In most zombie fiction the undead are dispatched by destroying the brain. Whether it be by katana, boomstick or just about every other sharp, heavy or explosive item imaginable, destroying the grey matter is the go-to method when dealing with resurrected corpses. But there is another, less glamorous (and gory) alternative. Some zombies shuffle along till their decomposing bodies just up and fall apart. There’s no cathartic .357 slug to the skull, just the slow, inevitable twisting of father time’s hands.
This grotesque journey mirrors the rise and fall of Cincinnati’s Horror Punk heroes The Reanimated. After crawling out of the dirt in the winter of 2007, The Reanimated released two full-length albums and an EP before quietly calling it quits in 2013. During their six-year run, The Reanimated put a stranglehold on the local Horror Punk scene. There was nary a show in the scene that didn’t feature the band, anchored by vocalist James Bondage, guitarist Adam Alone, bassist Erik Stitches and drummer Jason Hell, along with other performers, the most recent being guitarist Greg Gallows.
The Reanimated was the epicenter of the Horror scene and they didn’t take their power lightly. Bands that showed promise were frequently promoted and pushed by The Reanimated to greater heights. Up and coming venues also saw just what a Reanimated show could do to drive business and notoriety in the area. The band’s work ethic and scene building efforts were often rewarded with slots to play with national acts such as Blitzkid, Calabrese and Sloppy Seconds. Which is what made the band’s end so heartbreaking for so many fans.
The Reanimated’s live show was a blistering mix of Punk’s energy, Heavy Metal’s aggression and Pop’s sense of whimsy and fun. Bondage’s hilarious stage banter would lead into a crashing and bashing set where fans had to dodge Stiches’ bass almost as they did other show-goers. Unfortunately, the band didn’t give their supporters a final performance to properly send off the band. Instead of a bloody shotgun blast, Reanimated fans only got the sluggish shuffle to oblivion, with only the recorded material to keep the corpse dragging across the ground for as long as possible.
But that which isn’t dead can’t truly die; all it needs is the proper reason to get back up. That reason came in early 2016 when Alone suffered a series of strokes that required a vast amount of recuperation and has placed a heavy financial burden on his family. Seeing an opportunity to help a brother and give their devotees what they’ve been clamoring for the past three years, The Reanimated have come together for one last show this Saturday. The Reanimated is reuniting for one night and the show slated to be one hell of a shindig.
The band is bringing some of their longtime friends to join in to celebrate a band’s legacy and to help one of their own. The Lurking Corpses, The Big Bad and GeeGee’s Punk Rock All Stars (ex-The Jackalopes) are coming together to start off the festivities. In addition, there will be a raffle where fans can win merch packages from The Vladimirs and The Lurking Corpses, along with several submissions from local artists, among other prizes. All money raised is going directly to Alone and his family.
The reason is assuredly noble but this show means more to many local Horror Punk fans than just a fundraiser; it’s a chance to say goodbye the way we’ve always wanted. We can, for one last time, bathe in fake blood, sing along to They Live, and wreck in the pit. We can tie on our Mort bandanas, grab the mic and scream the words of Devilution with Bondage, bang against Stitches and give Alone some well-deserved spirit fingers. We can finally give the boys the double barrel farewell that they’ve always deserved. Because if Romero’s taught us anything, you just can’t keep a good zombie down; no matter how hard you try they always get their teeth into you one way or another.
Details: The show is on Aug. 27 at Backstage Café in Covington, Ky. from 6 p.m.-1 a.m. $5 min donation, $10 suggested donation. Find more info here.
This article appears in Aug 24-31, 2016.
