variety of notable artists including Dominic Friontiere, Dennis McCarthy, Fred Mollin, Neil Norman, Billy Strings, Christopher Young, Louis and Bebe Barron, John Beal and studio group The Fiends. As Halloween themed covers album go I was a fan of this one, eleven of the songs are by Neil Norman, all of them science fiction bangers, who you might know from his series of Science Fictions Hits albums. If you're a collector of Halloween party CD this is certainly deserving of a pick-up! The CD arrives in a jewel case from GNO Crescendo BSX with a 8-panel fold-out booklet with notes about the contributors.
Tracklist:
1. Neil Norman - Descent Into The Abyss
2. Neil Norman - Hellbound: Hellraiser II
3. John Beal - Dracula's Castle
4. Dennis McCarthy - Suite From "V"
5. Neil Norman - Forbidden Planet
6. Neil Norman - The Outer Limits
7. Neil Norman - Blade Runner
8. Billy Strange - The Munsters
9. Neil Norman - Godzilla
10. Neil Norman - Not Of This Earth
11. The Fiends - The Addams Family
12. Billy Strange - Jaws
13. Neil Norman - Vampire Planet
14. Neil Norman - The Twilight Zone
15. Neil Norman - Spaceship Crash
16. Neil Norman - The Thing
17. Neil Norman - Alien
18. John Beal - The Mask - Trailer Music
19. Fred Mollin - Friday The 13th: The Series
20. Neil Norman - One Step Beyond
21. Neil Norman - The Invaders
22. Neil Norman - War Of The Worlds
Label: Rustblade Records
Duration: 55:00
Buy it: Amazon
Claudio Simonetti and his version of Goblin have recorded a updated version of the soundtrack for the classic Dario Argento directed slasher Tenebre (1982). I must say that when I realized that this was a new version of the soundtrack, which is one of my favorite Goblin scores, I was a little skeptical and wary, but I have to say this re-imagining is pretty faithful to the original soundtrack and while not replacing the iconic original score, it sounds more moderns but the synths, pulsing prog rock, vocoder vocals, and disco-italo vibes of the title track all have that sound of the original soundtrack, but with benefit of some updated sonic detail and texture that offers a fuller more modern production value. Aside from the eight original songs we also get also six bonus tracks that include a pulsing dance-floor ready remix by "Flashing" by Tibia and a cover of "Waiting for Death" Simulakrum. Additionally, there are alternative and live versions of "Tenebre". This is a limited edition release that arrives in a glossy six-panel digipak with a CD pocket, featuring panels adorned with classic Tenebre artworks and a still from the film, which looks pretty sharp.
Tracklist:
1. Tenebre
2. Gemini
3. Slow Circus
4. Lesbo
5. Flashing
6. Tenebre (Reprise)
7. Waiting The Death
8. Jane Mirror Theme
9. Flashing - Remix by TIBIA
10. Waiting The Death - Cover by SIMULAKRUM LAB
11. Tenebre - Simonetti Horror Project Version
12. Tenebre - Fear Version
13. Tenebre - Daemonia live Version
14. Tenebre - Live in Japan
Label: Ripple Music
Duration: 27:00
Buy it: Amazon
Los Angeles stoner/doom trio Pegzilla's debut full-length 'Disobedience' offers 29-minutes of heavy riffs and sinewy grooves, courtesy of vocalist/guitarist Olivia Saperstein, drummer Ryan Swain and bassist Juan Barsse. The album opener "Pay the Toll/Troll on Speed" is a hard charging slice off stoner riffs, then on into "Pistola" which brought to mind Dead Weather by way of Black Sabbath. Saperstein's doomy-witch vocals are terrific, as is her guitar work, galloping and doomy and somewhat psychedelic at time, is textured and heavy, with some tasty solos, especially on "Virginia Werewolf". The CD arrives in a four-panel digipack with a clear disc plastic tray holding the tray, and I love the on-brand artwork featuring two young girls in white dresses playing with a Ouija board.
Tracklist;
1. Pay The Toll
2. Troll On Speed
3. Pistola
4. Chelsea
5. Virginia Werewolf
6. Bootlicker
7. Hell Ya Brother
8. Troll Reprise
Label: Sleaszy Rider
Duration: 29:20
Buy it: Amazon
This is the second album from this trio of Greek metallers Edouarth, featuring family members James Edouarth (singer/drummer of Spider Kickers) on vocals/bass and his sons, 14 year-old George Edouarth on drums, and 12 year-old and Peter Edouarth on guitar. Old school 80s heavy metal with a clear love of NWOBHM this album is a banger on vintage sounding metal that evokes leather clad nights of headbanging. The age of the younger members and the fact that this is a family business of sort is pretty intriguing, but the music speaks for itself, the kids have solid chops, and this is no gimmicky band, the tunes are terrific. I really fig the old school metal vibes, anthemic tunes like "Streets of Vengeance" and "Power of the Drop", and a particularly choice cover of the Cirith Ungol's classic "Black Machine" certainly endeared this album into my metal loving heart with it's aggressive guitars and and old school vibes. If you're a fan of old school metal like Saxon and Accept this is worth checking out. The CD from Sleaszy Rider arrives four-panel digipack with a clear disc plastic tray.
Tracklist:
1. Wake Up (Riot Anarchy)
2. Anarchy
3. Between the Lamb Among the Wolf
4. Street Vengeance
5. Black Machine
6. Minediggers from Mars
7. Power of the Drop
8. War Night
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