But if 13 succeeds in his quest to be reviled, when it comes to putting together an album as consistent as it is caustic, he doesn't prevail quite so easily. A side project of sorts, headlined by Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison, Static-X guitarist Tripp Eisen, and 13 -- along with touring members Eric on bass and Ben on drums -- the Murderdolls are a horror-infatuated monster mash of the Misfits' demon punk and Mötley Crüe's randy shouts at the devil. There are plenty of moments on Beyond when the Murderdolls manage to effectively channel the mascara and malevolence of those bands, such as on the snarling "Love at First Fright," a touching pop-punk ode to Linda Blair's character in The Exorcist, complete with such lines as "When I saw you piss on the rug, my heart fluttered/I knew it was love"; the Antichrist anthem "197666," which is powered by Jordison's unmistakable, hydraulic drumming; and the primeval "Dressed to Depress," a great blend of maggots and melody.
Unfortunately, Beyond is mired by too many leaden stompers such as "Dawn of the Dead" and "Kill Miss America," which come across as the aural equivalent of the dumb B-movie blonde who decides that Jason's latest killing spree is cause for a nice long shower. With that said, critiquing the Murderdolls almost seems beside the point: One gets the sense that this bunch enjoys the abuse. Perhaps 13 offers the best rejoinder: "Jimmy Crack Corn and I don't give a fuck."
