Evilive

Misfits

Plan 9 Records, 1982

http://www.misfits.com

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 01/14/2000

Ever wonder what a bootleg sounds like, but you're too cheap to pay outrageous amounts for a CD from an otherwise unavailable live show?

In that case, step to the front of the line and check out Evilive from The Misfits, a recording that goes back to the days when Glenn Danzig was fronting the now-legendary metal/punk band. One difference, though, between this release and a bootleg: This one is a legal release that has the absolute worst sound I've ever heard on a live album.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

Granted, shows by The Misfits weren't exactly technological wonders, relying more on the sheer thunder and energy of the music than worrying about whether the sound was optimized. But, geez, you'd think that for a live recording, they'd have fretted a little bit, especially when there are times that Danzig's vocals can't be heard at all.

Danzig and crew bash out their set in a haphazard manner, completely pounding away on their instruments in order to get the most sound out of them. And, yeah, I guess that does follow the punk rock ethic - but they could have made it sound a little tighter. While the diehard Misfits fan will undoubtedly cream all over themselves due to the maniacal fury that the band presents, the rest of us heathens will hear this as so much noise.

What bothers me is that this band was capable of combining the frenzied playing and a decent mix and turn them into something listenable. I'll admit it's been a long time since I pulled Earth A.D. out of the Pierce Memorial Archives, but I recall that album being much more listenable than this one. In fact, it gets so muddied that if you didn't hear the name of Henry Rollins being screamed from the stage, you'd never know that the former lead throat of Black Flag joined in on the album's last cut, "We Are 182".

Yeah, I know the traditional Misfits tunes are here, like "20 Eyes," "All Hell Breaks Loose" and "Hatebreeders". But somehow, I fail to find myself getting wrapped up in the horror film-like structure of the songs when they're being played with no regard to musicianship or balance of volumes. Maybe a rousing rendition of "Mommy, Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight?" would have helped - but then, they needed something to spice up Walk Among Us.

Evilive is not the greatest live album in the world - though some Misfits fans might argue that this release is an accurate portrait of a Misfits concert. May God have mercy on us all.

Rating: D-

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© 2000 Christopher Thelen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Plan 9 Records, and is used for informational purposes only.