…And We All Die drops Misfits Covers in Time for Halloween

Nov 06, 2024 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

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By Kyle Decker

Well, it’s Halloween. Which means Misfits covers are in season. Their tongue-in-cheek transgressive humor and horror movie references certainly make them appropriate for the latter half of October. But cover songs, even staples, are a delicate thing. When tackling a cover there are two options. You can do a “spot-on” cover, or you can put your own spin on it. Honestly, though, the former is for cover acts and bar bands. Any band with their own unique sound, should opt for the latter.  The dark-alternative/post-punk project …And We All Die opted for with their Static Age EP. The four-track EP features two versions each of classic Misfits tune “Static Age” and “TV Casualty.” Side one features covers done in the band’s current style, and side two features industrial reworkings featuring the synth-wave artist James Lollar (dba: Gost).

…And We All Die is the project of musician Raymond Burton Estes that first took shape in 2000. Estes wanted to collaborate with a diverse group of friends and artists to fuse heavy music in the vein of UK82 punk rock, US hardcore, and industrial with darker, melodic post-punk music (image throwing Exploited, Integrity, Ministry, and The Cure into a blender). Over the last quarter-century, Estes has combined forces with artists from around the country including Texas, Washington DC, and Chicago. Static Age features Estes on vocals and bass, Walter Lee (Rockett Queen) on drums, and guitarist Guillermo Murillo (The Half Guided Hearts). Shelby Cinca (catbeats) provides additional guitar for the title track.

“We chose these Misfits covers because they’re great songs from the band’s early era that lend themselves to interpretation,” says Estes. Misfits songs, like most early punk, are ingenious in their simplicity. Making them an optimal choice for covers. They can be an easy song to slip into your set when you’re just starting out, but they also leave plenty of room to add flavor. “We leaned into their heavier elements but chose a more post-punk or noise-rock approach, rather than a straightforward punk or metal one.”

Estes was speaking the truth when he said they leaned into the heavier elements of the Misfits style. It’s apparent from the opening drum roll of  “Static Age.” Este’s gruff vocals distinguish themselves from Glen Danzig’s “goth Elvis” voice. And the “extra spice” from Cinca’s guitar does a great job of carrying the song between each verse. It’s immediately recognizable as a Misfits song, but also clearly not the Misfits.

What I can especially appreciate about these song choices is that, lyrically speaking, they are connected by a theme. While the Misfits have lyrics that involve hacking the heads off little girls and raping mothers, they also have songs about the dangers of technology. Both “Static Age” and “TV Casualty” are about the dangers of television and how it robs people of their humanity. Of course, the argument could be made that songs taking the point of serial killers and horror movie references are making that same statement.

Much like the first track, …And We All Die’s take on “TV Casualty” is heavier than the original. Part of how …AWAD is pulling this off by bringing the instruments more forward. Este’s vocals blend into the bass, drums, and guitar more than the Misfits tunes which end to put Danzig’s vocals front and center in the mix (gee, wonder why). This strategy gives the …AWAD versions more of a “wall of sound” feel. It’s heavier. Where a Misfits song might cut like a knife, these takes hit like a truck.

If I’m going to be fully honest, the industrial versions on the back half are the more interesting half. Of course, being from Chicago, I might be biased. After all, this town arguably invented the genre. I listen to Stabbing Westward and Ministry a lot in middle and high school. So these versions speak to my angry younger self.

Featuring a fuzzy mix, especially on the drums, and additional synth bits by Gost, these versions are far more unique. While the front half disguises itself through sheer weight, it’s the back half where …And We All Die truly put their own spin on these punk standards. I’m a sucker for cross-genre covers, and these mixes feed my predilections (if not my television screen). Also, the lyrics “we’re all blue from projection tubes” were made for industrial music. The genre as a whole essentially combines electronic music with metal and post punk, it literally uses technology to create a sense of unease. It’s unsettling. Machine like to the point of transhumanist. These takes on “Static Age” and “TV Casualty” feel like an HR Giger drawing put to sound.

Like any good essay, the conclusion circles back to the intro. So, again, I must emphasize that covering a song is not something to be taken lightly. While there’s no one approach to it, a cover must work hard to justify its existence. The best ones are a tightrope walk of being immediately recognizable while throwing in enough twists to make it unique. Too much in either direction will elicit the worst case scenario for any cover song: the dreaded eye-roll. Fortunately, …And We All Die avoids this pitfall. The industrial mixes do an incredible job of inserting new life into these horror punk classics.

“Static Age” by …And We All Die now available, click here

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• And We All Die, Cover songs, Misfits, Raymond Burton Estes, Static Age

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