I have no witty intro or anything for this one but, after hearing one single from Twilight Creeps and seeing the album cover, I just can not wait to dig into this new album so let’s just go for it!
“A.R.A.” starts this album off with an undeniable sense of power. I was expecting something a bit dark with the vocals but, instead was greeted with a very pop-punk sound in the vocals that meshes so perfectly with the fast-paced drums and chugging guitars. This opening track is quick but it absolutely sets the stage for what is to come with this eleven-track album. The power continues into “Kick” but the tempo slows a bit and the track takes a much more classic pop-punk approach which, as a self-proclaimed pop-punk princess, I absolutely fell head over heels for. There’s something almost theatrical about this track that absolutely caught me. A mixture of pure gold storytelling and easy-to-understand vocals, there’s just something so fun about this track and it was an instant favorite of mine.
The power felt at the beginning of “A.R.A.” comes back with a vengeance as “We Are The Monsters” takes over this album. There’s still something theatrical about this track and I couldn’t help but think that this band and this album would make such an amazing and perfect rock opera with this track being one of the main tracks. Just when I got super into this almost punk-rock opera vibe, “Death Becomes Her” comes in with a very 80’s hair metal guitar solo that absolutely wails through the beginning of the track. Even the vocals have an almost 80’s glam tone to them in this track making this track stand out while being so clearly that of Twilight Creeps.
A horror-movie-worthy voice starts off “The Ballad of Nancy Thompson” before the track moves into that classic Twilight Creeps sound. I absolutely loved the almost breakdown style that hits the track about a minute and a half in. Although I wasn’t quite expecting such a New Found Glory styled breakdown, it fit so perfectly. It also almost acted as a precursor to the power that comes in with “This Blood’s For You”. Although the shortest track on this album, this was another instant favorite of mine. Something about the vocals reminded me of Bayside (one of my all-time favorites) while the instrumentation kept the track moving at warped speed with a sense of aggression and power that I just couldn’t get enough of.
That aggression turned into a sense of bitterness in “Some Old Fashioned” from the word choice to the way they are presented, there’s just something super sharp-edged about this track that my angsty heart loved from start to finish. This entire album tells an epic story and I won’t give it away because you really just have to hear this album for yourself but I liked how this track not only fits in the story but also stands tall as its own story. I was so wrapped up in this track that had it not been for the epic bassline that kicks off “Blood Junkie”, I may have missed the transition into this eighth track. I feel like the vocals really shine in this track. Although you can hear the pure talent behind the vocals throughout this album, there’s just something about this track that has them shining a bit brighter.
“Charcoal Valentine” brings back that 80’s glam metal sound I heard in “Death Becomes Her”. Honestly, it’s a sound that can be heard throughout this album but it stands out more in certain tracks like this one. If I’m being completely honest, this track was just a little too 80’s for me but, if you’re a fan of that stuff, this is the song for you. Thankfully for me, “Sunset ’89” brought back the more punk and good ol’ fashioned rock n’ roll sound. There are drastic rises and falls throughout this track that makes it such a dynamic and fast-moving track.
“Meteor Shit” ends this album with a razor’s edge in all of the perfect ways. Bitter, theatrical, powerful, in your face. Although this track didn’t quite fit the narrative of the rock-opera that the rest of this album had stuck in my head, I loved how this really capped off this album and the creepy laugh heard throughout this track was just the icing on the cake.
‘Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls’ is such a perfect piece of art. It’s more than just a track or two that has me so deeply in love with Twilight Creeps, it’s this album as a whole. I know you are all busy but I highly suggest just sitting down, putting on this album, and letting your mind wander into the story that it is telling. It’s truly an amazing adventure.
My Favorite Track(s): “Kicks”; “This Blood’s For You”
For Fans Of: Dramatic and Theatrical Tracks; Power; Hidden 80’s Glam Metal Tones
Mosh-ability: 9 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie slept right next to my desk; Autumn laid on the back of the couch
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 9.6 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 9.4 out of 10
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