Horror Punk Chartbusters Resurrection Review
Horror Punk Chartbusters Resurrection
Wolverine Records
2025
After a few years, Wolverine Records has resurrected one of their most celebrated cover compilations, and this time, it’s a beast. "Horror Punk Chartbusters Resurrection" gathers 26 Horror Punk heavyweights and sets them loose on some of the biggest hits from decades past. Slow clap for Wolverine Records here, because it takes guts to admit there are Horror Punk bands not only willing, but worthy, of tackling the Pop charts.
The set drops as a double CD and vinyl release, and that alone makes it special. Usually, cover comps in this scene mean Misfits reinterpretations - fun, sure, but expected. Here, with the emphasis on “chartbusters,” you know you’re in for the random, the weird, and the gloriously fun.
Disc 1 cracks open strong.
Germany’s titans The Other ignite the record with a stunning take on Ultravox’s New Wave classic “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes.” I grew up hearing this on the radio every hour, and The Other drench it in fresh paint while keeping the admiration intact. Rod Usher’s vocals are absolute fire.
Then comes the curveball, Derry’s raging cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire.” I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t have even known the original without my wife tipping me off (I’m out of touch with Pop these days). But damn, I fell in love with it, fun, heartfelt, and loaded with swearing that still amuses my inner 12-year-old. Derry’s snotty punk delivery fits the song’s bite perfectly. Consider me a new fan, I’ll be hunting down more from these guys.
Zombina and The Skeletones float into orbit with a dreamy version of Peter Schilling’s “Major Tom,” while Dickie Devil and the Deviants smash “Do You Wanna Dance” somewhere between Ramones fury and Beach Boys sunshine. Perfect.
Of course, no Horror Punk party is complete without “Science Fiction Double Feature,” and Bloodsucking Zombies From Outer Space absolutely nail it. Their pogo-ready rendition even slips “Superheroes” into the mix.
The surprises keep coming: The Crimson Ghosts inject raw menace into Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round” (a song I’ve covered myself, so I know the temptation). And my old pal Nim Vind twists Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” into something unrecognizable yet mesmerizing. Sacrilegious, never – brilliant, absolutely.
Disc 2 doesn’t hit quite as hard, but it still has its monsters.
Hellgreaser kick it off with Patti Smith’s “Because the Night,” moody in the verses but blazing in the chorus. Then, out of nowhere, Astra Zombies Rickroll us with a full throttle take on “Never Gonna Give You Up.” I didn’t peek at the track list, so yeah, I got Rickrolled for real. It’s chaotic at times, but gutsy and fun as hell, I respect it.
Midnight Haunt dig into Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” leaning heavy into darkness but missing a bit of the camp that makes the original so weirdly perfect. Still, points for effort. Thankfully, Los Morts swoop in with a killer rendition of Laura Branigan’s “Self-Control”, a criminally underrated 80’s gem. They play it as straight as they can, and it works beautifully. The original version of this track was a sincere favorite of mine as a kid – the video was campy, spooky and Branigan was gorgeous. This cover made me feel good for sure. Bravo!
Left Hand Black turn Loverboy’s “Working for the Weekend” into a lo-fi fist-pumping banger, while Rezurex close things out with a jaw-dropping Rockabilly blast through the Stray Cats “Runaway Boys.” As a Rockabilly guy too, I’m floored, the precision and swagger here are next level. I expect this kind of greatness from Rezurex, they’ve been “on” since their debut several years back.
At the end of the night, Horror Punk Chartbusters Resurrection is exactly what its name promises: a monstrous compilation that delivers nostalgia, surprises, and enough Horror-kissed energy to keep your coffin rattling. CD or vinyl, it doesn’t matter, just get your claws on it. Wolverine Records have done it again, and for me, it’s vinyl all the way.