We called the latest from Axeslasher a “straight-up thrash-terpiece” in a blurb on our Halloween must-haves list a few weeks back, but Anthology of Terror, Vol. 1 — available here for a cool $6.66 — is sick enough to warrant a bit more coverage. Thus, the following track-by-track, courtesy guitarist/vocalist Justin Lascelle…
Mark of the Pizzagram
I love intro riffs. “March of the SOD”? What’s not to love about a band announcing their presence with an overture of riffs? I just wanted to intro the band with a short instrumental to prep you for what’s to come: lots of chugging guitar and minimal bullshit.
Invasion of the Babesnatchers
This one is heavily inspired by a dream I had based on the cover art Ken Sarafin created for the album. I basically sent Ken a shit load of comic covers and he came out with the alien death worm babe sacrifice that made it to the cover. In the song, the alien race is fed up with the humanity experiment and is now mining them for resources — mainly to convert the human race into pet food for their giant pet death worms.
Woodland Tortuary
This song is about the killings of Charles Ng and Leonard Lake. Leonard Lake was heavily inspired by the book The Collector and had the crazy idea that if he could capture and brainswash someone that they would be the perfect sex partner. Lake somehow convinced a woman not only to marry him, but to also help him in his kidnapping and murder career.
The trio went on to kill around 25 people over the course of 10 years. Most of the victims were killed in a homemade torture chamber hidden behind a falls wall in a secluded woodland tool shed. The victims were kept there for days, lied to, tortured, and experimented on by Ng, Lake, and Lake’s wife. Most women refused to be enchanted by Lake’s spell because, well, frankly the dude had no game. Eventually the clan would give up, kill the victim, and dispose of the body somewhere on their property by burying it and covering it in lie. The police on scene the day they discovered the boneyard still retch when speaking about it today.
When they were discovered and arrested, Leonard Lake took a cyanide pill which was sewn into his collar. He dropped lifeless onto the interrogation table and died shortly after. Lake’s wife vehemently denied involvement but was sold down the river by Ng, who spent almost twenty years using every legal loophole available in the United States Court system. He was recently executed The samples are from a documentary about the pair called “Journey into Evil.” I highly suggest seeking it out and watching it.
The Axeslasher
This one’s about a blue mist that start appearing around some of the river party spots in Colorado. Teens start disappearing; especially if they’re pure of heart. Stoned hessians and hellacious metal babes all seem to be getting a pass though. Turns out the ghost of a wrongly killed metalhead is back from the dead and looking to paint the mountain town red!
Order of the Coven
A love song about a coven of witches destroyed by the town they preyed on. In the song, the witches prey upon the men of the town, stealing their souls one-by-one and absorbing it into the coven. The town bands together and marches right into the witch’s lair and burns then on a pyre of burning brooms.
Gucci Gucci
A uh, kreayshawn cover that even I can’t really explain. At first I was impressed with her ability to fail upwards, then I developed a crush on lil debbie. Now I’m just baffled by them and myself for doing this.
The Drifter’s Warning
This song is about Roy from the Friday the 13th series and why you should always heed the drifter’s warning. It was recorded at the Converse Rubber Tracks studio in Brooklyn, New York. We were the first metal band to ever record there, so I felt it was significant enough to include in the release. It will also appear as SIDE A of our split with Relapse’s Call of the Void which was originally exclusive to Denver Black Sky VIP ticket holders but now can be purchased in limited through Granite House Records in Denver Orange and Bronco Blue here.
