While not to be confused with Danish rockabilly outfit HorrorPops, it seems that The Horrors' members draw similar influence to their brand of heavy, fast-paced punk rock.
This London band carries on the sound of 1970s pure-punk rock. I'm not talking about what is now considered to be punk rock such as Rancid, NOFX and (shudder) The Casualties. I'm talking real punk rock - the angst-ridden, tempo-driven, makes-you-want-to-start-punching-walls epic instrumentation, crammed into around two minutes of raw force.
This band is what good punk rock used to be - and should still be, for that matter. Now, maybe it's just because the band is British, but you can't help but compare it to punk-rock legends The Clash and The Sex Pistols - mixed in with classic psychobilly tendencies for a Halloween-esque vibe throughout.
In fact, the band is so fascinated with horror that two of the members go by Coffin Joe and Spider Webb.
The bandmates feature a more surf-influenced guitar structure, more high-pitched and hallow-with-spastic strumming and intricate chord progressions.
The sound is completely original because band member Joshua Von Grimm actually builds his own guitar pedals, which makes this band totally unique despite the similarity to those other bands.
However, you can't deny the obvious link between The Horrors and The Ramones, as they both have a song featuring a girl named Sheena ("Sheena is a Parasite" and "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," respectively).
The Horrors have proven, though, to be the modern version of the 1970s rebels, as they have been banned from MTV for the video for "Sheena is a Parasite" and its graphic content (which includes a girl literally spewing her intestines out at a high rate of speed).
Banned from MTV? Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is punk rock.
You'll have to put away your brass knuckles and combat boots for a little while longer though, because while the band has released several singles, its LP (produced by Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) isn't expected until early 2007.
The cd received 5 out of 5 pitchforks.
Reach the reporter at: Ashley.E.Harris@asu.edu.