Circus of Dead Squirrels
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Circus of Dead Squirrels

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"Outburn Magazine Review 8-07"

Circus of Dead Squirrels represents everything that is wrong in society today, and they know it. So instead of crafty love ballads and sappy songs about misdirected youth, they dive directly into the heart of the problem: pop culture. By applying a rock formula exaggerated by metallic riffs and a punk attitude punctuated with industrial rhythms, their set list reveals their disdain for the society that created them. By either exposing the wrongs of fast food in ‘The Happy Meal-Worm’ or giving the middle finger to the government on ‘President Pinocchio’, Circus of Dead Squirrels leaves no stone unturned in their attack of the social ills that media commercialism has thrust at us for the past couple of decades. Having the word "circus" in their name is an apt way to describe their sound. With an injection of obscure samples, carnival sounds, TV commercial bits, and overall abrasiveness, the listener will feel like a deer caught in the headlights. Think Mindless Self Indulgence with an even more jaded look at society, applying a humorous view that attacks every corner of our remote control generation and you begin to hear the crux of the parodies applied. Not for listeners that are easily offended or who just simply don't know how to take a joke. - Joseph Graham, OUTBURN MAGAZINE #40 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2007


"Tartarean Desire Review 10-07"

Recently a band sent me their latest EP for review. The package consisted of one CDR that had the band and album name spelled incorrectly. There was nothing else in the package—no tracklisting, no band info, no website info, absolutely nothing but a twenty-five cent CDR. This was sent to me by a band member, one who couldn't even spell his band or album name correctly. I'm still annoyed at this, thinking back to the time when I was sending out albums from my own bands and how much time we put into it. Luckily, not every band is of the same uncaring mind, when it comes to their presentation, what represents them as artists, as a whole. Circus Of Dead Squirrels take the old school approach, understanding that the music is not all that matters, there is a visual aspect that also speaks to people.
The Pop Culture Massacre And The End Of The World Sing-A-Long Songbook!, Circus Of Dead Squirrels's third album, is lavishly presented as a childrens' book, but featuring full-colored, detailed artwork (cartoons, to be exact) correlating with songs on the album: a squirrel slitting the throat of the McDonald's owner (I presume) and making Ronald and friends eat worm-filled burgers (‘The Happy Meal-Worm’); a ghoulish-looking squirrel with a chainsaw chasing down current presidential failure George W. Bush, depicted as Pinocchio (‘President Pinocchio’); a squirrel performing a ‘fatality’ a la Mortal Kombat (‘Prizefighter’); a squirrel operating a guillotine, about to behead beloved Elmo while his Sesame Street pals happily watch on (‘Elmo's Last Laugh’); and a squirrel raising a pitchfork over its head in a fiery, hellish cavern, looking to be commanding knife- and tuna can top-wielding killers in the manner of the Pillsbury Doughboy, Tony the Tiger, Charlie the Tuna, Mr. Peanut, and the Hamburger Helper Helping Hand (‘Hell's Kitchen’). And that's not all. Circus Of Dead Squirrels put a lot of time and effort in creating The Pop Culture Massacre…, and they did the same on their previous two releases, Indoor Recess and Outdoor Recess.
Of course, as they say, ‘You can't polish a turd.’ So what of the music? Well, Circus Of Dead Squirrels' talent doesn't end with creating a nice visual package, the music is pretty damn good—for what it is. The Pop Culture Massacre… is a mash up of GWAR meets Misery Loves Co. meets Slipknot meets the lyrical prowess of Tesco Vee and The Meatmen—with less homo-erotic comedy (though Ninja Turtle Liberace does play guitar and keyboards, so I could be wrong). The first true song on the album is ‘Overpopulation Annihilation’, a brutal, pounding industrial metal anthem, sure to get the blood flowing, through the body or knuckles. ‘The Happy Meal-Worm’ follows a similar path, but more upbeat, layered with a twisted, circus-like foundation. ‘Losing Touch’ sounds like a Slipknot song played through the haunted speakers of a techno dance club (Where are my glowsticks?). The rest of the album flows in a pretty similar style, not throwing out many curveballs until the track ‘Nobody Quite Like Me’, a mid-paced, eerie, atmospheric gem of a song. This song finds the band in more serious and mature territory, musically and lyrically. I'm tempted to say the song doesn't fit on the album, because it does seem to sort of skewer the satirical flow of the rest of the songs, but it's simply too good a song to ignore.
The Pop Culture Massacre… isn't without its flaws. As is the case with many undustrial-like bands, sometimes a little noise overindulgence interrupts the flow of a song; it's easy to include too much, making for a somewhat distracting listen. This doesn't apply to any one song completely, only parts now and then. The production is outstanding, and the mix is killer. While I think some songs have a little too much going on from time to time, nothing ever gets lost in the mix. The music is generally captivating in its driving rhythms and grooves, and the lyrics, while satirical, aren't necessarily stupid, or cringe-worthy. And again, the artwork and layout is topnotch. The album begins with a disclaimer track, a warning to those would-be naysayers with no sense of humor, which, to quote the final moment of the track, essentially states: ‘Thoroughly fuck off, or enjoy the show.’ And the latter is what I did. - Ken Wood, TARTAREAN DESIRE


"Beowolf Productions Review 4-04"

Damn! These guys are fuckin' amazing! They remind me of one of my favorite bands from New York & that's BILE! This is the debut CD release of this Industrial Metal act out of CT. The music has a ton of energy pouring out everywhere. I was hooked right from the start. They have a Metal sound, but it is covered with tons of Industrial music. I loved the adrenaline that drives through all their songs. The music is extremely tight & fast, with tons of Industrial grooves, beats & breakdowns. These guys are just down right amazing! The vocals are done in a mid ranged Industrial style & a low end Death growl. This is one of the best new bands I've heard in a long time. Fans of BILE & HELL ON EARTH will love this band!!! I know I did!!! - Burt Wolf, BEOWOLF PRODUCTIONS


"Rock Solid Pressure Review 12-06"

BEST CD OF 2006: Circus of Dead Squirrels/Indoor Recess

More tracks were requested from this CD than any other in 2006. This CD is virtually a ‘cash cow’ for the ever evolving industrial scene. Make a bet this band will soon be ruling the world at any given moment… - J- Rock and Patty, ROCK SOLID PRESSURE


"Redefine Magazine Review 7-05"

Industrial metal is amongst a dying breed, but Circus of Dead Squirrels has a brand of goofball industrial that is guaranteed to make you smile if you like crude humor and infectious beats. Kicking off their new album, Indoor Recess, is ‘8-Bit Piece of Shit’, a homage to NES that is riddled with Mario Samples and lines like, ‘I must be retarded – to write a song about this shit.’ Whether that’s true or not, Circus of Dead Squirrels is a band that guarantees good times and a diverse selection of industrial tracks if you don’t consider yourself too mature to listen to songs like ‘Rubber Ducky Fucker’ and ‘Sea Monkey Kill’. - Vivian Hua, REDEFINE MAGAZINE


"Melissa of BILE Review 5-07"

Circus of Dead Squirrels are magnetically freakish synthesized nightmares that get together and have a BBQ in the haunted house of a Carnival. I think children should be raised on these industrial icons before they are exposed to false gods like Big Bird and Barney. CODS offers a healthier, more realistic option for young lives to experience things they never wanted to. I know I didn’t and now I have no choice, I’m hooked. - Melissa the Jester, BILE


"Hartford Advocate Live Review 11-07"

Local Motion: Squirrel, Meet Pavement
Circus of Dead Squirrels: not your father's industrial band
By Dan Barry

If Slipknot were to dress up like roadkill instead of Resident Evil extras, they might look like Circus of Dead Squirrels. With their full-body Dickies uniforms and custom-made masks, the quartet felt like the former band's take on a dysfunctional children's picture book. As they opened Saturday's set at Danbury's Monkey Bar, however, they churned out songs that were much more industrial than metal. I wouldn't exactly call them dark — carnivalesque and morbid, more like. They did songs with titles like "Happy MealWorm" ("You are what you eat — you're gonna die!" screams vocalist Pancho Ripchord). Death metal this is not.

It's a bit odd to think that with all the recording studio hours Korn and their ilk spent exploring (and exploiting) childhood dysfunction, no one ever came up with the idea to do it with a sense of humor. And that will be the exact love-it-or-hate-it criteria for most people confronted with the Circus' music. If you need your industrial to have a drug-addled, bondage geared-up, unhumorous front like Ministry or KMFDM, CODS will probably fail to shake your tree. But if you crack a smile at artists like Mindless Self Indulgence and Dr. Steel, who, truth be told, most people don't even think of as industrial, then you'll probably have the required tolerance levels for CODS' shtick. It's good music: drummer Omega's all-electronic drumkit packs a huge wallop, switching from dance beats to double bass. But they're the sort of band best discovered live, lest the effect of their surreal stage show be lost.
- Dan Barry, HARTFORD ADVOCATE


Discography

INDOOR RECESS 2004 (Debut Album)

-Received airplay on Hartford, CT's 106.9 WCCC
-Received airplay on numerous internet radio stations including FL's "Rock Solid Pressure" (also awarded "Best Album of 2006")
-Recently re-released after being out of print for almost two years

OUTDOOR RECESS 2005 (Remix album)

THE POP CULTURE MASSACRE AND THE END OF THE WORLD SING-A-LONG SONGBOOK! 2007

-Received airplay on Hartford, CT's 106.9 WCCC
-Received airplay on numerous internet radio stations
-Reviewed in Outburn Magazine

All three albums are for sale at cdbaby.com, amazon.com, itunes.com, and more

Photos

Bio

Circus of Dead Squirrels (CODS) is an original mix of metal, industrial, and rock located in Hartford, CT. Equipped with theater style squirrel masks and more sounds than any band you’ve ever heard on stage, CODS always manages to turn some heads wherever they perform. CODS have gained a large fan base worldwide as independent, self-promoting musicians. As of August 2008, CODS has sold over 5,000 CDs without the help of any label. In September of 2007 they traveled to Florida to play an unsigned artist industry showcase where they were scored on their performance. Of 20 bands, CODS received the second highest ratings from judges directly involved in the music industry. They have played numerous shows throughout the New England area in the past few years as well. They released an animated video for the song “Elmo’s Last Laugh” and it can be seen right on www.myspace.com/circusofdeadsquirrels. CODS have also recently received a rave review of their latest album in Outburn Magazine (which can be read on their official website). Here is the official story:

CIRCUS OF DEAD SQUIRRELS
Circus of Dead Squirrels (CODS) at times has been called "silly" and "offensive." The truth of the matter is this: If you can't laugh at the mess we've all made, then you better damn well be doing something productive to fix it instead of constantly criticizing others. As a society, we have been given the bait by the ones who control us. We have been fed with the Hollywood gossip, the health and beauty products, the weight loss programs, the anti-depression medication, the infomercials, the feel-good sitcoms, the religious salvation, the gender and racial stereotypes... the list could go on and on. The mainstream music, with pointless, robotic and cliche lyrics strategically designed to sell to the brainwashed masses, continues to pour in millions of dollars a year. CODS are not a part of this "popular culture". CODS are artists seeking and exposing the truth while discovering a much needed humor buried within it along the way.

BEGINNINGS
CODS was created by Pancho Ripchord (Matt Foran), Ninja Turtle Liberace (Daniel Raphael), and Von Boc (John Beeler) in 2001. The trio began working together in a high school ska/metal band called Toilet Duck in 1999. After realizing that many of the band members were not serious musicians, they decided to turn to keyboards and programming to compensate for their losses. This decision would ultimately lead to the birth of CODS. They spent months together programming songs. Although they never completely lost some punk/ska elements, they began to slowly incorporate more of an industrial style into their music. The members were huge fans of the industrial scene and credit Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Ministry, Front Line Assembly, and Skinny Puppy as some of their biggest influences. The band attempted to perform live, still using the name Toilet Duck, (which later would be changed to Dead Duck Flush, The Baby Jesus Abortion?, and Squirrelbait before finally becoming CODS) but had no luck. The search for solid musicians was still a major problem. The band released two demos under the name Toilet Duck.

INDOOR RECESS
In 2003, they decided that it was time to finally release a full length album independently under their own ForaNatioN Records. They changed their name to Circus of Dead Squirrels (which seemed to describe their music quite well) and started recording Indoor Recess with engineer Mark Alan Miller (Out Out, Metropolis Records) at the Slaughterhouse Recording Studio (then in Hadley, MA now in West Hampton, MA). The album was released in 2004 and the reaction was astounding. "8-Bit Piece of Shit" became an instant underground hit. Shortly after the release of the album, Ripchord and NTL parted ways with Von Boc and various new members were added for live performance of the record. Many changes occurred in the line-up but CODS continued to perform. Their fan base was rapidly increasing and finally Ripchord and NTL knew that their effort through all of the previous years was truly worth it. They decided to release a remix album of Indoor Recess entitled Outdoor Recess in 2005. The album featured remixes by Out Out, VeinCage, Intricate Unit, Tragedie Ann, and more.

POPULARITY INCREASES, A SOLID LINE-UP IS FORMED
More and more people were discovering the music of CODS, including many people involved in the music industry. They were offered multiple record contracts from other indie labels but nothing seemed to be the right option for the band. Circus of Dead Squirrels was becoming a major force in the industrial metal world. With this came a line-up of what for a long period of time seemed like the right musicians. The line-up was: Ripchord on vocals, NTL on keys/guitar, Von Boc returned to play bass, Omega (Craig Douglas) on drums, and Mr. Furious (Dennis Boehm) on keys. The new members even started to get involved with the creation of music. Together they began writing their next record.