The Cramps

Fiends of Dope Island   2025 reissue

(Planet Records)

By the 2003 date of Fiends' initial issuance, blood-moon brace Lux and Ivy had thoroughly stropped their grisly-kicks spectacle: the morbid schlock of Al Adamson with John Waters' depravity, carved onto a garage-Punk soundtrack. Some components spurted crimson, while other maleficent curiosities flung sparks. Lux heaved an abundance of maniacal ejaculations, whoops, and stream-of-monstrousness intonations. But "Taboo" revealed him as a more technically adroit singer than those customary vocal-gymnastics suggested. Vampy vedette Poison Ivy - long known to be of homicidal capacity whilst molesting metallic strings - acquitted herself with all the pointed poise of a mercenary assassin. And the teasingly creeping "Color Me Black" may be the most bare-faced Link homage they ever put to tape. 

This Swedish rerelease was limited to 300 red-vinyl units. 

Recommended: "Big Black Witchcraft Rock," "Hang Up," "Dr. Fucker M.D. (Musical Deviant)," "Dopefiend Boogie," "Taboo," "She's Got Balls," "Oowee Baby," "Mojo Man from Mars," "Color Me Black"

Videos: "Dopefiend Boogie"   "Taboo"   "She's Got Balls"   "Color Me Black"

Chaputa

Discogs

Trashwax

Bad Billy

Juno