Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all you ghouls, gals, goblins, scream queens, freaks, fiends and friends! It feels so good to be back! Have fun and be safe today! Enjoy some tricks and some treats. Also, enjoy a good scare or two from everyone here at the Mad Laboratory!

Stay Scary

Jekyll A. Hyde

Argyle Goolsby and the Hallow Bodies - Chapter One

This season, a nice way to kickstart the season is Argyle Goolsby and the Hollow Bodies album Chapter One. Featuring songs from his solo work and Blitzkid, you get a nice collection of his past works while the songs ate stripped down to their bare bones (pun intended!) That gives them another dynamic. "Fiver Cellars Below", "Shadows of Night", "Spiders And Flies", "The Being", "Thickets", "The Brides", "Washer and the Ford" and "Mary and the Storm" are just utterly fantastic to listen to as they are some of the standouts here. Goolsby shows another side to his music and shows that he can master that too! 

Eerie Erie Records presents Love For the Dead

Still looking for more mood music? Why not slide up next to this great collection of music put together by Eerie Erie Records. Opening with The Bastards with "An Unusual Pair" is a great opening while Bad Whoremoans "My Dead Girlfriend" is fun song Dr. Hell "I Won't Pay For Sex with Rotten Bitches" is just beyond hilarious while Wolfman Chuck and the Spookedele of Doom "My Shed" is just another awesome track by them. While Ron HeXe and Ghoul Squad "Dead Girls Don't Say No" has a Cure feel to it which is followed by The Mutant Members Only Club and their song "Graveyard Granny" is fantastic. The Cryptkeepers "Cannibalistic Necro Feelings" is funny and Matt Slaughterkill "Graveside Love" is perfect to sit and listen to with your special someone. Then there After Life Love Machine "We Still Had Sex (After She Was Dead)" is plain hilarious and enjoyable. This collection of songs will get you in the mood for this festive system. 

Eerie Erie Records Presents Songs for Samhain Vol. 2

In case Vol. 1 started a craving for you, Vol. 2 will satisfy your thirst. Kicking off with The Mutant Members Only Club "Quick Draw Chainsaw" is just a hilarious, great opener while Telling Tasha "Teenage Creature" reminds me of Blink 182 type sound which I love. Wolfman Chuck and the Spookadale of Doom "Rotten Pumpkins" is a great song as he always brings the goods along with C is for Cadaver and their contribution "Lady of Sin" which is just fantastic. The Bastards and their song "Diavolo" are always fantastic along with Die Ghost "I Can't Wait" which is great. Bad Whoremoans with "Banshee Beach" sounds like  fantastic surfer type song along with Afterlife Love Machine "Howling at the Moon" which is just so catchy. While Hades Machine and their song "Darkness at the Edge of Town" has a country western feel to it. Great choices as there is a bit of everything on here, Eerie Erie Records does a fantastic job again in their choice of songs. Things aren't eerie here; in fact, they are just fine with these tunes.

Eerie Erie Records Presents Songs for Samhain Vol. 1

Start out this holiday season with a nice compilation of acoustic Horror songs to get you in that Halloween mood. Kicking off with "

Pete Mako's "Full Moon" which is a delightful track followed by Robin Goblin and the track "Late Night Exhuming" which is so beautiful sounding. Included are The Bastards with "Sweet River" as they are always awesome along with The Mutant Members Only Club and their contribution "Serial Killer Soulmates" as you cannot help but love them as it's a fun track. Mobil Mockingbird "Sacrifice" has a country feel while The Ragshakers "Living Dead" is accompanied by a seductive voice. Jon E. Erkkia "Praise" is a fun childlike sing along song whole Wolf man Chuck and the Spookalele of Doom's "Dead Revenge" is awesome as they always brings the goods. Danni May "The Exorcist & Me" is just so great and Lupen Tooth "Don't Say the Zed Word" is maybe my favorite song by the band. The Adventure Kids "You Did this To Yourself" is just so catchy which is followed by Bad Whoremoans "I Gave My Heart to Frankenhooker" is a great track as I remembered why I like them as it's been a while since I heard them. Tim Bitten "Head in a Casket" reminds me of flamengo style goodness while Valklix "Dead Infants Can't Crawl" has a nice happy mood in a twisted sort of way. Porch Cat "Jacky Bones" slows it down while C is for Cadaver "Doom to All" is just catchy as hell. Tim the Braineater "Room 237" is a catchy folky type song while Adam Geurink "Death is Breathing on their Shoulders" is just a great song. T.C. Costello "Everytime I Die" reminds me of the Dropkick Murphys and Afteife Love Machine "Buried Outside" is fun and catchy. This collection of songs is a fun and great listen as it has a bit of everything for everyone. May get eerie at times but we all love that this time of year. 

In Memoriam Sid Haig

This legendary actor was known for his television appearances but maybe best remembered for his appearances in the Blaxploitation films, Rob Zombie's movies House of a 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects and 3 from Hell along with Night of the Living Dead 3D. This great actor could easily be put in the same type of role over and over or be "stuck" in the same movies but, he always made them memorable and laughed in the face of people who didn't think he could make anything memorable. For me, he'll always be Captain Spaulding as he was both awesome and funny! No one could be cooler then him as he made those films! R.I.P. Sid, time to go off and do your top secret clown business up there.

In Memoriam Ben Graves

Another we lost during that time was the one and only Ben "The Ghoul" Graves. Also handing the skins for Dope he is best known as the skin man for the amazing Murderdolls. People who know me know how much I love that band and, though he didn't drum on the actual album, he was their live man. Back in the early days of YouTube, me and my friends would scoure all over the internet to find live videos of them in high school because we had to see Joey, Wednesday, Eric, Acey and Ben! We were memorized with their live sound and pure attitude as they played the crap out of those songs and looked beyond cool doing it. Taken from us too soon, the Ghoul is missed greatly. R.I.P. Ben, you better be pounding those skins up there for all of us to hear! 

In Memoriam J-Sin Trioxin

So, since I've been gone a while, time to say goodbye to the ones I haven't gotten a chance to post memorials for. J-Sin Trioxin was the legendary front man of the boo woo band Mister Monster who's album Over Your Dead Body is just fantastic and legendary. The man was also a member of Wednesday 13's solo band, Michale Graves' solo band, Blitzkid, The Brickbats and Argyle Goolsby and the Roving Midnight among others. He believed a simple yet effective fact; listen to your influence's influences if you really wanted to not only understand where they came from but to help you grow as a musician. He was awesome musician who made time for his fans including an interview he did with this very blog. Like his music, his taste was wide ranging and he himself was a level headed individual who didn't like to look behind but only ahead. I wish I got to hear the music he was working on for that second Mister Monster full length but alas, we may never for the foreseeable future. R.I.P. J-Sin, we miss you like hell man! 

Calabrese - Flee the Light

So, Calabrese is a band that is loved by so many in the genre that you feel that they are at the point in their career that they could play it safe.... WRONG! Calabrese takes their classic sound and says around with it to create something new and exciting for their fans to grab on to and listen. Opening with ". He Who Flees the Light", it doesn't let up for a second as it is followed by "Let Doom Overtake Us". "King Prowler", "Demonspitter", "Pleasures of Evil", "Maleficis Visibilis" and "Hallucinatory Void" are all just ear candy leading into my favorite track on the album , "And In the End...I Am Nothing". The album closes wity a trifecta of greatness in "All the Devils In Hell", "End of Time at the Gates of Hell" and "Invisible Witches". Though they may flee the light there is no need to run from this awesome album as these 3 brothers have gone and done it again! 

5¢ Freakshow - Massive Monster Mayhem

So, today I decided to check out Canada's own 5¢ Freakshow to see what they were up to out West in Calgary. The results are 5 songs of just good catchy music! "Run Fatty Run", "Camp Crystal Lake", "War of the Monsters", "Satanic Mastermind" and "Batts Head" are just fantastic songs as these ghouls let loose like an unstoppable monster on a killing spree. They may advertise a nickle in their name but 5¢ Freakshow fight above their weight class as they give you much much more then a nickle in terms of money's worth. 

Deadite - Mistakes Were Made Vol. 1

So, remember back when I mentioned how good their album was and I needed to hear more? My dark and twisted prayers were answered! Here is the latest release by Deadite from Belgium. What you have is good Horror Punk with songs like "They Will Be There" recalling memories of the legendary Blitzkid! Other standouts include "Salem", "Trail of Blood", "Killer", "He She", "Cemetery Girl", "It Follows", the super catchy "Hurts Like Hell", "Russel", "Drag You to Hell", "Gallows Road" and "Zombies from Sector 9". This band has the goods as their music just makes me smile from ear to ear when I listen to it! If you haven't given these ghouls a listen.... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! One of the bands that contacted me and helped to push me out of the crypt to bring me back, there is something special with this band. Off of Undead Artists, give it a listen and tell them that Jekyll sent ya. 

Trash Bats - The Skinwalkers

This covers EP is a great inclusion as this gets you ready and pumped for the Halloween Season. The Trash Bats are a great band and this song selection is a great introduction to the band as well as the bands that did these originals. "Wasted" is a great choice from the Zombiecocks, "Coming Home" makes me want to check out more of Ghost Road and their cover of "I Put A Spell On You" is awesome and creepy while doing the original lots of justice. This EP will definitely put a spell on you as you join the church of the Trash Bats! 

Trash Bats - Trash Bats

Everyone, as I play catch up, I PLEED you to join in singing the hymns of the Trash Bats. Featuring the members of The Bastards, this is a total religious experience in that creepy borderline cult experience. Just love these tunes on the first listen with my absolute favorite being the opener "The Brotherhood" which has you singing along loud and proud by the second chorus. No one drags or seems out of place And the fact that "Hallow's Eve" comes in at a 1 minute and 38 seconds just makes me laugh out loud more then you know. This is a very enjoyable listen as anyone will be joyful while hearing these hymns and sermons through their speakers and earphones. Give it a spin as the bats fly proud and ask you to join them in a celebration of faith. 

Motel Transylvania - Motel Transylvania

So, remember when I said that I couldn't wait to hear more from Italy's own Motel Transylvania? Well, here is their self titled full length and it does not disappoint one bit! Opening with the fantastic "Destination" and it keeps going from there followed by their opus "Motel Transylvania" which is a standout, classic tune,  "Her Last Boogie" is just great, "Drowning" is really cool, "The Night of the Living Dead" is maybe one of my favorites on the album, "4", "Beyond the Light" are both cool, "It's Not So Bad" has some interesting changes, "Dead N' Proud" is some great rockabilly, "Stomp" is catchy as hell and "I Wanna Be Your Ghoul" starts country and then picks right up. These rocking ghouls have got the goods and are not afraid to show it. The monsters have checked out of the motel and are loose on the world.... and it is a good thing that they are. 

Silent Horror - Silver Screen

How long has it been since Silent Horror released a new album? Who cares how long it has been because, trust me when I say this, it was BEYOND worth the wait! The album opens up with the title track that is just infectious and sets the mood for what is to come. That is followed by "King Kong" which is just great, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", "London After Midnight", "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "Psycho" are just catchy as hell! "House on Haunted Hill" takes those infectious hooks and slows it down slows down while "Phantom of the Opera" is maybe my favorite song on the album. Just love it! All the songs here are just great and I hope we don't have to wait forever to hear new music as Silent Horror NEVER disappoint! Just like the movies that they sing about, their music is just classic.

Horror Vision - Final Broadcast

So, I've had this release for a year and, I need to catch up. This album by Horror Vision is AWESOME! Released by Undead Artists, this is a fun and great release to listen to to get you in that Halloween mood! The album opens with "King of Monsters" which is a fast pace tour de France. This is followed by "Ghosts of mars" which slows it down a little but sounds like a good classic Punk song while  "Critriers" starts off with a rockabilly feel that turns heavy! "Need for Meat" "The Thing", "Vampire Waltz" and "Bathory" bring that good classic Punk sound while "We Will Gonna Get You" is just catchy as hell. The album closes with "Calling Me Monster" which is just a fantastic song to end with. I don't know why I waited so long to tell people about this album but, I am glad I did. If this is the final broadcast, what a way to end it all on. If it's just a name.... don't care, the music is still awesome.

The Brickbats - The Ballroom Gloom and Doom Tomb Tunes Debris

So, I first heard about the Brickbats from an interview by the late great Jason Trixion (R.I.P. I will post a tribute of some of the fallen that I didn't during my absence at some point) and I was hooked. The band then got resurrected and, they kick just as much ass as they did during their original run. This EP is a great listen as it opens with "Ten Bones", "Half-Ghost Heart", my personal favorite track "Who's That Knocking on My Tomb?", "Louder When You Whisper" and "Puppets of Night (Old World Version)". No need to whisper the greatness of the band as the tombs burst from the tomb and knock you right on your ass!

Wednesday 13 - Necrophaze

Those who know me know that I LOVE anything Wednesday 13 puts out. So, is it any surprise that I needed to hear his latest album when it dropped? Here we enter the Neceophaze as Wednesday and his band take us on a trip with a little help from some friends. So enter if you dare or at least curious. The album opens up with some help from the one and only Alice Cooper as the title track just sets up what we are in store for. This is followed by "Bring Your Own Blood" which has a industrial feel to it, "Decompose" which sounds like a classic Wednesday 13 track and "Zodiac" is just heavy. It doesn't end there folks as "Monster" is another classic sounding track with some help from Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil, "The Hearse" which brings to mind some Slayer ala "Dead Skin Mask", "Tie Me a Noose" which is a classic Metal sounding track, followed by the one two classic sounding tracks "Life Will Kill Us All" and "Bury the Hatchet". The album closes with some help from Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom on an awesome cover of "Animal (**** Like A Beast)". Overall, this is a fantastic listen from of the most awesomest musicians on the planet. So enter the Necrophaze if you dare. Warning, you may not make it out to tell about it but you'll really enjoy the ride!

The Bastards - Level 7

Well, it's been a while eh? Why not kick things off with a band and share with you the new Bastards EP Level 7. This was honestly a great and fantastic listen by this horrific duo who brings the quality in music with every new release. Both songs are just fantastic! "Take Me Away" is a beautiful sounding song with great ambiance and mood with the strings while "DESTROY!" brings the fire and sing along chorus that you can help but sing along to! Those Bastards have done it again and I am over the moon loving the tunes. Feels good to do this again!