Album Review: Michael – Tell Your Friends

When something drops onto your doormat from Crackedankles Records there is a certain sense of intrigue and dread that is inevitable, the label is responsible for spawning Evil Blizzard, a band that is comprised of four masked bassists, a singing drummer, a psychopathic pig, a deranged cleaner and, on my last encounter with them, a clown that would give Pennywise a run for his money, so what of their latest signing Michael and their debut album, “Tell Your Friends“? Michael are formed from the disparate remains of Notorious Hi Fi Killers, Bad Guys, Hag, Princess Headbutt, Lucozade and Black Shape and their press release makes reference to various Lovecraftian and real horrors and hints at the dark and grisly themes that are embedded in the innocent looking disc.

Like all the good disposable supporting characters who get caught up in something horrific and disturbing, I’m abandoning all common sense and with no regard for my sanity and personal safety I’m wandering alone into the world of Michael. I’m immediately hit by a sinister wall of fuzz that ushers in the first cut ‘Mario‘, the unsettling feel is heightened by tribal drumming, this is a tale of heinous crimes and a salutary warning to those who commit unspeakable crimes, the onslaught continues with the staccato attack of ‘Stabba’s Remorse‘ and it doesn’t come to a stop until the final chords of ‘Leaf Blower Tragedy‘ fade away. There is a constant reference to elements of the past century that have disturbed and unsettled, and right now as the world slips slowly into the abyss there can be few bands who have produced a soundtrack for 2020 quite like Michael have with their debut release. 

Trying to review Michael is a strange exercise, this is a dark, unique and disturbing release, if you’re looking for comparisons there really aren’t any, but for those who venture to the dark and deranged side of the alternative scene this will be a treasured album. ‘Tell Your Friends” is certainly not an album that will have mainstream appeal, but for those of you with friends who have embraced bands such as Butthole Surfers, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Ministry and Evil Blizzard then definitely tell them, they will thank you for it. 

“Tell Your Friends” will be unleashed tomorrow you can pre-order the album via Crackedankles Records here