Gutter Demons - Misery, Madness, and Murder Lullabies

Band: Gutter Demons

Album: Misery, Madness, and Murder Lullabies

Label: Self Released (NA)/Wolverine Records (EU)

Montreal based psychobilly trio the Gutter Demons describe themselves as a mixture of 80's psychobilly, 50's rockabilly, street punk, horror punk, and Country. When most bands use several styles to describe their sound they're being generous, but with the Gutter Demons, it's easy to see that their description is genuine. Lead vocalist Johnny Toxik's deep, raw vocals, defined by a thick French Canadian accent, should be welcomed by fans of bands like The Sainte Catherines, while upright bassist Flipper's deep slapping should make any fan of 80's psychobilly bands like Batmobile feel right at home. The guitaring is similar to raw punk influenced psychobilly bands like the Cenobites or Gorilla. On top of these characteristics the Demons refine their sound with occasional guitar-centric country intros and outros.

While certain elements of these styles remain in force throughout their new album Misery, Madness, and Murder Lullabies, the band shifts stylistic emphasis between songs. For example, songs like "guilty" and "follow" carry a "big" rock n roll feel, featuring the heaviest guitar and fiercest vocals, while others like "House by the Cemetery" and "Advice" lean more heavily on country elements, resulting in slower tempos and a more subdued atmosphere. These changes keep the listener with just enough variety to to keep things fresh throughout the entire album.

As for lyrics I had originally written a paragraph about how Misery Madness and Murder Lullabies was thematically bound, as opposed to taking on a narrative structure, like in their previous release, Room 209.  But then I read an album description at some obscure online retailer and realized I was dead wrong.  Apparently, much like Room 209 (in which the band created a thematic murder drama about a crazed serial killer), Misery Madness and Murder Lullabies is also a narrative, this time about an outlaw's journey: "the tale of an outlaw at heart, his quest for glory, his downfall, and his waiting at the Gates of Hell."  While admittedly blushing from my misinterpretation (this realization came after many months of listening to the album), I think my mistake is revealing.  Compared to Room 209 the Demons' narrative is far less apparent.  The band explores this outlaw's journey through thematically related tracks rather than a straight forward narrative.  Consequently the album is far more accessible for repeat listening, or selecting specific tracks out of sequence.  While certainly above average in the realm of psychobilly, the lyrical content is entertaining, and at times even original, they are by no means groundbreaking. But it's hard to fault the album on this technicality since horror-punk thrives off of a legacy of B-movies and cliched content.

Overall the Gutter Demons have crafted a fine piece of work that stands up well, inside and outside of the genre. Because of the album's variety and subsequent originality, it's easy to recommend Misery, Madness, and Murder Lullabies to casual psychobilly listeners as well as die hard enthusiasts.