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Horror Show

Holiday (2004)
Deathwish Inc.

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: BizzleBrizzle
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on February 11th 2005

I first heard Horror Show when rummaging through Deathwish's site for bands to listen to and read this description of them: "Raw and emotional traditional hardcore from Philadelphia." So I say to myself, "Wow, I like traditional hardcore, and I'll be going to college in Philadelphia next year, I suppose I should listen to this band." I downloaded "Inconsiderate Me" off of their first CD/EP, Our Design, which blew me away; it was fast, loud, and angry hardcore punk rock - I immediately ordered it. So here is the followup to Our Design - Holiday, a four-song EP that is currently vinyl-only, and one of my main reasons for starting to actually buy vinyl records and even getting a new record player just to listen to this record. The lead singer of the band has recently spent time in jail, although I have heard that he has been released, but due to parole issues conflicting with touring the band probably will not continue on much longer.

The music on this record is definitely a hardcore blast of pure emotion, very angry and biting hardcore. The vocals are definitely the paramount instrument to this band, which in my opinion is the way it should be since the lyrics are what make this band so amazing. That's not to say that the music accompanying the vocals isn't great; it may not be the most technically profound thing you've ever heard, but it is what it is, that being booming hardcore punk rock played at breakneck speed.

Our Design seemed heavily influenced by heartbreak, but the lyrics seemed a lot more genuine than the pop songs that we all dread so much. Holiday seems to turn the lense of the lyrics away from the personal and more towards anthems for everyone who is down and out, with the exception of the last song "Rorrim," which is about the pain and difficulty of dealing with a relationship that has fallen apart. "One For The Angels" definitely had my favorite lyrics, right at the beginning of it:

Been in this daze for days / wind has blown the coldest rains on me and washed my dreams away / pondering if this could be / the ending of my losing streak / I'm hanging out to dry / and I think I've caught a cold

A wonderful EP; I reccomend this to anyone who is a fan of American Nightmare/Give Up The Ghost. Although, if you don't have a record player, I'd suggest starting out with Our Design first, which is available on CD.

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anchorsaweigh (May 24, 2006)

horror show is completely done now - i'm good friends with one of the members, they did their last show with another great philly band kill verona (whom is now done as well) a few months back. the guys of the band are moving out to california and may start another act but its all honestly up in the air right now. so, that explains why you're getting nothing from deathwish.

nicky $$ is indeed out of jail and has been out for a year or more.

Anonymous (February 13, 2005)

Seriously good record though not as good as Neve Campbell's naked body.

bizzlebrizzle (February 12, 2005)

Posifest as in Posi #s up in Wilkes Barrie?

Anonymous (February 12, 2005)

he is out of jail.

their last show will be posi fest 2k5, and they probably wont be playing any shows prior to that due to the tight grip nicky's parole has on him.

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

Ick. "Pondering" is such a cliched word and should be excluded from any poetry/lyrics/etc.

also see: despair, pain, etc.

bizzlebrizzle (February 11, 2005)

"I've tried e-mailing the band about it but it bounced back, and I tried e-mailing Deathwish and got no response."

That's probably becaus it isn't really any of your buisness.

I suppose, I was just curious as to when they'd start playing again.

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

"I've tried e-mailing the band about it but it bounced back, and I tried e-mailing Deathwish and got no response."

That's probably becaus it isn't really any of your buisness.

xWileyx (February 11, 2005)

Score for Deathwiish at a time when generic metalcore is king.

bizzlebrizzle (February 11, 2005)

I used to have the Free Nicky Money buddy icon.

Right now I have a home made Paint It Black one.

Yeah, this is definitely the best band that is still on deathwish, Cursed is the best band that was ever on the label.

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

best band on deathwish. free nicky money.

bizzlebrizzle (February 11, 2005)

I'm not sure if the thing about him being out of jail is true or not, I was told by someone on here that he was, but then a guy from my school who grew up in Philly who says he knows the band said that the singer isnt' out of jail yet. I've tried e-mailing the band about it but it bounced back, and I tried e-mailing Deathwish and got no response.

Anonymous (February 11, 2005)

this record is great.

johnnydanger (February 11, 2005)

ridiculously good

bizzlebrizzle (February 11, 2005)

Man, if those lyrics are your favorite, I don't know about this album.

I do enjoy a lot of stuff put out by Deathwish, though, so maybe it's worth a shot.

I'm a sucker for plays on words.

Anchors (February 11, 2005)

Man, if those lyrics are your favorite, I don't know about this album.

I do enjoy a lot of stuff put out by Deathwish, though, so maybe it's worth a shot.