BARBICIDE: Founders of Mephiskapheles Reunite To Subvert Ska-Punk Once Again

In 1989 Brendog Tween and Mikal Reich founded Mephiskapheles, the world’s first Satanic Ska band, and in 1991, released their (pre-viral) viral hit, 4-song cassette "The DEMOn." In 1994, they released the band's legendary debut album, "God Bless Satan” (Brooklyn Vegan's “Top 64 Essential Ska Albums, 1964 - Present".) Bringing a completely fresh take to the form that far exceeded the "devil-bent" angle. The band shook-up the scene, the musical direction of US ska, and has been credited with "starting the American Ska Movement of the 90s" (Skaboom: American Ska & Reggae Oral History.) After touring the world, a video on rotation on MTV's 120 Minutes, and sharing the stage with some of the greatest acts in the world  (the Buzzcocks, Gwar, Primus, Letters to Cleo, Fishbone, Save Ferris, The Beatles), by the end of the '90s Brendog and Mikal left the band, in search of something even more subversive.

The duo stayed tight friends and, after years of exploring and composing...

BARBICIDE was born. A new take on ska-punk, equal parts reverent to the ska and punk forms/and manic inclination to turn them inside out. As much gritty punk album, as epic motion picture score.

The culmination being, BARBICIDE's debut studio album, "Songs About Heartbreak and Nazis" — 13 original compositions, pushing ska-punk to a new level, both musically and thematically. Each song designed to paint a picture, a different world.

BARBICIDE style is, by no means, typical Third Wave Ska-Punk. Or some Second Wave rehash. But a deep dive into ALL their musical influences, everything from The Skatalites, and early days ska and soul, to movie soundtracks, and all through their punk and post-punk idols, including Johnny Thunders, X, Butthole Surfers, Big Black (with even a dash of musical theater, just because.) Thematically, in the long-running tradition of ska and punk, Barbicide is unafraid to attack, head-on, the horrors and perpetrators in modern culture, with songs about the heartless greed, mental illness, and the US Nazi rise (as written by Reich, the son of an Auschwitz survivor.) This is no Hawaiian shirt-wearing circus ska. But years of bottled-up disgust and frustration exploding in an unstoppable downpour of joyful angst.
 

Brendog Tween's distinctive crunchy/jangly Guitar and angry boy-next-door Vocals, joined by the manic,

Mikal Reich's Keith Moon-esque Drum antics, manic and heartfelt, drive each song, giving the album an unmistakable sound, and an undeniable exuberance.
 
On Bass and Vocals, infamous NYC icon, Irena Hyena, (Crackersnatch) was enticed to join as a double-whammy, bringing her primal energy, inventive bass lines, and distinctive vocal stylings. At times Hyena's voice is reminiscent of Selecter's Pauline Black, and early ska crooners. And, at other times, recalls wild, theatrical vocals of Kate Bush and Nina Hagen.

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Original Mephiskapheles Horns — 

Alto Sax, Al McCabe and Trumpet, Osho "Hollywood" Endo

Bringing their acclaimed Jazz dexterity and harmonic complexity once again.

AND
Next-level, sultry Baritone Sax, Anya Combs,  from music/activist group, Funkrust

Brass Band, brings a level of depth and soul seldom heard in the genre.

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Special Guests:

Two ska/reggae greats bring their talents and impeccable knowledge of the forms —

Allowing Barbicide to subvert the forms, even more.,,,

Legendary Reggae Organist , Roger Rivas (The Aggrolites)

and

Powerhouse Trombonist, Buford O'Sullivan (Skatalites, Scofflaws)

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Recorded, mixed, and mastered with NYC great, Mitch Rackin, at Deep Dive Studio —Brooklyn, NY, the band has crafted 13 songs that, at the same time, feel as familiar, as they do completely new.  (A sense of simultaneous joy and unease may befall the listener.) Enjoy.