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15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dead Kings Rise Once Again, November 7, 2001
I grabbed the "Cuts From the Crypt" CD as soon as I could to give myself a soundtrack to listen to for Halloween 2001. The main attraction here for me was the two cuts from George Romero's "Bruiser" since, as a rabid Misfits fan, I already had most of the other stuff in some format or version. I think "Bruiser" is right up there with "Forbidden Zone" as once the best Misfits songs from 1996-2001 era. It really reaches back and captures that punk rock sound that I prefer over the more metal influenced stuff. "Fiend Without a Face" is also an interesting song, a bit slower than most Misfits tracks, but (I thought) very melodic. It plays to Michale Graves' strengths. It you didn't buy the import version of "Famous Monsters" you'll also enjoy "1,000,000 Years B.C." and "Devil Doll." "Helena 2" was just a gag to blow your speakers(!) as Jerry admits in the wonderfully extensive liner notes (also a reason to buy this CD). I saw the Misfits perform Black Flag's "Rise Above" live at Louisville's Riverfront Park, and loved it, so I'm glad it showed up here. It's nice having a good version of aborted Misfits' comeback anthem "Dead Kings Rise" leading off the CD. I miss Michale and Chud already and wish them well, but I'm standing by Jerry in his take-no-prisoners, good old American work ethic as he drags the Misfits kicking and screaming into the new century. I'm praying for his brother Doyle and hoping he gets his life and family situation back to where he wants to be, because I miss him as a guitarist and icon on the stage. Even with Robo, Dez and my beloved Marky Ramone, the Misfits just aren't whole without Doyle.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Previously unreleased gems, February 13, 2002
Well...some of these tracks WERE previously released...in the form of the "Mars Attacks" demos...and some of the newer ones were included with the Japanese import of "Famous Monsters." But most were unavailable until now...and they're well worth the price of this disc. Yes yes yes...I hear all of those so-called fiends out there saying "This isn't the REAL Misfits...go Buy Danzig's new album, DANZIG 753"...or whatever number he's currently on...innovative album titles that boy comes up with, eh? The point is this...if you don't like the new 'Fits albums, don't buy them. Simple. But don't try to tell others that their taste isn't as good as yours just because they're not as limited in their scope. Just because someone likes the newer 'Fits albums, that does not make them "stupid," as some have put it. Don't get me wrong...I'm a longtime fiend and my favorite 'Fits song is still "Astro Zombies"...but this is still a great compilation from the new 'Fits, who are just as good as the old 'Fits, in my opinion. Anyway...on to the songs. Many of these tracks are simply demos of songs that you already have if you're a fan of "A.P." and "F.M." Some are as good as the songs that appeared on those albums, some are better, and some fall a little short and benefitted greatly from their eventual reworkings. It's still a very interesting reference point, however, because it helps one to see where the songs came from. As for the other tracks, my favorites are "Bruiser" from George Romero's film of the same title, "No More Moments" (with Mikey doing an ominous Morrisonesque rant at the end), and "1,000,000 Years B.C." Also included are the original demo of "Dead Kings Rise," the final version of which appeared only on the original vinyl pressing of "A.P." and the demo of "Dr. Phibes Rises Again," the Kryst the Conquerer song which was chopped to an instrumental intro and became "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" on "A.P." The full song is much better than the snippet that you've heard might suggest. All in all, a great album...not the best, but it IS a compilation, so no one expected it to be. Give it a listen. And by the way, I'm willing to bet that most of the "old-school" fans who have panned this album because of it's lack of Glenn haven't even bothered to listen to it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
DEAD KINGS RISE, September 4, 2005
This was the finale to the Graves area and overall is a fitting goodbye.
"Dead Kings Rise" is one of their best songs ever and why it wasn't issued on an album is a completely beyond me,it grabs you with it's skeletal hands around your neck and refuses to let go for the duration of the song.
The "Mars Attacks" demo is a bit more punkier than the"American Psycho" version and you can easily imagine the Ramones in the studio background drinking a few beers whilst"I wanna be a NY Ranger" was being recorded,it has a stamp of New York punk rock authenticity all over it.
"Monster Mash" was destined to be recorded by the Misfits and illustrates how the band had a great sense of humour about things as opposed to a lot of Black/Death metal types who take themselves very,very seriously indeed.
"One Million Years B.C." baffles me because like "Dead Kings Rise" it's another awesomely powerful piece of music that really packed a punch and showed The Misfits were very much back from the dead.
Why neither of these tracks went straight onto the "Famous Monsters" album will confuse me untill my dying day or at least untill I meet either Jerry or Doyle or Graves.
When we come to "No More Moments" this is the reason why I gave it four stars and not five also intially I wasn't that bothered about "Devil Doll" ," Fiend without a Face" and "Bruiser" but I have to admit that over time(and with a significant lack of any new Misfits material emerging from Misfits records) these songs have grown on me.
We read in the CD booklet how Graves had been listening to a lot of Jim Morrison at the time of recording"No More Moments" and it shows thankfully there were no more moments like that!!.
Was that the direction Graves was going to take the Misfits in
for a third studio album? we'll never know although in a final irony the last track is Black Flag's "Rise Above" an absouletly awesome punk anthem that any old punkers like myself will feel a rush of adrenaline when you hear the opening chords.
Whilst "No More Moments" was the funeral march of the Graves era of the band with Dez and Robo in the band and rumours of a new studio album (unfortunatly Jerry is notorious for mentioning ideas that never seem to happen or take a considerable amount of time before they do) full time now "Rise Above" may very well be a glimpse of the future
Let's keep our fingers crossed.
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