Written by Dylan Brandsema
When horror punk legend and former Blitzkid frontman Argyle Goolsby regretfully announced his departure from Silent Horror a few months back, fans were shocked and divided. Originally started in the late 2000’s by drummer Brandall Rector, the band struggled to find success, releasing very little recorded material, and eventually calling it quits. In 2014, roughly two years after the retirement of Goolsby’s widely renowned Blitzkid, the band reunited with Argyle Goolsby on bass and vocals, and finally releasing a full-length album (which mainly consisted of new recordings of older material) which projected them into horror punk superstardom, placing them at what was unquestionably their high point.
The drama and supposed bad blood between members that spawned from the unexpected split took its toll on Silent Horror’s fanbase, most of whom were forced to pick sides, and speculation around the idea of the band releasing more new material without Goolsby at the forefront was weary. Nevertheless, only months after Goolsby’s departure, Silent Horror has released three new songs with their new vocalist Austin Price and original bassist Matt Kerley, the newest of which being “(We Are) Monster Squad”.
“Monster Squad” kicks into overdrive in it first few seconds, wasting no time and jumping immediately into its first verse. This is followed by the generic verse-chorus-repeat formula that punk has come to know so well, but the kicker to “Monster Squad” is its catchy chorus. At only 2 lines, it’s short but it’s lyrics “We are the Monster Squad (woah/woah/woah) We’ll rid the world of all the forces of the dark” are guaranteed to stuck in the listener’s head after only one playthrough. This is primarily due to not just the structure of the melody, but also Price’s operatic and resonate vocal style, which soars high and mighty above all the song’s other elements. There’s definitely some Michael Graves-era Misfits influences happening here, and it’s pretty darn great.
If the song’s title isn’t an immediate clue, the lyrics, and the art the band has provided for the single, are a clear indication that song is about the 1987 film of the same name, which has developed into a cult classic amongst horror fans. It’s no surprise for horror punk bands to make songs about classic horror films, but it’s a delight to hear Silent Horror tackle this 80’s gem, even if it is pretty basic. “Monster Squad” is also levels better than their previous two singles since Goolsby’s departure, “Mary Jo” and “Digging Up The Morrow”, which, while okay songs, lacked a sense of passion or emphasis that’s clearly evident in this one.
Altogether, “Monster Squad” is promising return for Silent Horror. The lack of Argyle Goolsby’s presence sort of makes it sound like Silent Horror pre-break up, and with this track they’ve shown that they don’t need Goolsby’s star power to produce awesome horror punk, and I personally can’t wait for whatever’s next.
