The Serpenteens Dead Men Walking

Before My Space/Facebook became the breeding ground for struggling bands, there was a site called MP3.COM and this, my friends, is where you would find the cream of the crop so to speak. I spent days at a time seeking out bands to jam on and review. One of my fondest memories of the site comes from a band called the Serpenteens. The Serps offered every damned one of their songs for free download and for those who are counting, that’s how you create a buzz, people! Free will get you every time, but it wasn’t all about the free. These NYC monster boys had the songs, the music and pizzazz to go along with it. The band is one of the current Horror Rock scene’s forefathers along with Blitzkid, Diemonsterdie and The Frankenstein Drag Queens. The Serps sound was one part Misfits, one part Kiss and all fun! Unfortunately, the boys decided to call it a day and when MP3.COM bit the dust, the Serps went along with it. I never forgot about the band, I actually have the cd that you could purchase through the site, it’s one of my most treasured among the 6,000 plus I own. Over the years I’ve played the disc in its entirety on the radio, I’ve told countless people, made tons of comps and done everything I could to keep the Serpenteens’ memory alive.

Early last year I received news that the SERPENTEENS had returned to take back their beloved throne at the top of Horror Rock scene and that, my fiends, is a definite. The band has completely reworked their legendary debut entitled, Dead Men Walking and have chosen to release it through Blood And Guts Records. If you missed the band the first time around, there is hope for you after all. The first thing you need to know is that the Serpenteens are the originators of the bulk of Horror music you listen to right now. There’s no faking, no mindless ideas, no face paint, it’s just flat out Monster Pop as the band has so lovingly tagged it. All of the songs here are fresh and more fun than a pit of zombies. Of course the lyrical content isn’t very serious but that’s the mysticism of it all; it’s about having a good time in Horror-Happy-Land!

To make the deal even sweeter, the Serps have added two brand spanking new tunes – as if the reanimation of the old tunes wasn’t enough?! “Hell California”, is the first of the new tunes and it leans heavily on the Cowpunk/Psychobilly genre which is fine by me. Lead vocalist, Alphamyle’s storytelling here is magnificent, as are his vocals; he hasn’t lost his stroke not one bit. Those of you who love Ghoultown, Thee Merry Widows and The Rezurex as much as I do will be diggin’ up graves all over the place to this track. The next new tune is a cosmic little ditty called “All Around Me”, it has an awful lot in common with the tune “Antennae” as they’re both about aliens and space creatures. I’m not the biggest Sci-fi fan, but Alphamyle and the boys do a great job at making me want to watch Plan 9 From Outer Space and They Came From Outer Space again. And then we have my favorite track of the entire Serpenteens’ catalogue, “Please Be My Zombie Bride”. This tune didn’t have to be reworked or pepped up to make me take a second glance, I was already fanatical about it. I’ve dug up many a dates in the cemetery while blaring this tune! The most important aspect of the new version of this track is the intro. It’s complete with Doo-wop backing vocals much like you’d hear out of an old Platters’ or Drifters’ tune, which makes the lyrics even more sweet and heartfelt. Yes, I did say that about a zombie, hey even us Necro’s can love, too! In true Horror Rock fashion, the tune “More Than Human” is carved from the storyline of the cult classic, Pumpkinhead. There’s even some love shown to ex-Danzig guitarist, John Christ and Werewolves in the track “Silver Bullet”.

Every tune on the rendition of Dead Men Walking is a classic, there’s not a weak tune on the disc. I love them all just as much, if not more than I did all those years ago. The addition of guitarist, Frank N’ Stein and drummer, The Creature has finally solidified the band’s line up. These boils lay it down all over this cd like it was the last time they were ever gonna be able to play music again and that’s what it’s all about folks – heart and fun. It’s never been a question as to whether or not bassist, Bub Romero and vocalist, Fang Alphamyle have heart; they’ve been eating the hearts out of the underground Horror Rock scene for more years than a lot of you have even known about horror itself. If you miss out on this cd this time around, you’re gonna hate yourself forever! Stick a fork in me, I’m done – The Serpenteens have slain me again!!!

https://serpenteens.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/Serpenteens

~Black Angel