Beyond the Valley Of The Murderdolls (Review)

The Gateway
University of Alberta 
26th November 2002
(Heather Adler, Features Editress)

Featuring members of (in)famous hardcore metalists Slipknot and Static X, this ghoulish co-operative of terribly disturbed individuals pushes the bounds of depravity in industrial music.
 The angst-ridden lyrics are barely audible over a wall of drop-tuned guitars cranked to kill-your-mother distortion levels and the only quality of the album more appalling than the sound is the message being conveyed. The tired stream of songs about suicide, grave robbing, Dracula, and of course, Norman Bates, are as monotonous as they are incoherent. At best, this release is entertaining for a few chuckles at the novelty of the incessantly over-the-top screaming, and a couple giggles at the ridiculousness of these PVC poster boys.
 Titles like “Slit My Wrist,” “She Was A Teenage Zombie,” and “Dressed to Depress,” would only be good if they were meant as a joke, but sadly, this band takes themselves quite seriously.
 Who are these songs speaking to? An angsty teenager polishing a weapon in his parents’ basement? Maybe. But maybe these stars just sing these songs because it seems to make them a great deal of money.
 And that’s the biggest, saddest joke of all.


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