By Greg Maki
“Mid Death Crisis” finds Wednesday 13 doing what he does best—better than just about anyone, really. After veering off in a heavier, darker direction for much of the 2010s, the Duke of Spook is revisiting and fully embracing his roots in punk rock and sleazy, ‘80s glam metal on his 10th full-length studio album—no doubt due at least in part to the many Murderdolls-centric live sets he’s played in recent years and 2025 being the 20th anniversary of his debut solo effort, “Transylvania 90210.”
Curiously, perhaps, lead single “When the Devil Commands” is a bit of an outlier here as the heaviest song of the bunch, but its ominous chug and shout-along chorus should appeal to metalheads and hard-rockers alike. As a whole, the record is light on its feet with hooks galore, Wednesday’s always clever and macabre wordplay, and a playfulness that we haven’t seen from him in some time. These songs are an absolute blast, and it wouldn’t surprise me if at least half of them found their way into the live set in the near future. The best of the bunch, “No Apologies,” features Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat, quite possibly the band that’s the most synonymous with ‘80s sleaze. His and Wednesday’s raspy voices make for a perfect pairing, and the song is a glorious celebration of the best of the era from which it draws its influence. More highlights immediately follow: “Decapitation,” a singalong-worthy ode to severed heads complete with “oohs” and “aahs,” and the indelible anti-love song “In Misery.”
Wednesday 13 has spent about three decades building his persona, so one never should approach one of his albums expecting major stylistic curveballs or changes. However, the full-fledged return to his roots gives “Mid Death Crisis” a freshness that had been lacking somewhat on previous releases. Wednesday 13 has a large body of work, and this is one of his strongest collections of tunes to date.
Rating: 9/10
Napalm Records – April 25, 2025
LINKS:
Buy/save “Mid Death Crisis.”
www.officialwednesday13.com
www.facebook.com/officialwednesday13
www.x.com/officalwed13
www.instagram.com/mrmotherfucker13
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