Gruesome Boys – Songs From The End Of The Rope

When it comes to horror punk, you’d be hard pressed to find a moodier opening track than that ushering in Washington’s Gruesome Boys’ haunting full-length debut, Songs From The End Of The Rope.  “A Sudden Stop” is so very different from anything else on the thirteen-track record, but at the same time so very inviting. Between the track’s lonely acoustic guitar, sorrowful accordion, and poetic group-chant,Gruesome Boys lays a unique foundation, defining themselves with an unsettling but curiously inviting quality.

But before the hypnotic opening track all but completely consumes your soul, it ends abruptly – only to throw you head long into the fiery assault that is “Straight On Till Mourning.”  Here the album finds the boys plugging in, serving as a true introduction to Gruesome Boys’ core sound.  The band lies somewhere between AFI’s Nitro Records era and the old school stylings making up classic Misfits (or Blitzkid for a contemporary reference) riffage.  Vocalist Dustin Reeling’s high pitch invites easy comparison with Davey Havok, but with a rougher edge, and gritty delivery.

As the album progresses the band develops their sound across a variety of tempos, harmonies, and contrasts.  And for an album so entwined with deathly themes, there’s a lot of life to be found.  Sometimes the band gives off a playful vibe, as per “Heart Shaped Shovel.”  Here lighthearted, bouncy backing vocals chime in with melody enhancing “da da da das,” conjuring a very innocent, borderline cutesy feel.  Throw in some mischievous lyrics about a head-over-heels graveyard crush and you get a catchy juxtaposition of dark imagery and outright fun.  But everything isn’t all candy coated; those looking for something edgier need only fire up tracks like “Daddy Eye Lashes.”  Well-placed, meaty guitar solos help infuse Songs From The End Of The Rope with life despite the album’s freshly exhumed body.

Speaking of which, lyrically Gruesome Boys demonstrates a fair amount of versatility.  The Boys’ aforementioned snarkiness and playful tendencies mean that despite their visceral imagery, they cover more ground than your graveyard variety horror band.  Tracks like “Another Body In Your Garden” smartly detail one boy’s love-struck mental anguish, and “Sister Cyanide” employs the benefit of hindsight from the perspective of the recently deceased.  While certainly in the realm of horror punk, Gruesome Boys’ has an undeniable charm.

And when it comes to horror punk, some bands get it, and some don’t.  Robot Monster Records did well snapping up the Washington four piece in time for their debut, because Songs From The End Of The Rope is chalk full of smart, ghoulish anthems sure to please punk and horror fans alike.