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Hollywood Undead is hardcore for the on-the-fence fan

Date published: 10/2/2008

BY JIM SWING

Take a mix of bass-bumping hip-hop, emo, rock, rap and heavy metal, throw in a mask and a microphone, and you've got Hollywood Undead--a MySpace music sensation fresh off the streets of Los Angeles.

The six-man group, consisting of members Deuce, J-Dog, Charlie Scene, Johnny 3 Tears, Funny Man and Da Kurlzz, originated in 2005 when Deuce and J-Dog posted a song to their MySpace page and received copious amounts of positive feedback. During its first nine weeks on the site, their song received nearly 1 million plays--and by 2006, they were MySpace's top unsigned artist, with more than 8 million hits.

By the start of this year, the band had exceeded 40 million plays and 400,000 friends. They signed a record deal in 2005 with A&M/Octone Records--a New York-based label, home to bands such as Flyleaf and Maroon 5.

On Sept. 2, after spending nearly three years in production, Hollywood Undead released their debut album, "Swan Songs." The album consists of a variety of tracks like you've never heard before, exploring the collaboration of assorted instruments combined with hard-hitting lyrics.

A track such as "California" really fleshes out the group's purpose, mixing violin and guitar with a steady hip-hop mix tape.

"Undead" combines a hip-hop flow with the rhythm of beating drums in the background that give the listener a taste of hard rock.

The group's raging lyrics consist of anything from the party-hopping nightlife to the likes of a modern-day Guns N' Roses, giving us insight into the streets of L.A. Although the lyrics may not be PG, they fit in well with the excellent variety of music that anyone could enjoy.

Jim Swing is a student at Germanna Community College.

Date published: 10/2/2008