Reviews

One would think that basing a band (not just an album) on a gimmick or theme would be rather restricting and would get boring after only a few rounds. Still, Nekromantix have pulled it off for over a decade with their romantic horror theme, and somehow always find a way to stay fresh.
 
Maybe being a psychobilly band helps, in that it's not an overly crowded genre, but it's also the fact that Nekromantix are damn good at what they do. With a new guitarist (Troy Destroy) and a new drummer (Andy DeMize), front man Kim Nekroman is plucking the fuck away at his coffin bass harder than ever, leading the band into what is arguably their strongest effort to date.
 
The album starts with the fast gallop of “NekroHigh,” setting the general pace of the rest of the record. The second track, “Horny in a Hearse,” shows off a slower, old school greaser side of the band. It also starts to introduce some of the absolutely absurd lyrics that come later on Life Is a Grave…, though holds back just a bit for comic effect. Nekroman uses the rhyme scheme of the song to his advantage, singing: "the trip was long but she sure kept me awake / seeing through the eyes of the dead / while my baby gives me…you know."
 
Most of the album is a variation of these two speeds—the quick, rockabilly inspired sound, and the slower, rock 'n roll infused with Halloween eeriness. That's not to say the album isn't varied; it is. But these seem to be the two major styles and speeds that Nekromantix shift between for a majority of the effort. There are still a few surprises waiting throughout, and it's a great listen.
 
Though no truly impressive guitar solos crop up anywhere on this effort, the performance is solid straight through. The production seems simple, but fits the band's sound well.
 
The lyrics of the album are 99.9% death related metaphors, and most of it is downright silly. (It is an album called Life's a Grave & I Dig It, after all). Still, fans of the band should be used to it by now, though it's a little amped up this time around. The guys explore more blatant and dirty sexual references than ever, and sometimes seem to be spewing filth just for the hell of it. “Motherfuckers, cocksuckers, hell's bells, and buckets of blood,” Nekroman nonchalantly says during “Rot in Hell.” Later, there is feasting of virgin blood and other nonsensical material that would be taken way too seriously by a band like A7X. Nekromantix have a lighter, tongue-in-cheek approach, however, and it pays off. They are singing about things like football, porn, fast food, and getting laid—a lot about getting laid. Don't take any of it too seriously, just enjoy the ride, and it actually proves to be quite the fun ride.
 
There's a constant attitude present that drives the record just as much as the guitar gallop and drum beats. It's the image of well oiled hot-rods, greased hair, and fast women in the back seat. It might lack the heightened sense one gets after listening to the movements of the latest pretentious post-hardcore/indie band, but that's not what Nekromantix aim for. Life Is a Grave…delivers a sleazy bit of rock 'n roll fun. It claims to be nothing more, and Nekromantix deliver nothing less than a kickass good time.