BigElf
Cheat The Gallows
Custard Records
7/10
Big Elf is a band that finds a surreal if not morbid exuberance in the macabre. Similar to the vein of Creature Feature and Schoolyard Heroes, the tunes are this fucked up mix of carnival music and pure doom. The difference here is these weird hints of Motorhead and The Doors. The orchestral metal riffs of The Evils of Rock and Roll” make me want to kick some child while making out with a chick at the same time. Fuck yea, that sounds awesome. Ladies, you know that sounds epic, too.
Now, it’s not all spooky and creepy, but it’s as if Marilyn Manson had an obsession with the circus, and an idea of what “fun” is. Basically, it’s enough to instill fear of the circus in a whole new generation of seven year olds. If you’re a psych student and looking for a specialty, think of carnival-based phobias. You’ll make a killing. Trust me on this one. This is solid, maybe slightly guilty fun, but not something I would listen to if I wasn’t looking to cause chaos.
-Jonathan “The Emperor” Yost