Wednesday 13 is back, and decomposition is his addiction. The Duke of Spook is roaring back with a brand new disc, entitled Necrophaze. Chock-full of bloody things, chugging rhythms, and a few special guests, it is a must-have record for horror fans, as it is a testament to the lasting power of the legendary Wednesday 13.
The title track features guest vocal unease from the one and only Alice Cooper. The saying "Decomposition is my addiction" needs to be on a T-shirt already, and could have just as easily been the tagline for the album as a whole. The deep spoken parts by Alice add a decidedly creepy tone to kick off the album proper.
"Bring Your Own Blood" is to Wednesday 13 what "Foxy Foxy" was to Rob Zombie. It is the party track, the "fuck it, let's have a good night" song that picks up the energy and is instantly catchy. The hi-hat patterns in the verses add a bit of nuance to an otherwise four-on-the-floor groove. It may be stopping short to call this song fun, but damn it, it's a fun track.
"ZODIAC" is a heavy, triplet-filled track that comes in heavy-handed in the best ways. This leads to a more dubious track for me, "Monster," featuring guest vocals from Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia. I absolutely love LC, and Cristina Scabbia has been a huge influence on my art and my drag, but I don’t know how well her voice really works with in the wicked world of Wednesday. It pains me to say that I wasn’t terribly fond of this track, and while I don’t outright reject it, I can’t let it off the hook entirely.
"Decompose" comes rallying back with that quintessential Wednesday sound, with an instantly catchy chorus that begs to be sung along to. A narrative interlude called "Be Warned," featuring the voice of Jeff Clayton, the brutish "The Hearse" barrels through with machine gun double bass, something I’m not used to hearing in much of any of W13’s catalog. The double bass patterns continue through "Tie Me a Noose," with its unnerving guitar parts and overall creepy sound.
"Life Will Kill Us All" certainly has some fun riffs, but the album hits a high point with "Bury the Hatchet," with its horror-punk stylings and stand on the gas pedal tempo. After an end credits track, we get a treat in a cover of WASP’s "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)," with some help from Children of Bodom’s Wildchild himself, Alexi Laiho. Hearing the song, even setting Laiho’s contribution aside, makes me wonder why Wednesday hadn’t covered this track sooner. It’s over the top, vulgar, and about as rock and roll as one can get.
Sonically speaking, this is some of the best music that the Wednesday 13 name has been attached to. It’s a fun ride through hellscapes and haunted graveyards, with nary a drop of blood left unspilled. The Duke of Spook has done it again with Necrophaze, and we will be sure to bring our own blood when we arrive on the scene.
