Review by Phil Rozier for MPM
It was probably around 20-22 years, something like that, when I was bombing down the M3 (that’s a motorway in the UK), towards Southampton.
Southampton, on the South Coast of the UK, is a great gateway to the stretch of water between the Isle of Wight and the main land. Known as the Solent, it’s a cool place for water sports, boating activities and waterfront drinking. Hailing from Essex, why would I know such details? Well, it was on the M3, where I was a passenger in my brother’s car, as we were heading down to the Solent for a weekend of water sports activities. It was my brothers Stag Do. And in true pre evening of excess drinking style, we were rocking out all ‘Waynes World’ in the car.
And the soundtrack to the journey? Wednesday 13! Imagine that. Singing out loud and head banging to the point of neck ache to ‘Walk With a Zombie’ and ‘Looked What The Bats Dragged In’. You remember? I remember not only the album, but one of the best show’s I’ve ever seen, was the 2004 ‘Look at What the Bats Dragged In’ tour, supported by the most amazing English rock band ‘Viking Skull’.
Wednesday 13, stage name for Joe Michael Poole, has been on the music scene for a long time, and from a pretty young age. Born in 76, he’s only a couple of years older than me, and yet has played more shows, rocked more fans, and been in more influential groups than I’ve had beers. Wow, think about it.
So, after all these years, what is album number ten, ‘Mid Death Crisis’ sounding like. Crank the amp, pin the stylus (gently!), and let’s get stuck in.
We begin with a cruel intentional voice from hell, gently whispering ‘there’s no such thing as monsters’. Mmmmm. Why do I think this album is gonna make me jump, and monsters are in fact, just lurking around the corner?
Oh, that’s because they are! An absolutely monster banging track follows the opening spoken voice. ‘Decease and Desist’ is a shocker to the system. What have I been missing?! Taking me back to where it began, it’s a great thunderous track. Steady. Loud. Fun (I think). ‘Creature…. Feature… there’s no escaping when they’re crawling from their graves, you scream in horror now, no one will be saved…’ This is amazing! Lyrics and a sound to accompany the great ‘B Movie’ style artwork from the cover sleeve. Please, W13, lets make sure the album doesn’t decline from here on in.
Track 3… Wow! Wow! Wow! Its an E string banger! Sepultura, Metallica, Slayer, Marylin Manson. ‘The devil made me do it, and I’ll do it again’. Of course you will! Keep that rocking beat and you’ll have anyone doing what you want! Track 3 ‘When the Devil Commands’ is a 3-minute delight.
I just so hope track 4 can carry on this fast pace, shock rock punk pace (try saying that after a few wines). And it does! That steady but quick drum slog just keeps the pace of the album so far. It’s like being in a live show, where you can’t stop moving, and you almost need a break from the pace. Sod a break. It’s a Thursday night (the new Friday) and I want more of this! ‘I can’t wait until you’re in your grave, and, your cold, and rotting’. Not a better lyric sung for a song titled ‘Rotting Away’.
We’re into track 5 of 12 and it might as well have had the same consistent tight drum beat from the outset. Other than a quiet second between tracks, you’re not given any time to take a breather and work out where the bruises came from. ‘No Apologies’ does exactly that. It won’t’ apologise for abusing your ears for the 5th track in a row. This is a phenomenal return from the band!
‘Decapitation’, ‘In Misery’, ‘Blood Storm’. Imagine what your Mum would say if she heard you listening to this type of art. In true teen angst style, rebellion and the exploratory nature of the macabre, I’m so glad Wednesday 13 didn’t change direction and with this latest release, have actually kept true to that shock rock horror that they’re famed for. ‘Decapitation’ even has some background barber shop in it (seriously!).
The pace is relentless. The consistency of the excitement is sublime. Whilst it wasn’t received with the best of critiques at the time of release, this is the Brutal Planet era of Alice Cooper, only dare I say, executed much better (I hope God of Shock, Alice doesn’t ‘read’ me saying this!). It’s slick, fun, loud, constant, in your face, short sharp rock.
‘Xanaxtasy’ is track 9, and it hasn’t stopped yet. ‘Hey, Hey, Hey’ sung by a group of rockers never sounded so loud. Swiftly followed by the 10th track off the 10th album, ‘I Hurt You’ is more of the same. And not in bad way. With similar tempos throughout the album, and short 3-4 minute songs, you don’t get time to think or feel any different from the opening noise.
Music is for everyone. Some people want variation, some people want emotion, some want long drawn-out prog and some just want K-pop. The world has room for it all. But this album is all about fast pace, consistent bangers. Very loud, down tuned E string chug, palm mutes, power chords, all rolled up and dressed up as creatures from the grave. Audacious and menacing. Not as refined as say Ghost, or as original as the aforementioned Alice Cooper. Wednesday 13 will rock you. Simple as. Want some heavy, fast, sleazy, dirty horror influenced metal?
Bang this out loud from your speakers. I dare you.
Pre-order your copy now: https://lnk.to/Wednesday13-MidDeathCr…
