The Devil's Rain (album)
The Devil's Rain | ||||
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Studio album by the Misfits | ||||
Released | October 4, 2011 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 50:22 | |||
Label | Misfits Records | |||
Producer | Ed Stasium, John Cafiero | |||
Misfits chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Devil's Rain | ||||
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The Devil's Rain is the seventh studio album by horror punk band Misfits, released October 4, 2011, through the label that the Misfits own, Misfits Records. It is the band's first album in eight years, following 2003's covers record Project 1950, and the first of original material since 1999's Famous Monsters.[1] It is also the only release by the band's lineup of Jerry Only, Dez Cadena, and Eric "Chupacabra" Arce.[2] The Devil's Rain was produced by Ed Stasium, who previously worked with the band on Famous Monsters.[1]
The album is titled after
Background
Like previous Misfits albums, The Devil's Rain includes references and homages to many past works of horror and science fiction. The title track is based on the 1975 film
Reception
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Consequence of Sound | [10] |
Punknews.org | [11] |
Slant Magazine | [12] |
Tiny Mix Tapes | [13] |
The Devil's Rain sold 6,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at number 70 on the
Matthew Cole of
Jerry Only's vocals received specific comments from several reviewers. Hemmerling remarked "The vocals on the album are a weak point in general. Michale Graves caught a lot of shit for not being Glenn Danzig, but spinning this record helps you appreciate just how significant his contribution was to the group. Only's cartoony, stentorian bark that felt so at home on the excellent
In a review for The Boston Phoenix, Michael Christopher speculated that the album would be received poorly by those who refuse to recognize the Misfits as legitimate without Glenn Danzig.[9] "The problem is, and has always been, that it just isn't the Misfits without Glenn Danzig at the helm", he elaborated in the Delaware County Daily Times, "[Only] retains the name in rights only, because there is no true legitimacy left within the group, which has featured a revolving door of backup players."[14] "That's a shame, because The Devil's Rain is chock full of good, campy horror business."[9] He gave the album a mixed review in both publications, praising some tracks while criticizing others: "'Unexplained', 'Vivid Red', and 'Sleepwalkin' ' are fun and frightfully ferocious. Other points are stumbles: 'Monkey's Paw' has Only trying pitifully hard to ape the Misfits' 'Last Caress', and tracks like 'Curse of the Mummy's Hand' and 'Ghost of Frankenstein' are too predictable to be more than schlock, though it would be funny—in a good, goofy, send-up sort of way—if it was done under another moniker ... These guys just need another alias."[9][14] Gentile expressed similar sentiments, complementing Only's bass and Cadena's guitar playing but saying that the group's choice to continue under the Misfits name seemed to limit their choice of subject matter: "while the band has technical chops, it almost seems like they are singing about the occult and undead merely because that's what the Misfits are supposed to do. When original vocalist Glenn Danzig detailed 'the insemination of little girls in the middle of wet dreams', it seemed like that was something he was actually into. Even when second Misfits vocalist, Michael Graves, wailed that he was 'crying on a Saturday night', it seemed he was pulling from true early 20s dejection. But, when Only sings about mummies, or Frankenstein, or even hell, it doesn't seem like that's what he feels is important, but what he is limited to in subject matter, leaving the tunes without any sense of conviction."[11] He did note that "when the band does become most alive is when they play the style of music that excites them", citing Only's doo-wop style in "The Black Hole" as an example.[11] "The Devil's Rain certainly isn't a disgrace", he concluded, "and long-running fans will find at least a few things to enjoy about the album. It's just frustrating that when the band snaps together and plays what they truly want to play, they aren't so much 'the Misfits' as a band containing a hefty amount of punk talent and experience. Instead of leaving the past behind, they seem to cling to it, forever condemning themselves to comparisons of previous incarnations."[11] Lymangrover opined similarly, saying the album "suffers from the fact that the group never tries to expand on the vocabulary established 30 years ago. If Famous Monsters was a step back for the Misfits legacy, this is a bigger step in the wrong direction."[7]
Track listing
All tracks are written by
Personnel
Adapted from the liner notes.[5]
Misfits
- Jerry Only – lead and backing vocals, bass, keyboards (track 10), additional percussion (tracks 1 and 13), monster growls (tracks 6 and 15), sci-fi sound effects montage (track 16)
- Dez Cadena – guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals (tracks 11 and 16), additional percussion (track 13)
- Eric "Chupacabra" Arce – drums
Additional musicians
- Ed Stasium – backing vocals, additional guitar (tracks 1, 6, 7, and 13), EBow (tracks 2 and 9), additional percussion (tracks 1–3, 8–10, and 13), keyboards (tracks 8–10 and 14), sci-fi sound effects montage (track 16)
- Karin Ullvin – violin intro (track 15)
- Jerry Caiafa II – backing vocals, additional percussion (track 13), sci-fi sound effects montage (track 16)
- Mike Serino – backing vocals
- Zack Fortune – backing vocals
- Dominick Dolio – backing vocals
- Joanna Powers – backing vocals (track 13)
- Amy Hartman – backing vocals (track 13)
- Eva Marie Powers Caiafa – backing vocals (track 13)
Production
- Ed Stasium – producer, recording engineer, mix engineer
- John Cafiero – producer (track 9, with Stasium)
- Jerry Caiafa II – assistant recording engineer
- Doug Eagle – assistant recording engineer
- Greg Calbi – mastering
Design
- Arthur Suydam – artwork
- John Cafiero – art direction, "Dark Shadows" photograph
- Mick Rock – photographs
- Jon Krop – packaging layout
References
- ^ a b c "Misifts Announce 7-inch, Detail The Devil's Rain". Punknews.org. September 13, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ a b Paul, Aubin (August 17, 2011). "Misfits to Release The Devil's Rain". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ "Nearly a Decade Later, the Misfits Return with The Devil's Rain". Glide Magazine. August 21, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ "Tours: Misfits (Australia)". Punknews.org. September 12, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ a b c The Devil's Rain (CD booklet). Misfits. New York City: Misfits Records. 2011. MRCD 01490.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b "The Devil's Rain – Misfits". Metacritic. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
- ^ Allmusic. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Alternative Press. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Christopher, Michael (September 27, 2011). "CD Reviews: Misfits – The Devil's Rain". The Boston Phoenix. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- ^ Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Gentile, John (October 20, 2011). "Review: Misfits – The Devil's Rain". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ a b c Cole, Matthew (October 8, 2011). "Album Review: Misfits – The Devil's Rain". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Hemmerling, Joe. "Review: Misfits – The Devil's Rain". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- ^ a b c Christopher, Michael (October 13, 2011). "Rock Music Menu: The Misfits Are Short on Scary". Delaware County Daily Times. Retrieved October 19, 2011.