Angeles tackles that perennial Halloween favorite “Monster Mash” with the utmost of grace and style. Embracing the garage rock soul of the original, they have a playful swinging style of the piece. From the choir to the surf rock guitar inflections, it all comes together in a great way.
“Kickin’ It At The Crypt” goes for sly classic rock feeling, showing of the Zombie Garden Club’s laid-back demeanor. Infectious to its very core, the song is a pure rush. The giddy organ neatly ties the whole thing together in the best way possible.
Neon hued synthesizer come to the forefront on the industrial edged shuffle of Characula’s “Mummy Dance”. Her vocals have a seductive, commanding presence to them. Rhythms have a colossal, force of nature quality to them.
On “Halloween Is At The Door” goes for a gentle disposition, as Carol Martini combines folk and psychedelic rock into a glistening whole. Layer upon layer of sound filters into the mix. Her voice is one of pure celebration.
Rolling rhythms come through on Anthems for Autumn’s stripped-down angular sound of “Ghost”. Done with the such care the piece’s bass lines simply stun with a glistening, gorgeous sound. Just the right amount of edge lingers in the background as everything comes together in a perfect way.
The tension of Gypsy Carns’ “Moon & Stars” offers an eerie sort of timeless folk. Raw and ragged, the sound has a haunting beauty to it. From the stretched-out guitar work to the loose percussion everything possesses an otherworldly charm.
Intense beat workouts adorn the whole of Kitt Wakeley’s “Wicked Warped & Twisted”. Guitars soar up into the sky merging perfectly with the luscious piano work. Layer upon layer of sound intermingle in a way that gives it a colossal heaviness.
Meditative to its very core, Lyia Meta’s “Slumber” shows off her bluesy vocals. By letting the scope of the work sprawl out into the infinite it all has a tremendous strength to it. Pounding drums add to the ceremonial, at times theatrical, tenor of the track.
Going for a retro, acid-fried sound is the Swinging Iggies lo-fi splendor of “The Pain”. Rather mournful, the song opts for a classic timeless sound. Quite immersive the Swinging Iggies go for an all-consuming, dense world to explore.
Nicely following in a broken-down jerky rhythm is Andrew Tyler/The oOhz’s “Vampire Blue”. Wild and totally weird, the harmonica feels fully lived in, as the rest of the arrangement virtually falls apart. Beats blast through and offer the song’s one and only anchor.
Stealthily odd, Guarded Jungle goes for a hallucinatory adventure with “Haunt Me”. Impossible to pin down, the piece expands out into the infinite with a laid-back quality. Melody, rhythm, these are toyed with in the best way possible.
The Satisfactors go for a swagger on “My Baby Got It”. Vocals feel reminiscent of the Rolling Stones as they have a confrontational yet joyous quality to them. A pure celebration there is a flirtatious spirit infused within the whole of the piece.
Atmospherics and found sounds introduce the dark ambience of Claudio Casanueva’s “The Witch”. Quite moody, the piece has an amorphous feeling to it. Nearly psychedelic, the song feels like the equivalent of a long-forgotten dream.
Quite jovial, Wood Shampoo have a humorous take on horror with “You Suck (Mr. Vampire)”. Wordplay is used liberally, as the guitars have a twee pop quality to them. Full of energy the song is propelled forward.
An intimacy of sorts comes into the fray on Gar Francis’s “Shaking My Body To The Bone”. Done with a mellowed approach, the whole of the piece works wonders. The low-key spirit has a dreamy disposition to it.
Great enthusiasm flows through the whole of Kickbend’s “Ups ‘N Downs”. Everything works as it rushes in a gorgeous blur. Vocals sit front and center while the whole thing shimmers.
Website: https://bongoboyrecords.com/howlogrimvaz1/
Line Up
1. Angeles – Monster Mash 3:10
2. Zombie Garden Club – Kickin’ It At The Crypt 2:32
3. Characula – Mummy Dance 3:20
4. Carol Martini – Halloween At The Door 3:21
5. Anthems for Autumn – Ghost 3:27
6. Gypsy Carns – Moon & Stars 4:30
7. Michael Resin – Vicious Minds Project 3:48
8. Kitt Wakeley – Wicked Warped & Twisted
9. Lyia Meta – Slumber 4:18
10. The Swinging Iggies – The Pain 4:11
11. Andrew Tyler/ The oOhz – Vampire Blue 5:16
12. Guarded Jungle – Haunt Me 0:48
13. The Satisfactors – My Baby Got It 3:00
14. Claudio Casanueva – The Witch 3:44
15. Wood Shampoo – You Suck (Mr. Vampire) 2:51
16. Gar Francis – Shaking My Body To The Bone 4:33
17. Kickbend – Ups ‘N Downs 3:38
