Every now and then we look back at an album which readers may have missed but certainly deserves a look at as we search out the beating heart of the underground in all its shades. Such is the case with Go Cadaver, GO ! from US ghouls The Caskeeteers, a riotous brawl of an album which brings mischief, antagonism, and unbridled revelry from the land of the dead.
Formed in 1998 by upright bassist and vocalist Ritchie Dead, the band from Salem, Oregon has brought a scourge of psychobilly and horror punk to the breathing and expired earning hungry acclaim and decomposed lust through their impressive live performances and previous releases Dead Things and Tales From The Casketeers. The band has ‘buried numerous members’ as line-up changes added to the mayhem but with guitarist Gorey Hackerman and drummer Brian Terrible alongside Ritchie Dead, The Casketeers has hit their finest glory to date with the Psycho A Go Go Records released Go Cadaver, GO !
The album opens up its tomb of gore first with Carnival of Souls, an initial church organ beckoning and vocal revelation coaxing the ear into a stroll of bass persuasion, fiery guitar sonics and punchy rhythms. The brief welcome is soon a stomp of greedy riffs, eager beats, and inciting slap bass provocation. It is a keen and easy going track which though it falls short of igniting major sparks inside makes for a more than decent start with its scorching solo, boisterous vocals and harmonies, and rampant breath.
To be fair it is because of the quality of the rest of the album that the song and arguably a couple of other tracks pale slightly in comparison but that is the price to pay when including tracks like Wreck-n-Roll on your release. Sparking the ear with deep throaty bass plucking and a squall of vocal raucousness, the song swaggers with steaming blues guitar teasing and a resonating pulse which paws and coats the senses with expert temptation. Imagine Stray Cats and The Ramones in collusion with Johnny Burnette and you have this flaming uproar.
Tracks like Haunted Forever with its Generation X like rebellion and the seductive beat shuffle Killing Me Killing You continue the increasing strength of the album, a release which just gets better the further in to its shadowed depths you go. The carnivorously strutting From Flesh To Bone as it sends the ear and passions into an excitable frenzy is a prime example whilst the following title track is like that boisterous best friend which with anthemic egging on leads you into a bruising errant display of behaviour.
The final four songs find album and band at its best, King Of Zombies leading the aural and passionate devilment. With a virulent contagion and sultry mid-song seducing, the song is psychobilly to commit adultery over, a delicious unquenchable lust with rewards that leave the heart breathless. From the throaty glories of the upright bass, the snapping rhythmic provocation, and the feverish guitar taunting in the song and album overall, The Casketeers is a primal inducement set free.
Among the Living is the most ravishing slab of excellence on Go Cadaver, GO !, the leading bass slaps and brewing sonic restlessness irresistible, a reaction which intensifies once the song spreads its muscles and devious addiction forming charms. Like all the tracks it is an immediate anthem for the instincts and soul which leads into unsolicited rapture and furious deeds of desecration, mentally and emotionally.
With the mutually scheming No Remorse, its dominant bass lick, barbed hooks, and cunning rhythms greedy and unrestrained, and the closing furore Sore Loser finishing off what is fully thrilling and invigorating release, Go Cadaver, GO ! is an unapologetic romp of death driven rock n roll. The album with extra whispers of the likes of Misfits and Volbeat to those flavours already mentioned, is one of those treats you instinctively return to and inspires eager hope that we see The Casketeers returning with more grave borne sounds soon.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Casketeers/169521496422613
7.5/10
RingMaster 27/02/2013
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