The Greatest Show Unearthed- Creature Feature

A few years ago, I started becoming interested in horror punk. I had never listened to any of the music (I only heard of the Misfits up until that point) so, like any young fellow looking to find some accurate information and facts, I went to Wikipedia. Long story short, a few clicks and multiple links later, I stumbled upon a page talking of a band named Creature Feature. They were fairly new at the time and, as luck would have it, I was able to get a hold of some of their tunes.
Thank the Sweet Virgin Mary for Wikipedia.
While the page from the online encyclopedia may be gone, my immense love and admiration for this band has not diminished one iota over all these years. Creature Feature is exactly what it sounds like it is... a collection of devious fiends who offer up wonderfully nostalgic and gruesome songs reminiscent of the horror movies they grew up on. The great thing about them is that their songs, while ghoulish, don't have unnecessary cursing or anything cheaply vulgar. They're the perfect band to invite over for a Halloween party... you can even bring the wee ones! I look forward to the day I'll finally be able to see them live. Their debut album is a spectacular collection of twisted tunes that'll make your black heart thump with hideous delight. Let's take a look at them, shall we...?
The Greatest Show Unearthed- The title song (and what a grimly punny one at that!) A dark carnival that recalls the tales of Bradbury. A nice way to get the pumpkin rolling.
Buried Alive- Probably my favorite track from the album. The song is an amalgam of Poe's works, the titles and themes from his greatest stories chanted over a haunting keyboard theme and awesome guitar riff. Think "We Didn't Start The Fire" except a HELLUVA lot cooler. A Gothic masterpiece.
Aim For The Head- Romero fans rejoice! The boys give their take on how to survive a zombie invasion... by blowing undead brains out, of course! The sound clips taken from actual zombie films are a very nice touch.
Six Foot Deep- Maybe this one should've been called "Gravedigger's Delight." A toe-tapping good time filled with haunted houses, skeletons, and the prerequisite death by burial.
A Gorey Demise- Obituary tea party, anyone? A bone-tickling ghastly song that recounts the messy deaths of all the party members in Dr. Seuss fashion. Guitarist and lead singer Curtis Rx provides all the voices for the reanimated devils. Based on the marvelously dark art of master Edward Gorey.
Look To The Skies- The legendary warning given to the people of Earth telling of an invasion from outer space. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was the clear inspiration for this song of carbon copies and master alien plans.
How To Serve Man- The references just keep coming, don't they? Half the fun is pinpointing the source of the band's ideas. This one comes from the ultra-creepy episode of "The Twilight Zone" about flesh-hungry aliens. Not so much about extraterrestrials, more of a Martha Stewart-esque guide on how to cook a roast ala homo sapien. Written specifically for the film Cannibal Flesh Riot by Gris Grimly (also the artist for the CD cover).
Bound and Gagged- Probably the most hardcore of all the songs. This one tells the story of an insane kidnapper who warns the parents of the girl he snatched to comply with his demands... or meet the consequences. Some pretty demented stuff that you may have to cover the kiddies' ears for. I really love the keyboard in this song though... as sick as that may sound.
The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth- The title sounds inspiring and heart-warming, maybe like the name of a whimsical Christmas special about little forest critters standing up for their rights against greedy land developers. Too bad this song's just about hideous mutants rising from the sewage system of Los Angeles to exterminate the human race and rule the world. Now that's my cup of Yuletide cheer.
A Corpse In My Bed- Don't worry, nothing too blasphemous here. A fun song that you could dance to in a club with your partner, however stiff they may be.
Such Horrible Things- A naughty little boy narrates the story of his turgid life and all the bad, bad things he did to people. It's kind of weird to catch yourself bobbing your head to lyrics about a small child stalking his family members with a knife. Such is the charm of Creature Feature. "Aw hell, it's exactly what it seems!"
What, you're still here? How could you have read through this entire entry without having the immediate urge to seek out this band's music and listen to it with the fervor of a vampire suffering from withdrawal? Go, now! If you've been searching for a band that completely gets the horror genre, you have just discovered your latest and greatest fix.

Labels: 2000S, Band, Creature Feature, Horror Music, Monstrous Medleys