Search - The Damned :: Grave Disorder

The Damned Are Back And It's Been Worth The Wait

Michael E. Strupp | St Croix, US Virgin Islands | 08/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Grave Disorder" demonstrates that, far from being washed up old punksters, The Damned are alive and well and creating excellent and innovative music, far better than the botched "Not Of This Earth" from the mid-1990s and even their more commercial efforts on the MCA Label back in the 1980s. For those who loved "The Black Album," and "Strawberries," this is the album you've been waiting 15 years to hear.The range of songs on "Grave Disorder" is extremely impressive - - from slow, haunting ballads to incredibly fast and hard charging punk rock - and the lyricism of Captain Sensible and the voice of Dave Vanian remain in fine form. New bandmembers Pinch, Patricia Morrison and Monty Oxy Moron are superb in their musical ability with noteworthy songs including "Song.com", "Democracy?" and "Would You Be So Hot (If You Weren't Dead?)"If you want to hear great new music from a time-tested band, experience "Grave Disorder.""

A DAMNED SHAME THAT MORE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THEM

No Name | New Jersey | 05/03/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Wow-ee is this a great album or what??? The Damned absolutely refuse to die, and God bless `em for it. In my opinion, the truly great artists never stop writing and recording, and these guys must be in it for the love of music, because they have never matched the commercial success of the Clash or the Sex Pistols. However, I personally prefer the Damned to both of those bands, and Grave Disorder is a prime example of why. It's a near-perfect blend of punk, rock, pop, and psychedelia, with a touch of goth attitude thrown in. The Damned are very serious about their music, but they never make the mistake of trying to SOUND serious in an effort to prove it. Sure, they have political and social concerns, but it never overpowers the music or threatens to weigh things down. There is a sense of theatrical fun and experimentation that runs through the album, and while they incorporate many different elements into their sound, their style is uniquely their own. "Democracy" starts things off with explosive drumming by Pinch and ferocious guitar work by Captain Sensible, while Dave Vanian tells us that "Revolution changes nothing, and voting changes even less". This is followed up by "Song.com" a punk/Beach Boys hybrid which salutes the internet. After that comes "Thrill Kill" a first-person account of a serial killer's illicit fantasies intoned over an ominous minor key bass line. It's one of the best tracks on the album, and despite its (apparently) gruesome subject matter, Vanian's theatrical tongue-in-cheek approach makes it less horrific and more horror-movie-like (which was undoubtedly the idea). "She" is a stomping psychedelic number, with a decidedly Sisters-of-Mercy-esque vocal at the end. "Looking for Action" is the closest thing to pure punk on the album, and it sounds like it could have easily fit in on the first Damned album (Damned Damned Damned). "Would You Be So Hot" examines the positive effects of death on one's level of popularity, and "Amen" is a scathing attack on organized religion, propelled by a throbbing two-chord riff and frantic drumming by Pinch."Absinthe", a moody minor key tune, features some odd but appealing chord changes and atmospheric theremin work by Vanian. I have to ask, when was the last time you heard theremin on a punk record? Hell, when was the last time you heard theremin on anything??? That fact alone should intrigue people enough to check out this innovative and diverse CD. "Neverland" is a timely parody of Michael Jackson that originally appeared on a Captain Sensible solo CD, but the chorus and the bridge are just so bloody magnificent he decided to redo it with the Damned. "The End of Time" is another goth-flavored number with obsessive lyrics, and "Obscene", one of my personal favorites on Grave Disorder, has a lilting little melody which is offset by nightmarish keyboard effects. "W" has an almost techno feel and should be of particular interest to Bush-baiters, while the album closer, "Beauty of the Beast" features a gorgeous performance by Monty, the Damned's resident keyboard player. The Damned are truly one of the most under-appreciated and undervalued bands out there, and this CD is proof of it. Don't remain in the dark about these creative geniuses. Pick this one up and find out for yourself."

Finally! I've waited 15 years for this album

John T. Edwards | Seattle, WA United States | 08/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Man! Wow! Finally I've got new music from the Damned to listen to! This album shows just how great this band was, and still is. It picks up where '82's "Strawbwerries" left off without skipping a beat. By the way, DO NOT get "Not of this Earth". It's Nothing like the Damned should sound like. Get this, "Strawberries", and "The Black Album" (get it on vinyl too!). Make sure you take a good listen to "Would You Be So Hot (If you weren't dead?)" It grew on me and now is stuck in my head for a week. I hope I don't wait 19 more years 'till the next one."