The Misfits’ entire career is like a chaotic text book on how to write what you want when you want and do it fucking well. From their early days in the original Misfits configuration, all the way up to Doyle’s solo work and the latter day reunion, the back catalogue defines the horror music genre. From horror punk all the way to metal, picking just 10 of our favourites has been incredibly challenging. The records are iconic but for the knockout blow catch these guys live, the energy and sheer power in these songs is a whole other dimension…
10) Misfits - Where Eagles Dare (Legacy Of Brutality, 1985)
‘I ain’t no goddamn son of a bitch, you better think about it baby!’
What an anthem! This is definitely an all-out old school punk thrash fest. It’s so full of attitude, it’s like a middle finger to the world. The Misfits had a way of catching raw energy on a record, and this is one of the pinnacle moments of that.
9) Doyle - Headhunter (Abominator, 2013)
Headhunter is just all-out, full-on thrash power. Doyle tried his hand at wrestling in WCW back in the late nineties, and if you put this song on loud you get about as close as you can to being body slammed by the big man himself. This track is full on Beast Mode engaged!
8) Doyle - Cemetery Sexxx (Abominator, 2013)
A journey into the mind of Dr Richard Solid (PhD) with this song. Vocalist Alex has a way of telling a story with his writing that really makes you feel like you’re inside his head, and what a dark place that is! The Abominator album is absolutely full of big riffs, and they don’t come much bigger than this. Whether you’re raising your fist, stomping your foot or grabbing your shovel and heading to the graveyard… It’s definitely a must listen.
7) Doyle - Kiss Me As We Die (Doyle II: As We Die, 2017)
This is the first song we heard of Doyle’s new album, it sets the scene for the new record perfectly. There will always be a special place in our heart for the Abominator record, but this just takes it all up a notch. There’s also a guest appearance from Doyle’s other half, Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy, which adds an almost symphonic edge to the track. One of the first songs we heard off Doyle’s latest record and definitely one of our favourites.
6) Misfits - Last Caress (Beware EP, 1980)
The peak of Danzig-era Misfits? Well maybe, this song is definitely an education in horror punk from start to finish. It’s a dancing song, no matter what mood you’re in or where you are. Add in a healthy amount of Glenn Danzig’s vocals to make something unforgettable. Even without the song playing, once you start singing those first few lines everyone joins in.
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5) Misfits - Skulls (Walk Among Us, 1982)
It’s over 35 years old and it still moves rock clubs all over the world. There aren’t many bands who can hold their own in this way. I always compare this song to Blitzkrieg Bop by The Ramones – it’s the sound of New York 80s punk. Unfortunately, as a band we were all born too late to have experienced any of that legendary scene, but put this track on, feel the pure energy and just for a minute you can almost day dream that you’re walking into CBGB’s back in 1982!
4) Doyle - Hell Is Warm (Abominator, 2013)
If one song could define Alex, I think this is it. He is the wolfman and he does not give a fuck. That energy oozes from this song, it’s that punk rock attitude that make Doyle the band they are. There’s a lot of comparison between Doyle and the Misfits, even more so between Alex and Danzig, but this song really tears through that. It’s aggressive but in a different way to the Misfits music, there is a real feeling that given the chance Alex will rip you in two. For that reason alone this is definitely one of our favourites!
3) Misfits - Die, Die My Darling (Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood, 1983)
For a lot of the band this was our first introduction to the Misfits. Covered by Metallica on their Garage Inc. album, the underground hit was thrust into the mainstream metal world. It’s loud, it’s aggressive and it’s just full on balls to the wall. The sheer power of Danzig’s voice bellowing ‘Die, Die, Die, my darling’ was enough to get us hooked. We’ve never looked back.
2) Doyle - DreamingDeadGirls (Abominator, 2013)
From the second this song kicks in it’s an instant earworm. Once you’ve heard it you just know you’re going to be singing along. The interplay between Doyle and Alex is phenomenal on the record; you aren’t just listening, you’re going on a journey. The juxtaposition between the darkest of horror verses and the almost ballad chorus really is something special. Speaking of which, this chorus is without a doubt one of Doyle’s finest ever works. If you’re lucky enough to catch them live you can almost feel the magic in the air. Who doesn’t dream of dead girls, right?
1) Misfits - Dig Up Her Bones (American Psycho, 1997)
A couple of years ago, we went on the British Horror Story tour and every night finished with all three touring bands coming together on stage and performing a cover of this song. That tour was our first bus tour, and our first time visiting a lot of places around the UK. This song became the anthem of that tour, and ever since we can’t help smiling every time we hear it. It brings back some incredible memories and reminds us of some of the shows we cut our teeth on.
For us, this track defines the Graves-era, it was a different kind of Misfits. It’s a lot closer to the modern horror punk of today, and it’s easy to see how bands such as AFI and Creeper have taken this torch into the modern day. As a band we have taken a lot more inspiration from the Danzig-era Misfits and Doyle’s solo band in our own music, channelling our experience of touring with Doyle into our upcoming album Dark Days. That said, when the beers are flowing and the music’s loud, this is without a doubt our main horror punk anthem!
Catch The Dead XIII on tour with Doyle in 2018, at one of the dates below:
26 Mar: Asylum 2, Birmingham, UK
27 Mar: Redrum, Stafford, UK
28 Mar: Factory, Manchester, UK
29 Mar: Cathouse, Glasgow, UK
30 Mar: Church, Dundee, UK
31 Mar: Corporation, Sheffield, UK
1 Apr: Parish, Huddersfield, UK
2 Apr: Bierkeller, Bristol, UK
3 Apr: Frog & Fiddle, Cheltenham, UK
4 Apr: Hobo’s, Bridgend, UK
5 Apr: The Hub, Plymouth, UK
6 Apr: Cobblestones, Bridgwater, UK
7 Apr: The Lounge, London, UK
8 Apr: Moskva, Moscow, RU
9 Apr: Mod, St Petersburg, RU
