by Jason D. Taylor

Murderdolls are a side project for Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison and Static-X guitarist Tripp Eisen and a band that Jordison envisioned long before their 2002 debut release. Those who followed the band in their former incarnation as the Rejects will notice that Wednesday 13, who was once the bassist, has now moved behind the mic, yet the intentions here remain the same: creating fast, macabre music that is nothing like the music around it. Drawing lyrical inspiration from movies such as Friday the 13th, Night of the Living Dead, and Phantasm, the 15 tracks included on Beyond the Valley of the Murderdolls are full of tongue-in-cheek horror clichés. Jordison performs without the mask he is known for wearing as part of Slipknot, and instead of residing behind the drumkit, he is ready to rock as one member of the powerful guitar duo, accompanied by the aforementioned Eisen. While it is obvious neither man wished for this group to resemble their other duties, Murderdolls instead find themselves stuck in a time warp that hurtles them backwards to the decayed sounds of the '80s. Call it gutter-punk, glam rock, or hair metal, every style is displayed here in its despondent glory, bearing close comparisons to shock-punkers the Misfits. As such, this debut makes for an entertaining, often hilarious punk metal collection that never once can be taken seriously. If Murderdolls are a joke, then these men have succeeded, and if this is serious...well let's just stick with believing Murderdolls are an extravagant prank on the music industry.