ARTIST: Nekromantix
TITLE: Life is a Grave & I Dig It!
LABEL: Hellcat
GENRE: Psychedelic Rock
BITRATE: 161kbps avg
PLAYTIME: 0h 50m total
RELEASE DATE: 2007-04-10
RIP DATE: 2007-03-05
Track List
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1. NekroHigh 3:17
2. Horny in a Hearse 3:53
3. Life is a Grave & I Dig It! 3:38
4. My Girl 3:11
5. Rot in Hell! 2:59
6. Voodoo Shop Hop 3:33
7. Cave Canem 3:09
8. Flowers Are Slow 3:46
9. B.E.A.S.T. 3:49
10. Anthem After Dark 3:41
11. Fantaxma 3:22
12. Panic at the Morgue 3:07
13. Out Comes The Batz 5:32
14. Anaheim After Dark 3:41
Release Notes:
Nekromantix is one of the premier psychobilly bands in the worldùa live
juggernaut whose shows and albums are a guaranteed good time. None of that
changes on Life Is A Graveà& I Dig It!!!, but theyÆre just not the same band.
Antithetic to their horror aesthetic, theyÆve changed into somethingàbetter.
For nearly a decade, Nekromantix wrecked across the U.S., U.K., Europe and
Japan, emerging from the underground dirtnap to become one of the worldÆs most
successfulùletÆs face itùgenre bands. But rather than dwell in relative
obscurity, Nekromantix helped bring psychobilly to the forefront of rock nÆ
roll. Soàyeah. WouldnÆt you say itÆs time for a change?
After the release of Return of the Loving Dead, Nekroman decided the band had
accomplished as much as they could from Denmark. He loaded up the hearse and
moved to Beverlyùer, the U.S. There, he enlisted new guitarist Tr÷y Destr÷y (The
Rezurex) and drummer Andy DeMize (The Rockets). With Live Is A Graveà& I Dig
It!!!, theyÆve made an album that is pure Nekromantix while expanding on what,
exactly, that means.
ôWhen youÆve done so many albums in so many years,ö says Nekroman, ôyou kinda
need to do something new. But I hate seeing bands that totally change just
because of that. I wanna stay true to what Nekromantix is all about. And I think
weÆve accomplished that on this album.ö
All the Nekro hallmarks are hitùthe frenzy, the attitude, the horror, NekromanÆs
pumping coffin bass. The difference is the band sounds like hell on wheels. Tr÷y
Destr÷yÆs guitar is cleaner, but meaner, and sounds like the demonic
manifestation of departed rockabilly guitar heroesùbut flying high on his own
crazy, skittering brand of guitar wail. Behind him, Andy DeMize and Nekroman are
as manic and psycho as Big Daddy RothÆs Rat Fink illustrationsùand as well-oiled
as the hot rods RF rode. They sound almost pissed and as they songs fly by and
you pick up piece of lyrics like ôsuck my cajonesö and ôfuck you guysàrot in
hell!ö you wonder if they are madàenough to kill.
ôI just think that itÆs more obvious this time,ö says Nekroman, ôa little more
transparent, what I am writing about.ö ItÆs a continuation of his efforts on
Dead Girls DonÆt Cry. ôWhen people were discussing my lyrics, I could see that
they really didnÆt get the message. Not that itÆs like a huge, big message, but
I was just kind like, ôWhoa. They obviously donÆt see. They just think itÆs
about zombies and whatever.ö
He wants people to know Nekromantix isnÆt just a genre band with a horror pun
for every occasion. HeÆs writing about everyday things like watching football
and downloading porn (on ôB.E.A.S.T.ö), being stuck with fast food when you want
proper food (ôRot in Hellö), trying to get laid and/or rekindle romance. Take
this line from ôHorny in a Hearseö: I needed something new and fresh to win my
baby back/so I bought a 1959 hearse Cadillac.
ôHey,ö says Nekroman. ôThis is not about me walking through the graveyard in the
pale moonlight. This could be me walkinÆ down the street thinkinÆ about life
blah-blah-blah. Maybe IÆve been too cryptic, to the point that all the lyrics
are inspired by love or classic cars and wrapped in a horror theme or rockabilly
greaser clichΘs. But letÆs face itàhaving those symbols makeùIÆm not gonna say
all womenùbut some womenàhorny. And make the guy more interesting.ö
The band, too. As Life Is A Graveà spins, the picture of NekromantixÆs growth
and NekromanÆs vision for the band becomes clearer. TheyÆll never be content to
be another psycho band on the circuit. This is real life and real musicùnot to
be taken lightly. All the work Nekroman and his revolving cast of musicians have
put in since forming in 1989 has to be toward a more significant end than
small-scale dominance.