Release Date: March 2023. Reviewed: 2nd July 2023 by Dave Diamond Psychobilly from the darkest depths of South London and beyond.��Deathcaps first emerged in 2017.
BAND MEMBERS: Vocals: Stuart Anderson Drums: Tom ‘The Hammer’ Hamer Guitar: Stuart Anderson Slap Bass: John Hughes Backing vox: all
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Tim Kramer at Signal House Studios. Front cover artwork by: Oscar Hertin. Back Cover by: Ladio in Spain Tracks all written by Stuart Anderson and performed by Deathcaps.
Distribution: https://www.facebook.com/deathcaps https://deathcaps.bandcamp.com/merch "We sell our C.D. directly to fans at gigs of through our Facebook page. We've got some new merch in the pipeline also as when we've been doing gigs lately, people are starting to make their own merch up like big back patches from our t shirts and bowling shirts with Deathcaps logos all over them etc... which is cool, we don't mind! go boot leggers go!"
Let’s have a listen to the tracks – Braindead: inspired by the way people are addicted to technology and phones…it’s the new drug! People don’t talk anymore...what a fabulous eerie start to this original tune… just Stu’s geetar and vocals for the first 20 seconds and then like a tornado spinning at 100mph he is joined by the stonking bass from John and Tom’s thunderous drums… pure high octane powerhouse opener from this trio and awesome throat curdling vocals from Stu supported by backing vocals… this one will leave you outta breath and it’s just the first song!
Barbara Lee: this one’s based on a woman Stu worked with and that initial perceptions are not what they always seem, another rip-roaring tune, how does Stu get all the words out in one breath… guaranteed to get you in the pit from the off! Love the stop sections, this is a real catchy track and the guitar solo is screamingly excellent.
Cheap Motel: written as part of escapism whilst in the zone. Starts off with a nice slap bass run and then we are all in… fab drum rolls around the kit on this mid-tempo jumpin’ n rawkin number... loving the structure to this track, g-r-o-w-l-i-n-g catchy vocals… really digging this number, and at 3 minutes 39 seconds it’s just perfect!
Chicken Wing: guitar with stab bass and drum parts start this number off… terrific mid-up-tempo original tune from the guys once again… fab slapping Bass sitting higher in the mix, great guitar licks and wow those Toms and Snare are pure excellence… hot hot chicken wings…great slow mid-section too… where does Stu get his inspiration from this track I’ll never know!!... Pure ingenious!
Venus Fly Trap: Stu tells me this is written about watching someone growing weed and imagining the venus fly trap becoming alive and then killing them… just like the little shop of horrors film! Here we have a mid-paced melodic horror-tastic tune…featuring a Mellotron on the chorus that sits just nicely behind the echoing lead vocal and back up arghhhs… Once again, a very catchy well-structured tune indeed that could have been easily been released back in those early Klub Foot days.
Freakwave: this one’s written about how nature and the earth can smash your dreams into smithereens, like a tsunami and tornado sweeping you off your feet. An awesome song to be heard live, it’s a real bouncy tune and has an anthem vibe going all the way through it.. turn up the volume, grab yourselves a beer and lets p-a-r-t-y!!
The Reason Why: written about hard times and what people go through, helping each other and not giving up. Wow awesome drum patterns start off this self-penned tune ...then “Let’s Go… nice change of tempo at 1min 45, this tune is very powerful with that fab non-stop slapping bass and staggered sections with oohs and whistles that move to the guitar solo that take the tune up and beyond… tremendous vocals... fantabulous indeed!
Part Horse: this is written about young women obsessed with horses and how they take over their lives… tremendous guitar section at the front and then boom like a runaway train we are off and outta control…drums exploding and bass tearing it up... this one will get you nicked for speeding… and it goes like this! Oh my god this track really has everything... turbo-charged-billy!
Alien Biopsy: Here’s the band dreaming of being abducted by aliens and being tested on whilst in their UFO’s… in our dreams! Fast paced number lots of backing vocals this time oh yeah... oh yeah… high end guitar running through the whole song and great drum rolls and fab slapping throughout… some growling vocals once again give it the icing on the cake!
Snakes: reptiles may have telepathic ability and see in infra-red… 4d eyes… lots of variation on Stu’s vocals this time round and a more chord like rhythm, and the solo explodes like a timebomb! Back to the ticking verses strike squeeze kill strike squeeze kill me bite me… then it’s exploded again... wow drums a go-go for sure and awesome slapping on the bass!
Vile Repeat: here the songs tells of the shady goings on with young vulnerable people and rich people and what happens behind closed doors… “in the cellar the monster work…satanic lust at its worse!” Great sample at the start then after 33 seconds we are in once again… top up your nitrous oxide cos the bands horsepower is steaming! Once again, the trio have nailed it with this high-powered electrifying tune.
Don’t Waste My Time: about people who promise things but don’t deliver... just talk the talk... we all have encountered them at some point! Outstanding slap bass runs downs and triple slaps begin this original tune, superb drumming, energetic vocals and wild guitar work throughout this tune that sits just under 2 minutes... wow!
10 Mutha Fekkin’ Beers: literally written about getting drunk in your teens and causing a riot! Gutted it’s the final number of an outstanding 13 track release… and what a stormer the guys have come up with… if you like your music fast then this is for you! Rip roaring from start to finish and speeds along like a rocket to the moon! … 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10.. mutha fekkin beers… for sure you wont wanna go to the bar when this one’s played live!
About the recordings? "I use an old English vintage orange 2x12 cab with a made in England hardwired vintage vale head. I use a 6120 hot-rod as my rehearsal and gigging main guitar. I was always a tele man and used to play my 78 Telecaster in the early days but have since moved on to Gretsch's which I'm loving. I have recently acquired an American Jazzmaster pro 2 I'm and getting in to that so may use it for some up-and-coming gigs but I will probably mod it first with some better pickups. I like building my own guitars, my bastard telecaster is made out of spare parts, I’ve got one I built from an old Telecaster copy body I found in a skip!! great guitar with a Bigsby! bullet proof! John uses a king bass and Tom uses an old kit but I don’t know the age or specs."
CLOSING COMMENTS ABOUT THE ALBUM
Wow! Where do I start with Deathcaps first ever album… it’s self-released by the band and this really will blow you away with its varied paced numbers from mid-tempo to overdrive… I will call it turbo-charged billy with a high-powered rhythm section and powerhouse lead vocal… You really have gotta take a listen if you like your tunes stompin’ ‘n’ rockin’ ‘n’ speedy! HOT PRESS! Scoop this C.D. is to be released on vinyl at some point by Crazy Love Records so keep an eye on the bands Facebook page!
Stu tells me…. “I've literally got dozens and dozens of songs in my mind that are all there in back up in case I dry up and stop thinking of new ideas. never happened yet though! Over half the songs recorded are older tunes from when i first started the band, I think our most recent tacks and getting stronger n stronger n more rockin’ so the next release, be it an EP or album number 2 promises to be a proper stomper!!”
YOU TUBE CLIPS? https://youtu.be/ebhhx4cwZ-0
