Michale Graves- When Worlds Collide (2016)

Michale Graves- When Worlds Collide (2016)

By: Ghost Writer

When the Misfits, without Glenn Danzig, decided to return in 1997, fronted by singer Michale Grave, it was met with total disapproval, in a way, Misfits leader Jerry Only was trying to shape Graves, an studio singer, into his own vision of a horror punk singer, fans saw Graves unable to fill Danzig shoes, the thing, is that Graves was a completely different character from Glenn, and Graves, a very smart guy, knew that, he made Misfits a different band, he gave the band new life, one that showed thru American Psycho and Famous Monsters, two GREAT horror punk metal records, with Graves growing up fast as a vocalist all his own.

Ironically, Graves ended up assimilating Misfits influence better than the remaining members of the Misfits, while Jerry Only and company struggle with a parody version of what the Misfits were, Graves has been moving forward, creating decent pop punk and horror punk records that sound entertaining and contemporary rather than pure circus.

In When Worlds Collide, it seems that yes, Graves is focusing his talent and his experience into one solid horror punk record, to finally leave his "Danzig replacement" tag behind, and he is doing it successfully, Bedlam rocks and features heavy guitars and a great melody, here Graves is obviously bringing his horror punk baggage to the front without sounding anything like Danzig or the Misfits, buy sounding way better than any of other existing horror punk bands, in Diabolical he simply creates a great song, his former boss, Jerry Only would kill to write, with a powerful 50s feel and sporting a solid voice totally outstanding, a feat he repeats impeccably on Dying on Sunday Morning, that takes off where Saturday Night, a great tune Graves sang with the Misfits, Graves plays with the DNA of that songs and turns it inside out into something else equally good.

I Walk with a Zombie borrows a title from the classic Roky Erickson song, but the comparison ends there, as this one is a rabid punk rock song with hungry Ramones like guitars and Graves exciting vocals, while for Old Dark House he toys with atmospherics and terror, into a slow moving waltzy tune, right before moving into the metallic attack of Robot Monster, which ends up sounding a bit generic, fortunately getting back on track for the merciless attack of The Beginning of the End, with Graves at the complete top of the game.

Surprisingly, after a couple of plain good records, Graves comes up with a stellar one that impeccably sums up his musical vision, coming up as a winner and using admirable all that he might have learned from his previous band, he is obviously not returning back to the Misfits, he doesn't need them, but I guess Jerry Only will kill for it to happen.