The Gravetones might be lumped in with Chicago’s burgeoning psychobilly scene which follows the 50’s meets 60’s trash/rockabilly psychosis and 60’s frat/garage fuzz and feedback neurosis aesthetic that the Meteors and others in the early 80’s absorbed from the Cramps. However, they also draw blood from The Misfits (Burn Baby Burn, and Merry Death) and early L.A. deathrock/goth (eerily chilling like Dance With Me era TSOL!). Needless to say, the band makes this approach their own and makes a lasting impression with great singing and great playing (Like the Grand Funk railroad album of the same title.)

. Scary Larry’s vocals sound like the Damned’s Dave Vanian doing Glen Danzig doing Elvis or visa versa, and you can tell you’re in for a trip to hell when the “intro” blazes by allowing you to be kidnapped by Ghost riders in the sky on flaming choppers pillaging convenience stores on the way to Kankakee. Some stand outs include “Ron Jeremy” (a big tribute to a big man) “Creepy Girls” a slow burlesque style creeper about “evil women” that scare the boys that visit them stiff, and “Devils Rain” the grand Guginol finale and takes it’s title from the same movie. Ernest Borghine played Satan in it (What?? Don Knotts was not available?)

The Gravetones could appeal to psychobillies, horror/80’s punk fans, older Goths (who remember when early 80’s goth music rocked in the hands of Bauhaus and 45 Grave), and even more adventurous roots music fans.