Rocket from the Tombs

Three decades later, Cleveland proto-punks Rocket from the Tombs reformed to do the tour they never did first time around. Before heading on the road, the band, which now features guitarist Richard Lloyd replacing the deceased Peter Laughner and current Pere Ubu drummer Steve Mehlman behind the kit, re-recorded their entire original output in their modern day form, to show this wasn’t just a one-time cash-in tour. The results, this new 12-song effort that was recorded and produced by Lloyd at NY’s EGB studios, is an interesting reintroduction to their material. While most of the songs are pretty much just cleaned up versions of the songs that appeared on the 2001 compilation also released by Smog Veil, there are a few exceptions that work to astounding result. "20 Seconds Over Tokyo” is a complete monster, with vocalist David Thomas coming across like a man possessed in a way he hasn’t on disc since the second Pere Ubu album, 1978’s Dub Housing. The song also contains a section in the middle of it played at breakneck grindcore pace, something which was totally unexpected. Not all of the songs hold the same fervour, but there are a few moments that will make your hair stand on end.