Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Country: USA
Genre: Experimental, avant garde, punk, post punk
Single/video: Monsters Rule OK!
Format: Digital, streaming
Label: Independent
From the full length ViennaVault (Vol.1), released October 31, 2020
In 1981, a horror anthology produced in Britain, “The Monster Club”, was made featurjng Vincent Price and John Carradine. It was directed by Roy Ward Baker and drew inspiration from the writings of British author R. Chetwynd-Hayes. It was intentionally campy, providing an entertaining perspective on British horror both in print and on screen, featuring subtle inside jokes and creative investigations into the lineage of monsters.
“The Monster Club” failed to resonate with both audiences and critics aboveground, yet since its release it’s had what can loosely be described as a cult audience. A graphic novel adaptation was released in The Monster Club magazine, and two issues of Halls of Horror in 1983. The soundtrack prominently included a track by The Viewers titled “Monsters Rule OK!”. As the movie was released in the early eighties, the song was greatly influenced by punk, with noticeable ska elements introduced through the use of saxophones.
The Viennagram remembers and pays homage to Roy Ward Baker’s film and its accompanying soundtrack by transforming The Viewers’ vision into a blend of ambient, progressive rock, horror punk, psychedelic rock, gothic rock, and new wave, all while maintaining a commercially appealing edge. It's not that easy to classify the approach taken with this cover, but it does expose its commercial aspect to the chilling originality that Bauhaus and Samhain introduced to punk, goth, and horror punk long ago.
The revival of those moods is paired with entertaining, campy vocals that remind you to have a good time at this monster club. By substituting the saxophone with various keyboard sounds, incorporating a robust heavy drum presence, adding choir-like vocals in the chorus, and including background screams during the keyboard solo, they create a theme both dark and uplifting, inviting listeners to join the fun. If “The Monster Club” is ever remade, this cover should be included in the soundtrack. –Dave Wolff
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