The Negans are from Boston and this is their new record. This one contains 12 songs and we all know who Negan is, we all love him or hate him for different reasons hehe. Well, I love this band. The music can be described as a mixture of harsh punk rock, horrorpunk and even some street punk influences thrown in, yet with catchy and singalong horrorpunk choruses like awesome Rick´s a Prick. The vocals are angry, yet melodic and vocal lines are written so great and sweet like in Lizzie´s Lament for example, one of my favorite songs on this record. There are some more classic street rock songs like Badass, so this is not your classic horrorpunk style for all you fiendettes and fiends, boys and ghouls who love your horrorpunk in Misfits/Blitzkid style of things, but that is the whole beauty of the scene, that diversity of the styles evolving into our beloved horror genre. Two more songs that are for me highlights on this album are Infected Fiesta and Negan´s Way, wicked little anthems of zombie apocalypse. The rest you have to discover for yourselves. How? The Negans released their record on Bandcamp, so go grab it, if you love it, write couple of words to the guys I am sure they will appreciate it.
The Writhers are hailing from San Diego, California and this is their brand new e.p. that came out today. This e.p. contains five songs plus instrumental intro called Devilmask Approaches. When the first song Rot Rot Rot opened up I was blown away. It was like Dead Kennedys were playing horrorpunk meaning old school Cali punk with horror lyrics about alien invasion in What Is That? or maybe maniac stalkers in Pulp are to about to win you over for sure. The guitar work reminds of The Cramps a bit, and vocally the singer has similar tone and voice as Jello Biafra which makes this band interesting because I have never listened to this kind of horrorpunk band. This is one more proof how horrorpunk scene is diverse and beautiful, different in its diversity and influences. My personal favorite on this record is Cold Day, maybe because it is the most epic and melodic song of them all. Devilmaks Defeated? is the closing song, being a bit weird with keyboard backgrounds, spoken word and eerie atmosphere, but reminded me a lot of small town slasher horror movies back in the eighties, I don´t know why, maybe because overall vibe of the song. This is a good and interesting e.p.
Emilio Menze is no stranger to horrorpunk scene having played in Stellar Corpses, Mister Monster, Plan 9…) Now, Dark Ride is his new brainchild and they released the first single from the upcoming e.p. and it is a killer tour de force of melodic horrorpunk with fantastic video, courtesy of fantastic artist Adam Judd. It was about time for me to talk with Emilio for this webzine. This is Dark Ride premiere in Croatia, so read on!
HEY, THANKS FOR DOING AN INTERVIEW FOR KRAYKULLA. FIRST OF ALL, LET US TALK ABOUT DARK RIDE A LITTLE. DESCRIBE THE BAND A BIT FOR THE READERS WHO STILL DIDN´T LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC. COULD YOU PRESENT THE BAND, THE MEMBERS AND YOUR MUSIC?
Emilio: Dark Ride is basically my passion project, my baby. It’s the first time I’ve actually been in charge of every aspect of a band so it’s very exciting and challenging. I’ve always played in horrorpunk bands inspired by what The Misfits created and achieved. I wanted to take my very best shot at making vivid and new anthems with the result of throwing all my influences and styles into a blender so to speak.
THE MEMBERS OF THE BAND PLAYED IN SOME GREAT BANDS IN HORRORPUNK SCENE PRIOR TO THIS BAND. COULD YOU SAY THAT DARK RIDE IS AN AMALGAMATION OF ALL YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES, LIKE YOU TOOK THE BEST OF EVERYTHING AND COMPILED IT TO ONE BAND?
Emilio: Absolutely! This is what I do period. I’m always going to be making music that I dig. In the studio I played everything except drums and my producer/friend Randy Moore played lead guitar. As far as members for gigs and tour its going to be all of my most talented musician friends from my past, present, and future coming in and out to kick ass depending on who’s available.
EMILIO PLAYED GUITAR IN HIS EARLIER BANDS. NOW HE IS ONLY SINGING. WAS THAT A BIG CHANGE TO STEP IN FRONT AND BE THE MAIN SINGER?
Emilio: I’ve always wanted to be a frontman. Through the years though whether it was bass or guitar I was always happy just being a part of them team, but being the frontman for Dark Ride guarantees no one can take it from me. It has been a big change but one that feels like a natural evolution. I still write all the songs on guitar but I have many guitarist friends who can play whatever I write easily better than I can!
THE TALK OF THE DAY IS YOUR NEW SINGLE. IT IS A GREAT AND THE VIDEO IS ALSO FANTASTIC. IT CAPTURES ALL THE DRAMA AND ENERGY OF HORRORPUNK. HOW COME YOU CO-OPERATED WITH ADAM JUDD? TELL US ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND THE VIDEO AND THE SONG.
Emilio: Adam is insanely talented and his crew is just killer. I loved the videos he made for my dear friend Argyle Goolsby as well as Zombiecock. I had the idea in my head for the Ghostbusters inspired music video with Gozer etc for years and tried to get it made in Stellar Corpses but it never worked out, once I saw Adam’s work I finally felt like I found someone who could pull it off. I love the 1980’s and The Ghostbuster films and the ending sequence of the team battling Gozer on the rooftop was always visually stunning to me.
‘Anti-Hero’ is a song about walking my own path, playing by my own rules and although I’ve made a ton of mistakes and stumbled along the way I always do the right thing in the very end. That is how I’ve lived my life.
THE DEBUT E.P. IS ALMOST OUT. HOW MANY SONGS WILL IT CONTAIN? IS THERE SOME CONCEPT STORY BEHIND IT OR ONLY PURE HORROR FUN? HOW WAS THE WRITING AND THE RECORDING PROCESS FOR THE E.P.? WILL THERE BE ONLY DIGITAL VERSIONS OR PHYSICAL TOO?
Emilio: It’s a 5 song EP. I basically took everything I love in music, threw it in a blender, and this is what came out. I just wanted to make a record that as a fan of horrorpunk I would love. Some of the songs I wrote for Stellar Corpses but weren’t finished but always bouncing around in my head. It was an absolute blast and I had a killer team of my producer and my engineer helping me bring out my very best performance. There will absolutely be a vinyl release! I might do cd’s but just for promotional stuff and giving to friends etc.
CAN YOU STILL REMEMBER HOW YOU CAME TO LOVE HORROR? WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MOVIE OR EXPERIENCE THAT MADE YOU LOVE THIS GENRE SO MUCH AND BECOME PART OF YOU 24/7? CAN YOU NAME YOUR TOP FIVE HORROR FLICKS OR BOOKS?
Emilio: Great question! Well I’ve ALWAYS loved Halloween. I grew up in the last half of the 80’s so it was common for kids to see horror and violent stuff back then unlike now. I remember loving Beetlejuice in particular as well as more mystical stuff like Big Trouble In Little China. I just always thought there was unlimited room for creativity and fun in all things horror. Top 5 horror movies off the top of my head are the original Nightmare On Elm Street, The Evil Dead, Reanimator, original Fright Night and The Shining. But there’s so many more. I really love the book ‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’ which I wrote a song about on the EP.
WHAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL IN HORRORPUNK SCENE? I THINK IT IS THE DIVERSITY AND ALL THE DIFFERENT INFLUENCES THAT ALL OF US BRING IN WITH OURSELVES, ALSO IT IS A MUCH SMALLER SCENE AND MAYBE MORE TIGHT AND FRIENDLY?
Emilio: The people. The actual bands are so nice and supportive of each other right now and the fans are passionate to support and spread the word. Its home to me.
I CAN´T HELP IT, I MUST REFER TO COVID SHIT AND POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE U.S. AND THE WORLD. HOW IS LIFE OVER THERE RIGHT NOW?
Emilio: Where I live in California our numbers have been really low because people have been respectful of the precautions etc but yeah, there’s a lot of fear and frustration. I do believe that Covid will end and we will learn a lot from it and maybe people will be a lot kinder towards eachother and also support live bands more.
LET´S GOSSIP A LITTLE. HOW DID YOU REACT WHEN YOU SAW AND HEARD MICHALE GRAVES´ RANTINGS ON SOCIAL NETWORK? YOU DON´T HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION IF YOU DON´T WANT. ME PERSONALLY, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HIM AND HIS POLITICAL VIEWS AND THOUGHTS. I MET HIM WHEN HE SANG FOR MISFITS IN 1999 AND AGAIN WHEN HE WAS WITH GOOLSBY ON TOUR IN 2018 THEY PLAYED IN CROATIA AND HE SEEMED A BIT ODD BUT NICE FELLOW AND OF COURSE HE WAS MY MUSICAL INFLUENCE IN A BIG WAY.
Emilio: I dont share in or support Michale’s beliefs.
THANK YOU FOR NOW. PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT IN THE END AND I DIDN´T ASK YOU. THIS IS YOUR FIRST INTERVIEW FOR SOME CROATIAN ZINE I THINK.
Emilio: This is my first Croatian interview and I’m honored! I would very much love to come play there on tour. I’ve got a lot of cool plans coming for Dark Ride so keep checking back and please give the EP a listen it comes out November Friday the 13th!
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 