Album Review: Various Artists – Alice Cooper – Killer – 50 Years Later! (Pale Wizard Records)

On November 27th 1971, the original Alice Cooper band released an album that would define a generation and inspire countless more. Called ‘Killer’, it contains eight of the most visceral, hard hitting, refined and shocking songs of their career.

Now, Pale Wizard Records launch the 50 Years Later series with Alice Cooper, Killer – 50 years later. A collaboration that features the likes of The Grand Mal, Green Lung, 1968, Ritual King, Mos Generator & more. On November 27th, 2021, exactly 50 years later to the day. Pale Wizard Records pays tribute to Alice Cooper’s classic Killer record, the first in an exciting new series of albums entitled 50 years later.

What are the chances you’ve never heard a single track off Killer? Slim, right? It’s an album that everyone will have heard in some format or another. Regardless of if you grew up with it or stumbled across it decades later, it’s an iconic rock album that doesn’t sound 50 years old.

However, let’s just say you haven’t heard anything from Killer and the idea of listening to an album that is 50 years old just turns you off. Well, Pale Wizard Records have just the thing for you. A tribute album featuring a host of brilliant bands covering and adding their own touches to the Killer album. As fresh as you’re ever going to get, this is your opportunity to correct the mistake of having never listened to Killer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atJTpc3BJAA

Everyone is going to have their favourite but the quality in every one of these covers can’t be understated. The first third sees Green Lung paying exceptional tribute to Under My Wheels, The Grand Mal nailing Be My Lover with their own exciting spin, Sergeant Thunderhoof thrilling with their version of Halo of Flies and Ritual King offering up an eerie and doomy version of Desperado.

If you want to hear a really heavy and dirty version of You Drive Me Nervous, 1968 have what you want as they get the second third going in style. Before Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight smash out a seriously fuzzed out version of Yeah, Yeah, Yeah and Mos Generator makes Dead Babies even moodier. The finale of the original album and the title track coming from Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell. A weirded out and eclectic version with all the electric energy you would expect.

The final third of the album features four bonus tracks (only available on digital and CD copies), taken from other Alice Cooper hits. Doomsters Alunah have a great go at I’m Eighteen from the Love It to Death album. Rockers Suns of Thunder turn Billion Dollar Babies from the same titled album on its head. The always wonderful Possessor make Muscle of Love from the same titled album sound more interesting than it ever did before. With bluesy doom band, Sound of Origin wrapping up the album with an excellent rendition of Sick Things from the Billion Dollar Babies album.

Even if you can’t stand Alice Cooper’s music, the versions this album showcases are different enough, most of the time, to excite most people. A glowing tribute album from a ton of bands more than capable of delivering what is needed. Killer has never sounded so good.

Various Artists – Alice Cooper – Killer – 50 Years Later! Full Track Listing:

1. Green Lung – Under My Wheels
2. The Grand Mal – Be My Lover
3. Sergeant Thunderhoof – Halo of Flies
4. Ritual King – Desperado
5. 1968 – You Drive Me Nervous
6. Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight – Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
7. Mos Generator – Dead Babies
8. Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell – Killer
9. Alunah – I’m Eighteen (Bonus Track)
10. Suns of Thunder – Billion Dollar Babies (Bonus Track)
11. Possessor – Muscle of Love (Bonus Track)
12. Sound of Origin – Sick Things (Bonus Track)

Links

Big Cartel | Bandcamp