Review Summary: Really, for the most part nothing’s changed.
Wednesday 13 has roughly gone under the radar since their debut in 2005 with
Transylvania 90210. For horror rock veteran Poole (Wednesday), everything has been pretty much the same. From context to that rather simple drum beat that backs his albums. Enter 2011 and
Calling All Corpses is released without a blink from the hard rock enthusiasts. The album remains typically consistent from tract to track and remains in the vein of Wednesday 13’s other works but the subtle and largely unnoticed differences that emerge ultimately make for a better listen.
Thankfully differences emerge between Wednesday 13 and the other horror act; Murderdolls, there is less of an influence than listeners might think. Firstly,
Calling All Corpses shows more of a rock element that hints at punk rather than a punk effort that hints at metal. Lyrical content may feel much the same but
Calling All Corpses’ has a rather immature (“Fry me some KFC!”) and roughly repetitive feel to it. A prime example of the repetitive nature of lyrics can be found in the second track “I Wanna Be Cremated” where the hook is repeated over and over again. Despite the rather negative features of the album being described here there are some redeeming features that can be found throughout. At first, these may overlooked and overlooked a second time, but the music is incredibly catchy. This effect can largely be found in the rhyming pattern that occurs almost too commonly combined with catchy hook lines and somewhat anthem like tracks. The title track is of particular notice with its echoed hook line that is sure to please fans at live shows.
Some similarities emerge between
Calling All Corpses and Murderdoll’s
Women and Children Last. The modern production that helps build on that horror atmosphere that is maintained from the first track makes for a clear listen. That modern production also builds on the similarities between the two acts, whether it be the clean sound, Poole’s gritty vocals and the even the lyrical content. Fortunately this was not released as another Murderdolls record and proved to be more in the vein of a typical Wednesday 13 album. Poole has shown once again that he is more than capable of writing catchy songs.
Calling All Corpses displays Wednesday 13 at a higher point in his musical career. The music is not going to please everybody, it never will. But what listeners have here is a steady album with some highly consistent qualities. Tracks are catchy, memorable (whether you want them to be or not) and
Calling All Corpses is sure to hit a note with listeners assuming they don’t take the music too seriously. Overall, Wednesday 13’s latest effort should be a welcome edition for anybody into the horror rock/punk/metal genre.
Calling All Corpses shows influences from various stages of Poole’s career whether it comes from the early days or his modern day projects such as
Women and Children Last. It’s a great album with a simple song writing process that gives listeners a consistent and highly catchy effort.
