 I think CALABRESE is one of the top Horror Rock bands I have heard. -Blasko  CALABRESE is not just a band that is helping to keep horror punk alive, they're also helping to keep real rock music alive. -Eric Powell Quite simply, Calabrese is the world’s greatest horror punk band and they’re coming to get you. Jimmy, Davey & Bobby, three tremendous talents born to the same name, Calabrese. Initially inspired by legendary bands in their freshman and sophomore efforts ("13 HALLOWEENS" and "THE TRAVELING VAMPIRE SHOW" respectively), the terrifying trio branch out into new territory on their new CD, "THEY CALL US DEATH". Calabrese’s new sound rips your head off and leaves you begging for more. With their film debut in THE GRAVES, upcoming comic book and other nefarious plans afoot, Calabrese is poised to take over the world. You’ll be glad they did. -Brian Pulido Formed in 2003, a trio of brothers; Bobby (guitar/vocals), Jimmy (bass/vocals) and Davey (drums), took over the stage on Friday the 18th @ The Red Owl. Better known as Calabrese (as they boast) "The Worlds GREATEST Horror Rock Band". This Danzig meets The Misfits (with a tad bit of Rob Zombie mixed in) did an excellent job of proving it. They are a very tight and well polished act, which holds no punches back. Calabrese has created a large (and loyal) cult following with tunes like, "Vampires don't Exist," "Voices of the Dead," and "The Death of Me." Calabrese has shared the stage with several big name Punk bands, such as, The Misfits, Nekromantix, Tiger Army, 45 Grave, Mad Sin, and The Living End. Their music has also been featured in Independent films. So the next time these young "Lads of the Night" are playing in town, I encourage you to seek them out! However just a word to the wise, be wary on the nights with a full moon. You could become their next melodic meal! AZ Weekly - Naked Dave's Local Distortion For the past six years, the Brothers Calabrese have been redefining the horror punk scene with their own brand of strange, twisted rock. This band of blood drenched late night horror hounds got their start in 2003 as all three brothers set out to tear up the rock scene with razor fangs and voodoo vocals. Their first cult release 13 HALLOWEENS gave the act breakout attention in the Horror Punk, Goth, and Deathrock scenes as they wailed out sensual and witty melodies that drew in crowds the world over. In 2007 the act released THE TRAVELING VAMPIRE SHOW via Spook Show Records and the cult response was overwhelming. Snatching up every CD with the same lust and abandon the act puts behind every song, listeners were ready to devour the act's luscious licks as if a hunger had consumed them. The album opens with "Death Eternal" with guitar licks that drive and rend with undead ferocity. "Voices of the Dead" kick starts into gear a burning Psycho anthem as Bobby Calabrese croons and drips his vocal styles across this black vinyl track. "Vampires Don’t Exist" is a burning punk re-imagination of the Vampire mythos as only the biting wit of the Calabrese brothers can tell it. "Inside this coffin" thumps and thunders along with horror movie samples and killer drum backbeats. "Night in the Lonesome October" is spine chilling as Vincent Price’s eerie laugh leads you into this ripping horror punk diddy. "Saturday Night of the Living Dead" burns up the track by laying down heavy melodies from Bobby’s lovely undead blood drenched pipes. "Your Ghost" is a melancholy eerie delight in true deathly horror fashion. The album closes out with "The house of mysterious secrets" complete with a hidden message to join the Calabrese cult. What horror fan wouldn’t adore the idea? Calabrese’s sound has been compared to The Misfits, The Ramones, and a host of other acts in between. In reality, their unique ability to take burning hard edged rock guitar with crisp clean drums and snares along with darker crooning voodoo vocals sets them apart from any current punk act. By sinking their fangs into their work and locking their jaws down, Calabrese’s stalwart approach combined with vampiric biting wit make them a force to be reckoned with on the horror punk sound stage. Fangoria There are a lot of bands out there that sound like they wish they were The Misfits, but I wouldn't be surprised if The Misfits wish they were Calabrese! I had heard Calabrese's music in the movie Chainsaw Sally. I'd seen their posters and killer artwork which is undoubtedly some of the best in the genre. When I saw their video for Voices of the Dead I thought that it was simply fucking awesome. It is the coolest video I've seen in years and the song was great, but lots of bands have one great song. That doesn't mean that it's worth picking up their album. Well, Calabrese doesn't just have one great song, they have an entire album of phenomenal songs. The Traveling Vampire Show totally kicked my ass! This is the best album I've heard in a long time and I've probably listened to it a hundred times since it arrived last month. Not only do Bobby, Jimmy and Davey Calabrese write about cool stuff like zombies, ghosts and vampires, but each song has it's own vibe (unlike many horror punk bands whose songs all sound the same). The recording quality is better than most similar bands on major record labels. I don't know that it's even fair to use the term 'similar bands,' as Calabrese is in a league of their own. My only complaint about this 12 song album is that it isn't longer because I want more! Calabrese really is the World's Greatest Horror Rock Band! It's very simple: go to the Calabrese website and buy this album immediately! If you don't believe that Calabrese is as awesome as I'm saying, just click here to check out their video for Voices of the Dead on YouTube. Film Apocalypse Calabrese describes themselves as, "The World's GREATEST Horror Rock Band" - one hell of a boast, but if you're gonna toot the Devils horns make sure your grip is tight. Besides is anyone disputing their claims? If so, these brothers grim welcome the challenge because in Horroville the family that preys together stays together. "We're not ashamed that we're brothers", explains Jimmy. "People seem to get a kick out of it. We fight like normal families, but being the oldest, I introduced my little brothers to the music and movies I like. They were impressionable enough to be brainwashed by my evil tastes." You know that statement was followed by a sinister cackle. Horror rock can be a cruel and fickle mistress, especially for those unable to evoke its true spirit it's a tangled sinister forest of punk rock twighlight, a place impossible to wanted into by mistake. It crawls with cliches and pitfalls, and those unfamiliar with the customs will be eaten alive. Calabrese appear to have a bloodstained map however. "Through our music you can tell we're not going for that vibe usually associated with horror. We have a morbid fascination with death - we celebrate death in our music." Guys and ghouls, rock needs more takes like it needs a boil through the neck and the surfin hearse doesn’t admit free loaders hitching a ride on the rock 'n' roller coaster. Hell no, it's heading straight for the ghost train and this three-headed Frankenstein is languishing in the front, scooping up smokin' reviews like heads on a spike - something Jimmy is level headed about. " If we believed the good press then we'd have to believe the bad. We can't please everyone so we don't try. Some people just don't understand what we are doing" he shrugs, "we like that because the people that do understand really get into it." And what about those that have described the band as megalomaniacs? "We can't help it if people are jealous". Rock Sound Magazine Jimmy, Bobby and Davey Calabrese from Phoenix, Arizona are brothers with a shared love for horror punk music. They started a band and named it Calabrese.They call their selves "The World’s GREATEST Horror Rock Band"16th June of 2008, the band released an album called "The Traveling Vampire Show". The list on their site of bands they shared stages with is impressive. The Misfits, Tiger Army, Mad Sin… you name it, they did it. And that they fit in this list of bands as being their equals is something that "The Traveling Vampire Shows" confirms. The album starts with "Death Eternal", which has an introduction like a piece taken of a classic horror movie. The band creates a pleasant, cozy sound which makes you feel comfortable and happy listening to the album. The album brings you in a positive atmosphere and brings you to a point where you get your calendar and count how many days till Halloween. The vocals of the album amazed me most. For someone who is not a daily listener to the genre, it might be hard to stay focused a complete record; because the vocals of a band which uses a lot of whooaaahhhh’s in their music might be annoying after a while. Calabrese places it in such a way in their music that there is not an overkill of it. The band made a hazardous statement by saying they are the world’s horror rock band. You can call it arrogant, but the band made a great album. Tempelores In case you missed The Traveling Vampire Show on its first pass through your neck of the woods, this follow-up to their well-received 2004 debut 13 Halloweens is worth your patronage. Technically and musically more accomplished, not to mention simmering with malicious glee, Vampire Show demonstrates that the plucky Brothers Calabrese (yes, they are actually brothers – Bobby Jimmy and Davey) have quickly grown into hirsute, werewolf-like musical manhood. As you may have inferred from some of my previous entries here, I'm always a bit cautious when approaching self-proclaimed horror bands. Aside from the obvious influence of The Misfits, The Cramps or The Damned, in reality so many of these bands are merely the violent bastard children of Bobby "Boris" Pickett's 1962 novelty record "The Monster Mash"they're plenty of fun to rock out to while gorging yourself on the Halloween candy you decided not to give to the local brats, but like said candy, over-indulgence begins to make you sick to your stomach. That's why I'm always relieved when I hear a band that can make songs about vampires, werewolves and sexed-up ghouls seem appealing year-round, because very few of them are capable of pulling this off. I said it before about Creature Feature, and I'm happy to say it again, because Calabrese is one of those bands who, despite adhering to the tropes of monster-themed punk rock, manages to distinguish their music through clever songwriting, superior technical skill and a knack for crafting excellent hooks, and I find myself coming back to their songs on a regular basis instead of shelving them until the leaves start turning again. Starting with the childhood spirit of those late Saturday nights spent mesmerized by Frankenstein movies on the tube, then slamming them headlong into puberty with a dose of sex, gore and wry humor, these lightning-fast songs synthesize those elements into a bubbling elixir; the unifying theme is one of undead malcontents roaming the night packing a bottle of Old Crow, a pack of smokes and an insatiable thirst for the warm red stuff: the title "Saturday Night of the Living Dead" in itself sums up the spirit of the album, and it's a hilarious love song to boot. Other standout tracks include "Vampires Don't Exist," in which the usual tattered horror-movie soundbite (pun intended) introduces the lament of a bitter young rebel who didn't believe in vampires... until he became one. "Children of the Night" is a clever nod to goth and punk culture, espousing the idea that since you look like a vampire anyway, you might as well join the club and commiserate with genuine gloomy denizens of the underworld. "The Young Princes of Darkness," is a powerful anthem which would make a sweet encore, but my favorite is the final track, "The House of Mysterious Secrets" – any song with the lyric "The chase... makes the blood taste sweeter" is a keeper in my book. I wouldn't have thought it going in, but opting to focus entirely on vampires for the duration of a 12-track album is actually refreshing – it's not so much a concept album as a collection of punk poetry, sung in the words of its own fast-living, undying, good-looking corpses. If you are thinking of dabbling in horror-punk, first check out the classics, but then give these guys a spin... this album speeds along like a black Mopar monster with a silver-skull gearshift knob, and may leave you breathless in its wake. Think of it as road-trip music for the undead. Fear.Net Hide your daughters and get out your shrunken heads, because rising from the desert bone yards of Arizona punk rock comes the horror rock sensation, CALABRESE! Formed in 2003, these three brothers; Bobby (guitar/vocals), Jimmy (bass/vocals) and Davey (drums), not only share last names, they have been working tirelessly ripping up the punk scene with their awesome mesh of Mistfits-meets-Dammed-meets-Ramones brand of punk rock ’n’ roll. Their first album 13 Halloweens, released in early 2005, achieved tremendous success and marked a solid fan base for the band. The album offered a ghoulish blend of heavy riffs and killer harmonizing vocals any horror rock fan would come to love. But then Calabrese takes your expectations and rips your still-beating heart clean out of your chest without missing a beat. Yea, it’s really that awesome. Calabrese takes all of your predetermined ideas about the horror rock genre and not only redefines it, but makes it 10 times more powerful than anything you’ve ever experienced. After spending most of 2006 rocking shows in Phoenix and California, Calabrese has come back scarier than ever with their follow up album, The Traveling Vampire Show, which is scheduled to be released in early February along with a CD release show at one of Phoenix’s best all-ages downtown venue/art galleries, The PHiX on Friday Feb. 9. According to brother Bobby, the show is "guaranteed to kick your teeth in." This second installment in the quickly growing Calabrese discography promises to deliver the band’s unique brand of horror rock with 12 new, heavy, pounding songs like, Voices of the Dead, Vampires Don't Exist and House of Mysterious Secrets. As an added treat, Calabrese has supplied CultureBoom with an exclusive download of "Voices of the Dead" for our readers to check out. With their nostalgic theme of classic horror movies and retro-gothic art, its no wonder these brothers have spent most of their lives buried in their love of comic books. In fact, Calabrese is currently in the developing stages of working on their first feature music video with Chaos! Comic’s president, Brian Pulido. Brian has written and co-written more than 260 comic books including Lady Death, Evil Ernie, and The Undead, among many other titles. Brian is also an award-winning filmmaker whose horror short film, There's Something out There, has played 40 international film festivals and garnered eight "best of" awards. When asked about what kind of comic book titles they enjoy reading, Bobby states, "Some of our favorite titles growing up were ... well, we're all into the EC Horror comics kinda stuff, of course, and a lot of Batman. Dark Knight changed my life, man! We like stuff like Preacher, anything with Wolverine, Watchmen and a lot of stuff written by Steve Niles, like the Cal McDonald stuff." The brothers are also big fans of J. Scott Campbell & Andy Hartnell’s Danger Girl, as well as The Walking Dead series by Robert Kirkman & Tony Moore. Besides their highly anticipated release of The Traveling Vampire Show, Calabrese is scheduled to play Mesa Atomic Comics' Fright Night 3 on Saturday Feb. 17 along side other local heroes like the Cut Throat Freak Show, the pudding wrestling girls of Dirty Darlins of Debauchery, 68 artist Jay Fotos, and local punk band Family Secret. If you have any confusion about the current state of music, you’ll definitely want to check out Calabrese. They break the mold of the classic horror rock genre and rebuild it from the bass up. Over the past three-plus years, Calabrese has been featured in national publications such as Fangoria and Maximum Rock & Roll, as well as had songs on compilation albums like AZPunk.comp Volumes 2 & 3 and Ghouls Gone Wild. With a rapidly growing fan base, dedicated song writing and consistent touring, Calabrese is building a horde of hungry of monsters ready to devour any non-believers who stand in their way! Spawn.com/CultureBoom They're baaaack! One of the best, hell, THE best horror rock band has returned with their second serving of hot, steaming intestinal tracks! Yes, I give you Calabrese! The boys, after winning the award for best horror rock band last year, could have settled for a mediocre sophomore effort, but what they did was completely the opposite. As awesome as 13 Hallowe'ens was, in many respects The Traveling Vampire Show is superior! The recording is better, the playing is crisper and the lyrics are bloodier! The CD features 12 hard rocking tunes and it sounds unbelievable when cranked! The band wastes no time in getting back in your face as the CD kicks off with the gruesome "Death Eternal." Over the course of the disc, you're treated to some of the best rock you've ever heard! My favorite track is "Vampires Don't Exist," or it could be "Night in the Lonesome October," hell, I'm not sure! Like I've said before, I don't care if you love or hate horror rock, Calabrese cannot be denied! Before this band is through, all will bow before their shadow. Just like 13 Hallowe'ens before it, The Traveling Vampire Show gets ****** out of *****. That's not a typo. It gets 6 out of 5 stars! Grab a copy today! Click the banner at the bottom of the page to visit the band's website and while you're at it, check out their video for "Voices of the Dead" immediately below. Dave's Horror Reviews It's weird to me that I have never seen these guys, I mean I seen them around, but I’ve never seen them play. This is particularly weird considering that they and I Can Smell Your Brains both call Phoenix metro home. I’m even sure that I have been at shows where they had or where going to play, but for one reason or another, didn’t see them. Even more odd is that they are a horror rock band with national acclaim and are very involved in the horror scene. Weird, yes, but I came on to their sophomore effort (At leased of which is in print) with almost no pre-dispositions. This brings us to their record The Traveling Vampire Show. First off, the title is most surely taken from the 2000 Bram Stoker Award nominated book by the same name written by Richard Laymon, which to me is rad (yep, I said rad). These guys seem to know their shit and have the up most respect for the genre, which any good horror rock band should. The CD comes snug tri-fold digi pack with the cool art of Tom Bagley and Andrew Barr, not that cover art really matters, but looking cool never hurt anyone. All right, now for the record itself; to say it briefly, it’s good. Calabrese does a great job of mixing a Misfits style sound with that of late 90’s AFI and a touch of The Damned. I had this record in my car for a few weeks and listened to it pretty frequently and must admit I was impressed. There is good guitar work throughout, solid song writing and great vocals complete with sing along choruses. Throw this bad boy in your CD player and by track 4 they will have you hooked. Great work from some hometown boys. After repeat listens I’m looking forward to seeing this creepy trio bring their Traveling Vampire Show to the stage and finally catching these dudes live. Special Note: These guys have some pretty sweet merch, take a gander at their official shop and pick up a shirt that will upset your grandma I Can Smell Your Brains.com The brothers Calabrese - Bobby, Jimmy and Davey - are back with a vengeance with their new album "The Traveling Vampire Show". A kick-ass follow-up to their debut disc "13 Halloweens", this album shows that Calabrese still has the goods when it comes to infectious horror-punk rock n' roll. They touch all of the horror-punk bases - horror movie samples and whoaah-oh choruses are here in spades - but Calabrese isn't afraid to amp up the proceedings with a dash of power-pop goodness, making theirs an act that is as likely to appeal to casual listeners as it is to the most devoted genre fiends. There are a lot of good tracks on "The Traveling Vampire Show" - as far as I'm concerned there's not a dog among the bunch. I get to listen to a lot of horror-punk and goth stuff here at skullring.org, but not all of it gets me itching to hit the replay button like this disc does. The Calabrese boys describe themselves as the world's best horror rock band - they may be on to something. SkullRing.org Horror rock, it seems, is re-nestling itself in my black little heart after listening to Calabrese’s first full length album, 13 Halloweens. Brothers Bobby, Jimmy and Davey have not only been gifted with a last name that doubles as a great band name, but with the foresight and true-to-roots mentality to start their own label, which, much like 13 Halloweens, is destined for cult status. Energetic, catchy, and most of all, fun, this album is full to the brim with infectious songs such as "Backseat of My Hearse," "Zombie I," and my favorite of the bunch, "Midnight Spookshow." -Jessika Welcome to the world of "Horror Rock"… A marvelous and corrupt music genre if there ever was one. It’s brought into an unholy existence through the fusion of the eclectic sounds of punk rock, heavy metal, and goth-rock. But it is by far the stolen sound bites from horror movies that sets this music apart from anything else. These classic outtakes have generally been the rare gems of a select few. Usually insomniacs, whose nights were spent watching third-rate B-movies in the bluish glow of the T.V. Whose main goal was more likely a feeble attempt to catch a big-breasted glimpse of the exotic vampire host who’s snappy quips who hosted these shows between commercials. CALABRESE was formed by the three brothers from Phoenix, AZ. and by all accounts are one of the best "horror-rock" bands in the business. They have a Gothabilly look including black leather jackets, use fog machinesand lighting reminiscent of some local haunted house on Halloween. There is a definite stage presence that almost needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. That doesn’t mean that their first release "13 Halloweens" on SPOOKSHOW RECORDS isn’t worth buying. They are rather two unique experiences in themselves. The live show brings to light their cocky and almost megalomaniac attitude to what they do. Where in most cases this would be a turn-off, they appear to be some type of self-absorbed mad scientist on the verge of bringing some monstrous beast to life. The CD, although a recording of roughly the same songs, is more like the sound track to some horror movie whose scenes are wildly played out before you with every tune. Everything about these guys reeks of rock stardom and wish them the best of luck. Mob Scene Magazine The Freaks Come Out at Night: Calabrese @ PHiX Gallery, Wednesday, October 31 2007 Over the past 30 days or so, most of the Western world has been busying itself in celebration of the annual phantasmagorical feast of fear known as Halloween. As for me, however, I’ve been having a lot of trouble getting into the Halloween spirit. Don’t get me wrong: I’m a huge fan of the holiday, always have been. As a kid, I used to spend most of the year trying to think of what gear I was gonna wear to impress my friends and win the annual costume contest at school. But with all the weirdness that’s been going on lately with the Phoenix New Times and our recent legal drama with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, it’s been kinda hard getting into the spirit of things (no pun intended) .So when All Hallows Eve came around, I was bound and determined to make up for my spooky funk. I dressed in nothing but black clothes, listened to the Misfits’ Evil Live all day long, and after the sun went down, I was gonna check out the closest thing to the 'Fits that Phoenix has to offer, the horror punk band Calabrese. I’ve been a fan of the band for the past year or so, but had never gotten a chance to see them live in concert. I’d heard some stories about how raucous their shows could be from other fans, but these tales were nothing compared to the insanity I witnessed at their annual Halloween show at the PHiX in downtown Phoenix. Although it seems like every day is Halloween for the three brothers who make up Calabrese (since they dig on blasting out merciless horror punk about ghouls, goblins, and other ghastly topics), I get the feeling that their Halloween gigs are the biggest shows of the year for them. When I arrived, the crowd at the Grand Avenue art gallery and performance venue was at least a hundred strong, consisting of numerous punks, freakazoids, and rockabilly fans. While a good third of them were sporting the standard 'billy uniform of pompadours and Misfits tee shirts, the rest of the crowd was dressed for the holiday, with a ton of "duplicate" costumes (such as two Freddy Krueger’s, two V for Vendetta’s, a pair of sexy Snow Whites, and two Edward Scissorhands). Frankly, the most original getup of the night was the guy who came as "The Dude" from The Big Lebowski. The opening psychobilly bands -- Chapter 23, Creepsville 666, and Zombeast -- definitely fired up the crowd and got them in the mood for madness (including a smoking cover of Guns 'N Roses' "Sweet Child of Mine" by Creepsville 666). Illusionist Ray Valenz also contributed to the freakshow atmosphere of the night by performing such stunts as inserting tic tacs through his eye and making them come out his mouth, heating up a bullet with a cigarette lighter to set it off and "catch" it in his teeth, and attempting to saw his head off with a guitar string. Later, Valenz also provided a rather menacing introduction for Calabrese before they took the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen," Valenz said into the house mic. "The virgins have been sacrificed, the vampires have feasted, and now its time for you to play witness to the most awesome horror punk band of all time, Calabrese." As the band took to the stage (which was lit with eerie green lights and covered with mist from a fog machine) an ookie portion of the soundtrack to Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion played, the brothers took up their respective instruments, and proceeded to unleash Hell. With their mouths covered in (presumably) fake blood, they ripped into a terrifying troika of songs consisting of "Vampires Don’t Exist," "Death Eternal," and "Night of the Living Dead," where their unforgiving sound of thundering bass lines, chainsaw-like guitar, and horrific lyrics pumped up the audience and fueled the miscreants in the mosh pit. Lead guitarist Jimmy Calabrese and bassist Bobby Calabrese share duties with the vocals, taking turns bellowing into their retro '50s-style microphones about zombies and burning flesh. Meanwhile, drummer Davey (who resembles Luke Perry to some degree) pounded the skins as hard as an alcoholic on a three-day bender pounds the Jack Daniels. The band members wear their musical and style influences on their sleeve, as they got the whole gothabilly/horror punk look working for them, with a sound that’s a frenetic pastiche of the Misfits, Samhain, White Zombie, Danzig, AFI, and other bands of their ilk. During a break in the action, the brothers also gave a shout out to their mom and dad, who were running their expansive merchandise table. Say what you will about the band, but Calabrese definitely knows how to do merch, as they were selling a dozen different tee shirts, six posters, CDs, 8x10 photos, buttons, and stickers. Also in between songs, the Calabrese members threw out handfuls of candy to the audience as it gathered around the PHiX’s tiny stage. The treats probably helped add to the fans’ energy and sugar buzz, as they were moshing up a storm and jumping on the stage to sing along with the band. The only shitty part about the crowd were a pair of skinny tough guys with foot-high Mohawks who kept trying to prove how punk rock they were by running into the pit while and swinging punches at the same time. Thankfully, venue owner Lee Berger got them to stop. As rowdy as things were as Calabrese ran through more than a dozen of their best songs during the hour-long set (including "Children in Heat," "Night in the Lonesome October," and "Eyes Down"), things became completely unhinged when the brothers started jamming out a stellar cover of the Misfits’ "Halloween." To say the audience went absolutely fucking batshit would be an understatement. They rushed the stage, and piled on top of one another to crowd around Bobby and Jimmy on the microphones and screamed the lyrics along with them. Outstanding. By the time the show ended just after midnight, the fans seemed collectively spent from all their thrashing, and before Calabrese let loose with their final song, "House of Mysterious Secrets," they gave props to those in attendance by saying, "Thank you guys for sticking around; you fucking rock." No, thank you. Personal bias: If I didn’t have to shave my head due to male pattern baldness, I’d totally be sporting a pompadour, too. Phoenix Newtimes Calabrese - 13 Hallowe'ens - Damn. This is slick. The first full length from the brothers Calabrese raises the bar for DIY production quality. The fact they've got talent to match doesn't hurt either. If I were to compare the overall sound of the album I'd perhaps lean toward pre-MTV AFI but that's only a very loose comparison for the casual listener. Bobby's vocal stylings have a broader character and are considerably more tolerable after repeat listening. After a few times through, I started to really pick up on how much the harmonizing completes the sound. Granted, they're not afraid to find a catchy riff and make something of it, and the "Whoa ohs" are obligatory mainstays of horror rock, but put the two together in just the right amounts and you've got an album that appeals to less experimental listeners and all but the harshest die-hard elitists alike. Balzac could be in that same narrow category too if you could understand what the hell they were singing. In a genre steeped in the legacy of vintage horror, it's quite suitable to hear an occasional sample creep up in the background, and you may find yourself playing "name that movie" as you try to guess from whence they came. From start to finish you'd be hard pressed to find a song you'd want to skip past after the 30th time it's repeated. This album is definitely in my top 5 for this year. Go get it. The Black Order Amidst a puff of machine-blown fog, upraised devil horns from skinsman Dave Calabrese and the claret-cooling incantations from Disney's infamous Haunted Mansion, frontmen Bobby and Jim Calabrese spun around and launched straight into "Zombie I", the opener from their recent Spookshow release 13 HALLOWE'ENS. With nearly Zeke-like stage patter ("We are Calabrese from Phoenix Arizona this ones called 'Shrunken Head Kids'!") it was clear from the start that this greasy-locked, sideburnt, flip-collared, black-booted brotherly trio were just stopping in on their Phantasm Death Rock Tour to soundly kick a few asses and little else. Even before of a crowd of... um... MAYBE... 20?... Calabrese were truly a spectacle to behold: plastic jack-o-lanterns, an enormous rubber bat, lanky stringster Bobby barking through a blanket of bangs, Dave whacking away and headbanging like a Bay Arean in 1988 and Jim - not only playing a bass you could HEAR (yippee!!!) - but managing to howl out his half of the lyrics and not asphyxiate on his glob of Wrigley's. Take your pick - "Backseat Of My Hearse", "Blood In My Eyes", "Crizila", "Midnight Spookshow" or the yet-to-be-recorded "Night In The Lonesome October" - all were delivered with a tightness that most bands would kill for and left me thinking there may actually be some truth behind their bold proclamation of being "The World's Greatest Horror Rock Band". While it's no secret that this band took more than a couple of spins to leprously grow on me, Calabrese is best served live where there can be no questioning their talent, dedication and sincerity to the horror genre. After only a very short 30+ minutes, "Phantasmagoria" and an audience-particpated version of "We Are 138" brought things to an all-too-soon finish, leaving the entire premises leering like a hungry hoard of ghouls at an all-you-kin-gobble open casket buffet. -Gery Vermin Calabrese - 13 halloweens (spookshow records) Please allow me to introduce these horror punk heartthrobs from the dusty graveyards of Arizona. This is a band of three brothers
-Jeff Dahl Get Out Calabrese With lyrics like "Can we drink your blood after the show?" horror rock trio Calabrese recalls the days when scary movies meant monsters and mayhem instead of remaking Japanese films about creepy little children. Songs such as "Backseat of My Hearse" and "Phantasmagoria" are more playful than psychotic, as the numerous references to cannibalism and grave-robbing are accompanied by a healthy dose of winks. Musically, the band resembles obvious inspirations like The Misfits, providing lively three-minute, three-chord punk songs that will surely please fans of the genre. The main problem with Calabrese is their sorely nondescript band name, taken from the surname of the three brothers that comprise the lineup. May we suggest taking a page from the Rob Zombie (another clear influence) career guide and changing their last name and group moniker to something more evocative, like "Goblin" or "Poltergeist"? Rating B -Albert Ching Calabrese is a horror-punk band from Phoenix, AZ, featuring three brothers - of the blood variety, obviously. So, they’re kinda like Van Halen, only with more murder and mayhem. Oh, and better haircuts. Musically, they follow the same thorny, twisted path as their whoa-oh-ing forebears, mixing the Munsters theme and old Halloween sound effect records with the Sex Pistols and Eddie Cochran, and then watching with bloody rictus grins as all the flowers around them wilt and die. Crazy girls love 'em. So do the Fango kids. You, you might need a little convincing – they do have a song called "Backseat of My Hearse", after all – but beyond the goofy-ghouly stuff, there’s a tight, lethal punk band with a knack for great glammy choruses with foot-stomps and hand-claps and meaty Dracula-driving biker-fuzz riffs that’d make Davie Allen pop right out of his coffin to say "Outtasight!", if he was dead. Or Undead. Dig the expansive freak n’ roll of "Death of Me", the neo-hardcore rager "One of Us" or the bleached cowskull epic "Every Day is a Funeral" for three sterling examples of their bitchin’ creep rock, and be sure to stick around for the hidden bit at the end, where they hypnotize you in sending them 13 dollars. I get the feeling I may have heard some of these songs in a prior incarnation, like an EP or something, but since I pretty much live the same nightmare everyday, it’s hard to say for sure. All I really know is that, although I have never fucked Linnea Quigley in a graveyard while the Wolfbane bloomed, I have often thought about it, and Calabrese would just be, like, wicked for such an event. Calabrese, if you cats wanna work that out, I’ll be in the video for free. Sleaze Grinder This CD kicks off perfectly with a creepy old sample sounding intro. ANY band that uses samples from old horror movies have me at AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! but the intro isn't the coolest part of this..these guys are for real three brothers.. when you get three brothers who actually get along and don't spend their time beating the shit out of each other and do something constructive such as turn their love of horror movies and punk rock into something as cool as this.. you gotta love it. First song ZOMBIE I, the guitar is really smooth and you get a taste of the kick ass vocals you are in store for on the rest of the album. let go with that awesome CROON! ...second song... RESURRECTION one of my fives starts off with a great bass line and how can you go wrong using BACK IN BLACK as the first words to any song.. and yes yes yes yes I can hardly stand it.. they're using clips from GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN... the creature has a mind of a murderer.. IT MUST BE DESTROYED.. I love this band!!I love the almost keyboard sound of the vox.. actually there might be some keyboards in there not sure but it sounds amazing...Third song.. DEATH OF ME has a pretty smooth VINCENT PRICE style intro.. love this stuff. Not sure but reminds me of old WHITE ZOMBIE but without all the YEAH's and the endless assault of words that don't make sense.... ONE OF US fast and heavy.. a kick to the teeth, reminds me of ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN at times.. MIDNIGHT SPOOKSHOW gotta love that scream at the beginning.. kinda makes me think of DR PHIBES heading off a punk band, a lot of us have heard this one before. number SIX titled BACKSEAT OF MY HEARSE.. does a hearse even have a backseat.. who cares.. clever ass idea! EYES DOWN man I love all this retro horror stuff.. the vox in this are some of the best on the whole album.. you guys may hate me for this but reminds me of ALKALINE TRIO my fave band of all time. SHRUNKEN HEAD KIDS has a good swing to it.. groovy as hell. EVENING brings back the ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN balls to the wall feel again. finally hell yes.. my favorite track on this whole damn cd.. BLOOD IN MY EYES.. I love this song it's probably the best CARRIE inspired song I've ever heard.. I'm speechless.. how do you describe something as awesome as this.... you don't you just love it. again with a killer bassline we have EVERY DAY'S A FUNERAL not to mention we get more and more awesome old clips. CRIZILLA I think is the only song that the lyrics weren't written by CALABRESE. I wonder if that's why it's one of my least fave tracks. who cares it still rocks. and the final track. PHANTASMAGORIA, amazing guitars amazing vox, amazing lyrics.. this band never ceases to amaze me. OK now that I've staggered through each track what's my final thoughts. HORROR ROCK is littered with MISFITS wannabes.. It's nice to see someone who doesn't fit into that category.. these guys are definitely original in what they do. and they LOVE what they do. that makes it even better. CALABRESE IS UNSTOPPABLE oh yeah don't forget to listen for the secret track! -The Dead Puppy Zombies, mummies and vampires populate local trio Calabrese's first full-length, 13 Halloweens, the follow-up to the three brothers' much-hyped EP Midnight Spookshow. Some Spookshow tracks are revisited here, but these 13 horror-rock songs (hence the title), in the vein of the Misfits and the Ramones, show a fleshed-out, slickly produced, more grown-up (but definitely not more mature)Calabrese. When Bobby, Jim and Dave chug through tracks like "Death of Me," "Backseat of My Hearse," and "Every Day's a Funeral," it's impossible not to fall under their thrall. Horror rock's not a very populated genre these days, so the Valley's lucky to have Calabrese playing around town in gothabilly gear and making vampy little girls swoon, but even luckier to have the solid collection on 13 Halloweens to play at will. -Brendan Joel Kelley Great chugging guitar and a madman singing about shrunken heads is an antidote to boredom under any circumstances, but we’ll come to that later. The foremost point about Calabrese and their Horror Rock, which seems a catch-all description of anything Punka-Gotha-Rockabilly these days, is that they nip at you ferociously and incessantly, having the finest American punk traditions etched into their very bowels. American hardcore was always so stocky, it devloped a different form of power to the UK scene. Here, Anarcho moved away from original punk with a whippet-thin sulphate sound which whipped off as a dirgey racket. American punk had more rasping melodic power, which naturally led to that infusing other musical forms, and it could really bounce if the drummer was good. Calabrese have a great drummer who invigorates every tune he ambushes, so when the song is bouncing the guitar can hone the intensity, and the singer can explode. Calabrese’s singer explodes, rightly enough, but they also do that Other American Thing, utilising the boost button that conjures up the Joint Backing Vocals. This form of vocalising creates sonic lines that almost choruses in themselves, and Calabrese use these as effectively as those great Gods of noise, Naked Raygun, but of course we have the Horror tag here too to contend with, which most Punk actually avoided, because Goth hovered all such influences up. Also there’s a comedic aspect Punk wouldn’t touch, as comedy Punk was shite. Horror Rock is a step on from the Punk way, with a sense of character which draws upon other influences from the 50’s and 60’s, and in Britain we've always liked American Horror touches, so took to The Cramps immediately. When The Misfits records first stated appearing we latched onto those too, wondering, 'can they be as good as The Cramps?’ and upon playing them realised 'Wow, they’re almost as good, as a third rate Meteors!’ This form hasn’t actually taken off here, and yet there’s really very little to differentiate between this and Deathrock, so people should devour this quite happily. Both come at you like a vehicle driven by a lunatic, and in the case of the Calabrese Coach From Hell, it doesn’t stop. It’s a wonderful, spirited record, from the garishly and charming cartoon artwork used in the sleeve and CD artwork, to the way the songs just hit you repeatedly with brisk deliveries, and the surges lift you up. 'Zombie I’ is feral punk, with a choppy rhythm and pleasing guitar elasticity, as the strong vocals vault over the boundless drum energy, hollering smartly. 'Resurrection’ introduces a darker tone, with a tougher vocal stance which creates a deeper wound, and 'Death Of Me’ goes for an all-round boisterous buzz. 'Midnight Spook Show’ ushers in the whirling vocal cyclone effect with straighter drumming and comparatively distant guitar, which allows the vocals to push through. 'Backseat Of My Hearse’ is almost conventional rocky punk, with the vocal ferreting between grimacing guitar and rollicking drums, while 'Eyes Down’ has such gurly vocal deportment, with slouching riffing that leads to a cheerily catchy chorus similar to Mega City 4 at their best. 'Shrunken Head Kids’ is early 80’s joie de vive with lots of handclapping and you have to love it, which takes your mind off 'Evening’ being a bit of a rock fumble with good dry, bubbling bass. 'Blood In My Eyes’ sees them go serious again, with the energy levels dipping accordingly, despite crunching along in the chorus, and 'Every Day Is A Funeral’ is an angsty compress, with the vocals sandwiched between glowering bass and lazy guitar. 'Crizilla’ gets the big drum clomp going, stirs in some low, gritty guitar over which they pour pained vocal melodrama, before smacking us into touch with 'Phantasmagoria’; thrashy punk, but with a vivacious guitar assault and a crazed chorus which makes for supercharged pustular pop. These chaps would have appreciated Dr Who tonight, where the aliens who planned to take over Earth, already having human form, found great delight in farting. They have The Young American Mystic Cult Of Horrors that you can join, which guarantees mysterious communication from the band, so you’d better either check out this record for the secret track which provide details of initiation, or excavate the info from their website. Noise and Horror themes, eh? You just can’t go wrong, and Calabrese do it right. Live, they must be a riot. -Mick Mercer Emerging from the graveyards of Phoenix, Arizona, Calabrese's combination of catchy old-school punk rock with B-movie imagery and scream queen samples is clearly influenced by the Misfits. Just as bands such as AFI and Bella Morte obviously nod toward those horror punk legends, Calabrese seems to have no qualms about honoring the undead forefathers of spook rock with songs like "Midnight Spookshow," "Blood In My Eyes" and "Phantasmagoria." You can also detect a little bit of rockabilly in the band's sound – especially on car tributes like "Backseat Of My Hearse" and "Crizila" – which kind of brings to mind Tiger Army and the Nekromantix. All comparisons aside, 13 Hallowe’ens will definitely please fans of both horror films and rock 'n' roll fiending for a new crypt to haunt. -Jonathan Williams (Music Editor) (Italian to English translation via "Babel Fish") First album for this new trio horror punk directly from Phoenix.. formed in the 2001 the Calabrian is the siblings Davey, Bobby and Calabrian Jimmy (eheh!), in little time they attract on they the attentions of the critic and the esteem of groups and fan, much to make to exclaim to Blasko (bassista of Death Riders and Rob Zombie) that they are one of the best ones horror band listened to while still alive its. in the 2003 they publish the Midnight Spookshow EP and they come contacts from numerous labels to you but for their independent spirit punk and they decline every offer and they create the own one label, the Spookshow Records with which Haloweens.. in the meantime publishes the their first full-lenght 13 participates to numerous sonorous independent film columns horror and to I pay to the Misfits, Too Much Horror Business To tribute To The Misfits 1977-1983, with they version of Night of the Living Dead.. But we pass to 13 Halloweens (title chosen it from one they fan, such Nil Failstorm, through a contest organized just from the Calabrian on their situated one!!) ..13 traces (one beautifulr of the other!) intrise of zombie, dead women, ghosts, cemetaries and great classics horror b-movie (to emphasize also the splendid one artwork to topic!).. insomma just cocktail of the thematic ones that they give always ago content the lovers of the horror punk rock.. are also just cocktail the musical one in which they fix R-al.meglio gothabilly, rock' n' roll and punk-rock modern. the super-choruses to the Misfits, the inging guitars do not lack sufficient to, a low dirt and a super-drummer. all 13 elements that make of Halloweens a greatest debut and do not make other that it makes in the long run to add to the name of the Calabrian list us of the new groups horror Americans who continue to hold "while still alive" the punk of the zombie!! Stillborn Magazine Calabrese – ’13 Halloweens’ (Spookshow Records) I first heard these guys via their 2003 EP 'Midnight Spookshow’. That was a promising release, showing a horror rock band still leaning a bit on their influences but moving in the direction of something more unique. With ’13 Halloweens’, Calabrese have fully come into their own. Punk, metal, and surf guitar all blend together into a cohseive sound topped off by melodic and distinctive lead vocals (no Danzig worship going on here, nor am I reminded of AFI as I was on Calbrese's previous EP). On top of that, the songwriting and production are top notch. Even the four songs revisited from the previous release sound fresh in their new renditions. Standout tracks include "Zombie I", "One of Us", "Backseat of My Hearse", "Eyes Down", and a couple of re-recorded favorites from the EP: "Blood in My Eyes" and "Crizilla". Honestly, though, there’s no filler on here. In my review of the band’s previous EP, I said it was worth considering but not a must have. Well, ’13 Halloweens’ is a must have for anyone into horror rock. Hell, even if you don’t consider yourself a horror rock fanatic and just like good hard rocking music with hooks you should check this out. For more info go to www.calabreserock.com -Bob Ignizio OK, I'm not gonna beat around the bush, this is the single best Horror Rock record I've heard this year and it ranks among the best of the modern wave of Horror Rock (1990's-present). Calabrese have taken the standard framework of modern Horror Rock (simple upbeat Punk Rock with a slight Rockabilly flair, catchy sing along choruses with Misfits-esque "whoa-ohs" and Horror-inspired lyrics) and worked it flawlessly. Instead of trying to find some musical gimmick that separates them from the many similar sounding bands, they stay firmly grounded in that framework and simply do it better than the hordes of other similar bands. And while they proudly wear their influences on their sleeve, they avoid any outright mimicry. To be completely honest, this is one of a small handful of modern Horror Rock records that has really blown me away. Try as I might, I cannot find one thing to complain about with this CD. Even the production is flawless. In the final analysis, whether you're a fan of Horror Rock or just Rock in general, Midnight Spookshow delivers The Rock, in spades. -Big Tony O'Farrell Despite blatantly wearing their influences on their sleeves (in this case AFI, Groovie Ghoulies - and guess who? - the Misfits, Calabrese have crafted a damn fine EP of catchy, ghaslty, horror-punk anthems on Midnight Spookshow. The title track blasts out of the cemetery gates with a Davey Havok-like wail and plenty of "whoa-oh" harmonies like the Beach Boys crashing a mad monster party. Shrunken Head Kids and Blood In My Eyes will win over the fans of the modern horror punk genre with their infectious melodies, gruesome lyrics and high octane energy. The drive-in spooky flick artwork and bloody slick production values make this disk simply too good for fans of B-horror rock 'n' roll to pass up. -Aaron Lupton Phoenix-by-way-of-Transylvania ghoul a go-go bros Calabrese are a trio of horror-obsessed siblings weaned on a steady diet of the Misfits, Count Chocula, and Creature Double Feature. "Midnight Spookshow", a 6 pack of blood-engorged shock n’ rollers, is the rather glorious result. As you might expect, Calabrese share more than a passing resemblance to the "Walk Among Us" era Misfits musically, I mean- visually they look like rockabilly undertakers from outer space), but the 50’s thwacka-thwacka beat and rampant "Who-oahs" are merely a blueprint – Calabrese are way more celebratory in execution (ahem) than their dour, gruesome forefathers would’ve ever dreamed of being. Nobody’s eating brains or giving birth to two headed monster babies here, they’re just freaking freely with the werewolf and Lady Frankenstein and all the grooviest ghouls. Highlights here include "Come Alive", an especially hooky chant-along extolling the virtues of electricity and it’s reanimating powers, and dig the crazy hand-clapping during "Shrunken Head Kids". It’s like an even creepier-than-usual Gary Glitter tune, if that’s possible. Closer "Blood in My Eyes" is a snappy little monsterrocker that has all the precision and pomp of AFI, which is probably just how they wanted it, and who could deny the hypnotic powers of "Crizila"? Not me, man. All in all, this 'un is a raucous, super-tight, insanely catchy smattering of punky horrorbilly. Obviously, the vampunks and ghoul rockers among us are gonna eat this one up with spoon carved outta black cat skulls, but even the non-grave robbing will find much to feast on here. As Forry J would say, a spooktacular display of gruesical mayhem! Something like that, anyway. -Ken Sleazgrinder Your record is some of the best new stuff I've heard in a long time! I was so happy to hear your disc. That last track, "Blood In My Eyes", I love it! -Drew Bludd "Midnight Spookshow" is the debut EP of the Phoenix, AZ trio known as Calabrese. For a self released CD the production is high quality and the cover art by Rubber Wolf? Graphcs) is frame worthy. Calabrese’s sound is highly Misfits oriented: two minute, horror themed punk rock songs with "whoa-o-oa" choruses all over the place. What I found distinct about Calabrese is that unlike many other horror punk groups that have tread the same ground, these guys are actually talented. Everyone in the band can carry their own weight – especially the vocalists. Honestly, there are a couple of songs on the CD that I could give or take but what really got me hooked was "Blood In My Eyes." This is a well-crafted song that The Misfits (or whoever the hell they are now) could learn a thing or two from. "Midnight Spookshow" is a solid debut for a band that appears to have a promising future so do not pass this one up. -Robert Jimison Damn great and entertaining Misfits-infected muck that should please every fan of the horror punk rock genre. Despite what all the skulls and the cheesy 50's horror artwork that adorn the cover could easily imply, Calabrese don't sound a bit outdated, nor do they sound like a cheap imitation of the highly influential band around Glen Danzig. Unlike the lo-fi recordings of Japan's best in ghoul rock, Balzac, "Midnight Spookshow" has a well-produced, balls-out and almost bombastic wall of sound that perfectly blends with the frequent "Oooohoooohoooos" in the choruses and the great voice of guitarist/singer Bobby Calabrese. There are only six songs on this CD, all of them are cool, especially the title song and "Blood In My Eyes" are two catchy-as-heck tunes you'll find yourself humming all day long. Two minor sqibbles on an otherwise impressive debut: Calabrese is not exactly the coolest name for a band of this kind, and more importantly, CD-EPs aren't exactly a punk rock format. Whatever, this band is definitely up to many more great releases, just let's hope they'll put 'em out on vinyl. I for my part look forward to it! -Reverend Mack Fans of Misfits and The Damned arise! Here is a new, low-budget sound of low-budget horror. The group even has the Elvis-esque lead vocalist and ghoulish chorus of backing vocals that Misfits made so famous in its own B-movie homage. This six-song EP is the group's debut. What the trio (all Calabreses) lacks in execution it more than makes up for in attitude and style. This is a promising debut. -Tom Schulte Calabrese write flawless songs. I’ve spent sleepless nights in my room dealing with a throbbing head and eyes covered in red veins hoping to find SOMETHING to bitch about. Imagine the drama of Danzig 3 filtered through the song writing ear of both Charlie Hodges and Red West (the team behind Elvis’s hits), and you’ll get close to describing this opus. The album opens up with roaring harmonized vocals that tag a phrase that’s repeated at least four times in 2 minutes. Of course you’ll never get tired of it because the drums and bass change the feel of their playing at least as many times! The drums roll on their way up from the verse to the chorus, and they pound their way back down to punctuate the change back. The bassist knows when to grind along with the drums, and when to swerve out of the way to give the song some breathing space. The vocals are what really kill me though. Since the two vocalists (Bobby and Jimmy Calabrese) have such a remarkable texture to each of their voices, they can get away with doubling or repeating the same melodies a number of times without it ever getting old. Another thing I’d like to give kudos on is that this CD came shrink wrapped in spider webs, in a package filled with bouncing pumpkin toys and awesome Halloween sour candy. This is the most authentic revival of the 'Static Age’ sound that I’ve ever heard; a younger Danzig could have only dreamed of working with musicians as gifted as these. Albums like this are so refreshing to me, instead of having to deal with 40 minutes of clumsy ideas I get 15 minutes of finely tuned, catchy as hell songs. Blu wanted me to do a top ten, but all I can really come up with is a top one. This is the best cd I’ve heard all year. -Basim Debut six-track mini album for this young band coming straight from Phoenix, Arizona, and the least we can say is that this introduction is rather successful. CALABRESE plays a finely crafted kind of Horror Punk Rock which, despite its obvious and very strong MISFITS influences (especially concerning the choruses and the melodies), is really very effective, particularly by virtue of a very topical sound, an unstoppable energy, and very lively guitar riffs. In accordance with this style's purest tradition, the topics their lyrics deal with are in keeping, of course. To convince yourselves about that, just have a look to the titles of their tracks, for instance. Furthermore, those guys definitely don't lack (black) humor, and they blithely play the game, since while sending me their promo package, they enclosed a string of kitsch and funny gadgets : CD packed in false cobwebs, Halloween candies and chewing-gums in the shape of bloody eyes, small rubber pumpkin, key ring in the shape of a sliced hand, and so on... In brief, this is a band who, while fully assuming an excellent "dark" imagery, also have an excellent state of mind and offer us a debut release of high quality that I can highly recommend to you. My only regret: it's just a pity that it's so short ! Thus, I'm now waiting impatiently for their first full length album to see the light, but hopefully, it might happen quite. I strongly wish them to obtain all the success and recognition they deserve ! -Hans Wehrwolf They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well then I guess that The Misfits should be humbled when they hear Arizona's Calabrese. Consisting of the three Calabrese brothers (Dave, Jim and Bobby) this twisted punk trio has taken everything they love about the Glenn Danzig fronted Misfits and cranked-out six tracks clocking in at about fourteen minutes covering grave robbing, vampires, hot rods and general horrific goodness. And damned if they don't do it all convincingly and with enough talent and HorrorRock swagger to make it a great introduction to the band that leaves you wanting the feature length CD they're currently recording. The standout tracks, for me, are the brief blast of "Come Alive" (with the catchy chant, "monster, monster, come alive!" during the chorus) and the closer "Blood In My Eyes" - two tracks that could easily find heavy radio play thanks to their pop-punk sensibilities and sing-a-long chorus's. In fact, Calabrese have all the elements that make any punk band following in the footsteps of The Misfits any good: Danzig-like soulful punk vocals, a nice steady groove, a peppering of handclaps and teen angst lyrics with a horror twist. And it's done so well that there's little here to complain about it. This is fourteen highly listenable minutes that'll have you jamming along - and it puts a lot of independently made albums to shame because not only is it well produced (by the band themselves) but as a unit, Calabrese are tight musicians who obviously have a passion for the genre they've chosen. -Chris Every couple of years pundits are quick to announce the death of rock. Whether it be dance, boys bands, electronica or country, guitars and bass will always be the lifeblood and cornerstone of everything that is static in a dynamic industry. The latest news from the frontlines is that the current union du jour between Beyonce and Jay-Z is merely a collaboration meant to put the deathblow on true, organic rock. Take heart, weary soldiers, reinforcements have arrived. Like them or not, Nirvana, Radiohead, Strokes and White Stripes are some of the bands that have kept the movement alive, but what has kept things interesting are small, diverse acts like the Datsuns, Mooney Suzuki, Interpol and a new favorite of mine, Calabrese, an all-brother trio from Phoenix that is dying to rock your lame ass. Drawing inspiration in equal parts from the Misfits, Groovie Ghoulies and White Zombie, Calabrese's contribution to the horror rock genre is a welcome breath of tongue-in-cheek mayhem in a time when too many bands are taking themselves far too seriously. That's not to say the band doesn't command respect, far from it. As out of time, yet timeless, as the Ramones were in '76, Midnight Spookshow could sit comfortably on the shelf next to the Ramones, Hüsker Dü or the Ghoulies. The eldest Calabrese, Jim formed the group in late 2001 with brothers Dave and Bobby. Their early collaboration spawned an underground, self-titled EP that only hinted at the promise held by the trio, but drew raves, notably here at The Mix Project, placing 5th in our 16th annual Album Of the Year list. With an increasing amount of live gigs under their belt, the band now breaks through with their first proper release, Midnight Spookshow, a 6-song EP that invokes Grant Hart, Phil Spector as well as the aforementioned Danzig, Ghoulies and Ramones. While it's a bit lofty to compare this work to any of these artists, the influences are definitely well chosen, consciously or otherwise. One of the first things that jumps out at the listener is the tight, solid production work by the band and engineer Aaron Carey. As tight as the sound is, it never approaches slick, which is a lesson that could be learned by the legions of punk-pop wannabes clogging the airwaves these days. The guitars ring true and the drums are prominent, but never at the expense of the vocals. Eschewing most of what once defined American punk, the band comes racing out of the gate with the title track, all guns blazing. Dave Calabrese lays down a solid rhythm while Jim and Bobby harmonize as if the Beach Boys were being assaulted by Rob Zombie. "Midnight Spookshow" comes across as anthemic intro, setting the stage for the rest that follows. Like downshifting and exploding out into the passing lane, "Come Alive" kicks the set up a notch and throws you back against your seat. The inescapable hook and infuriatingly catchy chorus defy you to hum another tune the rest of the day. As good as vocal performance is, Dave's solid, if not spectacular drumming brings the whole package together and makes it a highlight of the set. The band successfully rides big choruses, chanted backing vocals and thundering percussion seemingly without effort. This formula is never more evident than on the EP's closer, "Blood In My Eyes". While the band doesn't bring anything dramatically new to the table, few do. There is something instantly familiar and reassuring about the album that will certainly delight fans of the Misfits, Ramones and Ghoulies. -Brent E. Kick |
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