Album Review: THE AWAKENING (2006)

 Welcome walking corpses to my third visit into the fetid remains of zombiecore overlords SEND MORE PARAMEDICS! Their brief but ferocious career is nearing an end but we still have much to digest, starting with...

THE AWAKENING (2006)

1. Everything Is Not Under Control (2:57)

2. Follow Your Programming (1:38)

3. Sever (3:16)

4. Blood Fever (2:29)

5. Twilight Of The Flies (2:29)

6. Disaster Song (1:47)

7. This Crowd Is Crushing Me (2:53)

8. Flail Of God (3:38)

9. Virulence (2:48)

10. Scapegoat (2:57) 

11. The Unclean (2:02)

12. Anthropophagi (2:33)

13. Vital Signs (2:17)

14. I Am Every Dead Thing (3:23)

15. Transmission (3:16)

THE AWAKENING came out in September 2006 again through IN AT THE DEEP END Records and is their most ambitious offering to date with not one but two discs to this album. The first disc contains 15 tracks of their epically awesome thrash metal sounds assaulting our ear holes. The crossover part of their sound becoming even more prominent on this record than previous ones. I don't want to say "melodic" as such coz that's not right but my vocabulary is not coming up with anything else at this present time. It definitely has more of an anthemic/punky feel to it with some absolute belters in the form of album opener "Everything Is Not Under Control' into "Follow Your Programming" (track 2) all the way through to "Anthropophagi" (track 12). "Scapegoat" (track 10) is the albums darker track which may not appeal to everyone but that outro into "The Unclean" (track 11) is one of the best things I have ever heard! The stand out anthem here and the one to rival "Zombie Crew" is the shout-a-rific "Blood Fever" (track 4). A small side note here just to mention that SEND MORE PARAMEDICS have shot 3 epic music videos. One for "Zombie Crew" from THE HALLOWED AND THE HEATHEN, one for "Nothing Tastes Like This" from TALES TOLD BY DEAD MEN and one for "Blood Fever" from THE AWAKENING. The first 2 videos are kind of a mix of classic music vid with a zombie twist but the "Blood Fever" video was one they really went to town on. Directed by Adam Powell it's loosely based on 1988's NIGHT OF THE DEMONS but a 100% homage to all things zombie B-Movie. Not seen them yet? It's fine... you can stop reading and go check them all out on YouTube. Okay finished?? Told you they were awesome!

THE AWAKENING rages on with frantic finality with "Sever" (track 3), "Twilight Of The Flies" (track 5), "This Crowd Is Crushing Me" (track 7), "I Am Every Dead Thing" (track 14) and the bleak "Transmission" (track 15) as the final offering. The band called on Jeff Walker and Ken Owen from CARCASS to lend additional vocals on "Flail Of God", "I Am Every Dead Thing" and "The Unclean". THE AWAKENING has a story behind it, their past albums have always had the foreboding nature of the impending apocalypse about them but the concept of THE AWAKENING is the start of the zombie apocalypse. The story is told within the middle pages of the CD inlay and predicts that in the year 2025 due to the global environmental crisis and political unrest the world is distracted. A viral pandemic sweeps through the population with questionable origins causing vomiting, convulsions and violent behaviour leading to a comatose state. Reanimation ensues resulting in cannibalism with the infection being passed on through bites. It takes scenarios from all aspects of the disease and takes you right along for the ride. Considering this album is now 15 years old and 2025 is not far off, with everything that has happened (especially these last few years) SMP's prediction of total zombie annihilation in less than 5 years does not seem that far-fetched. Those of us that have studied this album know that no matter how clued up or prepared you are for the apocalypse hearing lyrics like "Scratching at this freaking itch in my flesh, my brain is gonna burst out my skull , I feel like death" (Blood Fever track 4), "Soon you'll be like us" (Disaster Song track 6) and "Dear faces lost in the stampede, I'd kill you all to fucking breathe" (This Crowd Is Crushing Me track 7) remind us that we will all be nothing more than a shuffling husk when it comes down to it just gotta learn to deal with it! It's a deep dive into oblivion and I for one embrace every aspect of this concept. Light on zombie movie references THE AWAKENING does have "Follow Your Programming" which contains a small nod to ZOMBI 3. The production on this album has again increased from it's predecessor, showcasing the fantastic guitar work from Medico without it overshadowing the talent of the rhythm section whilst letting B'Hellmouth's anguished vocals bleed over the songs like karo syrup on a horror movie extra! Following the success of THE HALLOWED AND THE HEATHEN, THE AWAKENING went down well with firm fans of the band and opened them up to a new audience eager to hear more. The artwork on the album was designed by digital illustrator/concept artist Stefan Kopinski and depicts a desolate and destroyed city scape over run by grotesque zombies slowly heading into the foreground. An effective move as the albums before have been more symbolic than pictorial making THE AWAKENING that bit more eye catching. 

THE AWAKENING disc 2 SOUNDTRACK

1. The Decision Is Made (2:03)

2. The Fear (2:54)

3. Amid The Ruins (1:11)

4. Dark Waves (1:28)

5. End Of The Chase (1:52)

6. Yangtze River (0:46)

7. A Crushing Tide (2:44)

8. Territorial Standoff (1:45)

9. The Final Moments (0:55)

10. Amid The Ruins (Reprise) (1.02)

11. Pervasive Infection (1:36)

12. Deadly Strain (1.16)

13. Genetic Recombination (1:21)

14. Life Degenerates (2:02)

15. The Awakening (13:18)

This second disc to THE AWAKENING is designed more as a concept album/soundtrack to the apocalypse. Written and composed by SEND MORE PARAMEDICS guitarist Medico it is a true love letter to all 80's synth horror B movie soundtracks. Entirely instrumental, eerie and compact with the longest track coming in at just under 3 minutes. They all have a great build up and tension going on with highs and lows that really make you feel they belong in a movie. The final track is a spoken word piece from the CD inlay telling the story of THE AWAKENING narrated by a friend of the band Nasser Hussain who undoubtedly became their next meal. 

THE AWAKENING is a fitting and rather final addition to their back catalogue but no one can deny that it is one hell of an album! It would seem that this would be the last studio album we would see from the band for the next 15 years as the following year, 2007, SEND MORE PARAMEDICS announced on their Myspace page that after 6 years together their rotting corpses could no longer continue and they were calling it a day. Their farewell gig was held at Josephs Well in Leeds on October 27th 2007. Having attended several SMP gigs in my time this one was the gig to end all gigs. The majority of the crowd made a fantastic effort and were zombied up to the nines! B'Hellmouth was carried onto the stage in a coffin and annoyingly that's about all I can remember. With my own grey matter not being how it used to be I recall that they played their asses off with an epic set list that left nothing off. At some point whilst I was either at the merch stand or the bar I vaguely remember a cassette tape coming into my possession I honestly have no recollection of buying this but I'm assuming I must have. I believe this tape was originally planned for release on their "Aim For The Head" tour so I'm guessing what was left at the end of the tour was sold at their final gig.

SEND MORE PARAMEDICS 

Side A

1. Bra(i)nde(a)d (3:10)

2. The Creature Speaks (3:11)

3. Dawn Of The Dead (3:36)

4. Partytime (2:26)

5. Kickstart My Heart (4:34)

6. 100 Fighting Dogs (2:39)

7. Revenants (2:36)

8. Zombified (2:22)

9. Send More Paramedics (2:00)

The B side of the cassette contains their original demo recorded in 2001. See my first article from August for full track listing.

This cassette was self released with tracks 1-5 recorded for this release. Tracks 6-9 were recorded for other releases over the years but due to various reasons never made it onto the proposed records. Partytime (track 4) is a cover of 45 GRAVES song used on RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985). Kick Start My Heart (track 5) was originally by MOTLEY CRUE and may seem like a bit of a random choice of cover but done in true SMP style fits perfectly with the rest of the songs. 100 Fighting Dogs (track 6) was a song originally by MY WAR and was recorded by SMP for a split EP with MY WAR that fell through prior to THE HALLOWED AND THE HEATHEN. Send More Paramedics (track 9) was also recorded for the split EP with MY WAR but was also a popular track live going back to times before  A FEAST FOR THE FALLEN. Revenants (track 7) was recorded for THE AWAKENING but never made it onto the album and Zombified (track 8) was re-recorded again, this time for a music video that never came to fruition. This is definitely the best thing they could have done with these tracks as otherwise they would be lost forever but with this cassette they can be treasured by all who possess it! Probably one of the best keepsakes that we, the fans, could have asked for as that really was it from the band... 

For a time anyway.

UNEARTHED:POSSESSED (2012)

Split EP with GALLOWS, FEED THE RHINO and WOUNDS.

UNEARTHED

1. Zombified (2:22)

2. 100 Fighting Dogs (2:39)

3. Revenants (2:36)

4. Send More Paramedics (2:00)

5. 245 Trioxin (2:28) (Digital Release Only)

POSSESSED

5. Zombie Crew (3:46) GALLOWS (Vinyl Only)

6. Blood Fever (2:40) FEED THE RHINO

7. Sever (2:57) WOUNDS

UNEARTHED:POSSESSED was released on October 31st 2012 by IN AT THE DEEP END Records to celebrate the labels 12 year anniversary and their 50th album release. Released in two formats; digital and a very stunning red 10" vinyl. It was of course approved by SMP and they contributed some tracks from their self released cassette from 2007. The UNEARTHED part being that SMP had been gone for 5 years and the tracks provided were "unearthed" by IATDE records for this occasion. The POSSESSED part being the covers of "Zombie Crew" by GALLOWS (vinyl only), "Blood Fever" by FEED THE RHINO and "Sever" by WOUNDS. The "possessed" part enlightens to fact that the bands that contributed the covers have now been infected with the zombie virus by SMP. That fact is echoed in the awesome cover artwork by Dan Mumford depicting Medico, X. Undead and El Diablo on the back of the sleeve in front of an ambulance devouring some poor soul. The cover shows a zombified rhino (for FEED THE RHINO), a wolf (for GALLOWS) and B'Hellmouth with a large scar across his stomach to symbolize WOUNDS. The vinyl inlay also features a comic strip from artist Troy Browne showing backstage at IATDE Recs 50th release show featuring the three bands mentioned. SMP bust down the door and infect the entire audience. The concept, artwork and vinyl itself are wonderful things and it's a great tribute to SMP from their record label. For IATDE Records to bring them back into the limelight 5 years later is a great gesture and one which I'm sure the band appreciated. For fans that didn't manage to grab a copy of the 2007 cassette this goes some way to rectifying that as it features 4 tracks from that release. Plus for the digital release IATDE added 245 Trioxin from their split EP with THE NOTHING as it had never had a digital release before. The covers however are not really up to standard with all three of the bands choosing to make the songs "their own" by changing bits here and there sometimes replacing entire lines (I'm looking at you FEED THE RHINO) but hey, what can I say? It's personal preference I guess. Perhaps when it comes to impersonating my favourite band I lose my sense of humour and go into judging mode!! I don't dislike the tracks I just much prefer the originals.

SEND MORE PARAMEDICS were exhumed again in 2014 to headline a one day event at VOX in Leeds in April to celebrate 10 years of THIRTY DAYS OF NIGHT Records. A warm up show took place the night before at The Wharf Chambers also in Leeds. Talk of their appearance "up North" spurred them on to make a pit stop in London at the BARFLY the following month for a quick snack on some Southerners before crawling back into their graves for what felt like the last time... 

Mash's top tracks:-

THE AWAKENING

(In no particular order)

* Blood Fever.

* Sever.

* The Unclean.

Massive thanks goes out to Sam Scott Hunter, Matt White, Alyson Blanchard, Derek Bremner and Dan Philips for the use of their photos, much needed fact checking and additional