If you know them, you wait for their second album for quit a long time, if you never heard of Hollywood Undead, you probably were out on some other planet when they smash off MySpace with their song called „The Kids†in 2005 wich reach over 8 million hits till the end of 2006 and made them the most wanted unsigned band of the moment. They finally singed for MySpace Records, but they left the label after the label tried to censor their first album. They moved to A&M/Octone Records and “Swan Songs” was released on September 2, 2008 and reached #22 on the Billboard 200 in its first week of release, selling 21,000 copies.
All of the band members use pseudonyms and wear their own unique mask, most of which are based on the common hockey goaltender design. Do you remember Raven? – the English heavy metal band – or you may though about Slipknot as well. The band members currently consist of Charlie Scene, Da Kurlzz, Danny, Funny Man, J-Dog, and Johnny 3 Tears after in early 2010, the band’s singer, Deuce, was voted out of the group and was replaced by touring member and long-time friend Daniel Murillo (Danny), who was an American Idol contestant in its ninth season and was the lead singer for the band called Lorene Drive.
Hollywood Undead’s music features a wide variety of musical styles, generally blending hip hop with alternative rock, nu metal, rap rock and dance influence and many be labeled as crunkcore, or rapcore as well.
Half of the songs on “Swan Songs” showed a more dance/party oriented style, while the other half was more closer to rock and heavier tones, so I was curios wich way goes the new album. Well, Hollywood Undead managed to came out with a colorful, but intense material, “American Tragedy” rocks, but mostly raps and its intense, groovy and addictive. “Been to Hell” explode directly with guitar riffing and it’s sounds like Beastie Boys crashed into Body Count. Heavy shit. “Apologies” shift immediately to a danceable zone, but it’s not candy, it’s (hard) rapcore. “Comin’ in Hot” was released on January 21 for free download to promote the album, it’s another rap track, sounds like Eminem, but much better. “My Town” it’s a mixture of classic rock with rap tones and rhythms, one more time it recalls Beastie Boys. “I Don’t Wanna Die” continue on the rap/hip hop line, this is not for Slipknot fans for sure, but still, Hollywood Undead do heavy stuffs. And “Hear Me Now” bring back some guitars, “Glory” it’s kind of gloomy, “Lights Out” could be even a Limp Bizkit track, “Bullet” sounds like The Bloodhound Gang, and somehow Hollywood Undead managed to make them self listen and heard. From the Deluxe Edition wich adds 4 more tracks to the 14 of the conventional edition, I love the little bit jazzy “Lump Ya Head”.
Officially will be released on April 5, 2011, “American Tragedy” is a noisy rap material with some good rockin’ feeling and a few intense moments.
