Brought Back To Life Again serves up 14 tracks of the great Nekromantix sound: full speed ahead punk-inflected psychobilly with generous abuse of Kim...

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Brought Back To Life Again serves up 14 tracks of the great Nekromantix sound: full speed ahead punk-inflected psychobilly with generous abuse of Kim Nekroman's stand-up coffin bass and a strong sense of humor. The original songs have been remastered (“digitally corrupted” says Kim in the liner notes) and the resulting quality is very high. Previously clouded fills and backing vocals are brought up and sharpened in the mix. Equally important, none of the warmth of the original album (recorded on tape) has been lost in the new transfer to digital. As my neighbors can attest, this CD does not suffer at all when cranked to 11.

Album reissues are a tricky facet of the music business. Anyone familiar with the endless repackaging of the same washed-out and washed up classic rock albums decades after the original release date can back me up on this. Ostensibly this is to provide “new” material for the collector or to offer the uninitiated a popular and comfortable and safe entrée into the music.

On the other side of the equation we, the collectors and the fans old and new, sometimes get a great new-old release that reminds us why we spent all those weekends flipping through dusty used bins and passing around lo-fi copies of copies to each other. I'm no music biz insider, so I couldn't tell you why the classic 1992 Nekromantix album Brought Back To Life went out of print. But I can tell you that the reissue of the album on Hellcat Records is going to rekindle that old flame and spark more than a few new fires. It's in stores on 11 October 2005, just in time for your Hallowe'en parties and those long winter nights.

Of course, we can't have a reissue without some extras thrown in. And I would be cynical about this being just another gimmick, but the bonus material is well worth checking out. First up, “Intro (Original Intro)” is an unsettling bass and ticking clock lead into “Bloody Holiday.” The third track, “Monster Movie Fan” has an alternate ending, a slow clicking screaming fade, which sets up “Driller Killer.” Closing down the album is “Nekrofilia (Organ and Bell Version);” the addition of the Hammond-esque piano line holding down alongside the bass adds a nice depth to the song that isn't as apparent in the 1992 release version. As an artifact, the packaging itself is a significant revision. "Floating heads” on the front, and purple and black art throughout the 3-panel Digipak is echoed on the CD itself (shiny black and purple). Very cool.

Overall, Brought Back To Life Again adds enough to the original release to make it a must have for the serious Nekromantix and psychobilly fan. New listeners will find an accessible point of entry into their extensive catalogue. After several line-up and label changes, Nekromantix has continued to grow and develop their sound and style. This reissue not only documents a specific moment in time, but also reveals a connection between their other albums and throughout their history. Nekromantix is writing new material right now. If it's half as good as Brought Back To Life Again they've got another instant classic on their hands.

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Rating: ***** "The first picture-less movie in the world.” So claims the cover to the Nekromantix third and most solid album to date. However with the...

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Rating: ***** "The first picture-less movie in the world.” So claims the cover to the Nekromantix third and most solid album to date. However with the production of the two albums prior, one would assume that such a feat could not be accomplished. With the somewhat thin production of “Hellbound” and the swamp-like murkiness of “Curse of the Coffin” sound quality was lacking to say the least, but “Brought Back to Life” exhibits top notch production, which in the end only heightens the spooky atmosphere ten fold. Also one thing to make note of is the lack of one Peter Sandorff (co-founder and guitar player extraordinaire), however, do not fret ghouls, as the Nekromantix come through with another horror soundscape to chill your very souls.

The album kicks off with “Bloody Holiday” which starts with a slow skiffle beat and picks up into the hard Psychobilly rhythm that the album showcases with perfection. With songs about psychotic dentist and horrorscopes gone awry this should satisfy both fans of horror-punk, and Psychobilly. Songs like “Back from the Grave” exhude feeling of the damp cold soil of the grave, while “Monster Movie Fan” gives a somewhat comical glimpse into the dating life of one of the Nekromantix. The masterpiece of the album is the somewhat melodic and catchy “Nekrofelia” in which Kim sings "We used to play this innocent game. At the graveyard we always came. Naked in the night all alone. Lying in the grass beside the tombstone" All in all, this album does not have any bad songs, not a dull moment for Kim and company. I found this album to be quite a surprise as this is the only album without Peter Sandorff, yet the Nekromantix do not miss one beat and somehow keep their signature sound sans Peter. So, if you can find this album I would suggest picking it up, along with all the other Nekromantix albums, they are a band not to be missed.

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