Rob Coffinshaker and co have been shaking their coffins since 98, 1998 that is, not 1889 mind you. Despite that and a slew of singles and such, ‘Graves, Release your Dead’ is only their third full length album. Fundamentally, not that much has changed since they originally earned their spurs. Old country, bluegrass, rockabilly and spaghetti western soundtracks still form the musical backbone, with Rob’s voice being more and more a dead ringer for Johnny Cash’s famed baritone.

Lyrically then, they may have one foot in the grave, but their tongue remains firmly planted in cheek as they spin yarns of vampires, ghouls and every other manner of creatures you could find lurking about the graveyard. You might not expect it, but there is actually a metal link here since the frontman actually also headed Gehennah, not the Norwegian black metal band which comes without the H, but the Swedish retro speed metal band from the nineties. Totally different sound, but equally humorous and fun, actually.

Back to more ghoulish themes, the new album ‘Graves, Release Your Dead’  opens with the title tracks after ringing the ominous bells of doom on the intro. It sets the tone for another weird western ride straight into ‘City of the Dead’ for a honky tonk dance with the deceased.

Some ‘Wretches’ were apparently not so happy to be left out of all this funerary frolicking about, so they join in and drag along a unlucky fiddle player passing by.

They have added in some female vocals as well this time round. From Morricone styled wordless wailing like on the ‘The Siren’s Call’  to the more pronounced backing vocals of the bittersweet ballad ‘Holes of Oblivion.

‘Prince of Darkness’ is shakin‘ his booty to some psychobilly while the  ‘Reverends of Doom’ wanders across the vistas of westerns long gone. ‘Down in Flames’ could almost see ghosts riding in the sky, if you’re catching my drift. Paddling across the ‘River of Souls’ we find the return of the Morricone backing vocals accompanying Rob’s macabre crooning to bring about the end of the world, ending in an endless reverberating feedback.

The last song ‘The Great Silence’, not incidentally named after one of the Corbucci Westerns of course, is a full-on spaghetti western epic, which is something they haven’t really done before, not on that level. They should definitely try more of that on the next wagon train.

They don’t play very often round these parts, but you can get a rare glimpse of them on the Helldorado festival in Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Be sure to check these Swedish cowboys out there if you can.

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