Release Date: November 27th 2021. Record Label. Pale Wizard. Format: DD/CD/Vinyl
KILLER: 50 Years Later - Tracklisting
1.Green Lung - Under My Wheels 02:48 video
2.The Grand Mal - Be My Lover 03:11
3.Sergeant Thunderhoof - Halo of Flies 08:39
4.Ritual King - Desperado 04:40
5.1968 - You Drive Me Nervous 03:34
6.Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah 03:01
7.Mos Generator - Dead Babies 05:42
8.Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell - Killer 06:54
9.Alunah - I'm Eighteen - Bonus Track 03:15
10.Suns of Thunder - Billion Dollar Babies - Bonus Track 04:08
11.Possessor - Muscle of Love - Bonus Track 03:52
12.Sound of Origin - Sick Things - Bonus Track 06:06
Review
Releasing a tribute album to one of Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Outrageous Personalities such as Alice Cooper was always going to be full of surprises. Pale Wizard Records have gathered some of the best underground Stoner Rock bands around to perform on a tribute album of KILLER: 50 Years Later. With the original album being a Hard Rock/Glam Rock/Garage Rock classic from 1971, bringing the album up for a modern day release then a tribute album is the best way to go.
This record is more Doom Rock/Stoner Rock orientated compared to the original but still maintains the original record’s gloriously rebellious sound with Alice Cooper’s music shining through once again. You have artists such as Green Lung, Alunah, Mos Generator, Sergeant Thunderhoof and Possessor appearing among many others. Each of the bands bring their own style and interpretation of the song whilst remaining quite close to the original.
Opening up the album is rising Doom/Stoner Rockers Green Lung performing Under My Wheels and I would never have thought about putting Green Lung to work on this song. It’s a gloriously epic performance with Green Lung not being themselves and playing a subdued Hard Rock/Glam Rock style of music with elements of Doom Rock here and there.
Up next is The Grand Mal who revel and bring raw party going excitement on Be My Lover. A seedy and romantic offering which is almost as good as the original. Spiky vocals and frantic instrumental work make this another winning track.
Pale Wizard Records owners or should I say Sergeant Thunderhoof take the longest track with perhaps my favourite track on the original album - Halo Of Flies. A Psychedelic and Murky Stoner Rock makeover that sees the guys make the song truly one of their own compositions. An alternative feel with the vocals and synths make this the best cover on the record. As it’s quite progressive and offers emotional depth when the slower parts of the song appear.
I’m not going to have time to review every band that appears but all of the bands who perform on this album bring their “A” game even being given one song each. Mos Generator, Ritual King and Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell are my other favourite performances from the album with things becoming quite frantic, freaky and wonderfully psychedelic.
The original KILLER was ahead of its time back in 1971 and it’s good to see 50 years later the record still has the power to delight and entertain different generations of music fans. This tribute album is one of the best I’ve experienced in years and it shows a different style of Doom Rock and Stoner Rock with Alice Cooper not associated with those genres of music.
KILLER: 50 Years Later is top-tier entertainment and I persuade you all to go over listen to this and purchase a copy. If you’re a fan of Alice Cooper and this classic album then this is a must have purchase. Awesome stuff.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Dan from Pale Wizard Records and Memphia Music PR and Management for the promo.
KILLER: 50 Years Later is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Pale Wizard Records
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