Terror Garden - Psychotic Disorderly Magick

Terror Garden

Psychotic Disorderly Magick
​self-released; 2023

3.8 out of 5

​By ​Dino DiMuro

Terror Garden is an American metal, hard rock & groove metal band from Long Island, New York. Still retaining two original members from their founding in 2010, the band has just released a new album titled Psychotic Disorderly Magick.

The band’s players are Paul Terror (lead vocals), Gina “Gee” Llasi (drums), Mike de Gruchy (guitar), Ed Pallotta (guitar) and Wild Bill Sherman (bass). The group says it’s influences range from “1970’s classic hard rock to today’s modern, metal scene.”  

“The Party’s Over” is a fun title to start with, as the party is clearly just getting started. This is one of those songs where it feels like the big ending has been cut and pasted back to the front! There’s wheedley lead guitar and tumbling toms galore. The vocals are from the classic hard rock and metal school, halfway between Axl and Geddy. It’s thick and anthemic and there won’t be anyone in the room who ain’t rocking.

“Should Have Seen It Coming” ups the YEAH! vocal quotient considerably. It’s a sinewy, driving, bass-heavy track that gives Paul Terror plenty of chances to wail, as the lead guitar screams into the night like a wolf in a trap. The second half of the track resets with full attention on the grumbling bass, then slowly brings everyone back for the killer finale, which even includes an amusing spoken coda. “Up All Night” is a hyperspeed funk fest, like the Chili Peppers or “D’yer Mak’r” by Led Zeppelin. Amazingly tight even at triple speed.

“Hangin’ by a Thread” would be a hard rocker by any other measure, but after the opening tracks it’s actually a bit reserved, with a bit more air in the room to appreciate the band’s dexterity. It also features an incredible guitar solo that I’m still not certain wasn’t performed on a keyboard! Guitar freaks, look no further! The extremes of soft and hard rock in this track are very Zeppelin-esque. Continuing the trend toward less monstrous tracks, “Back in the Day” starts on acoustic guitar and adds electric guitars pretty much set to “clean” until the anthemic choruses: “There was so much energy / BACK IN THE DAY! / Everything was different then / BACK IN THE DAY! / No computers or internet / Leather skirts, fish nets, those are things I’ll never forget.”

“Cyclone” starts with a bass vamp, leading into - yes - another Zep-like blues-funk excursion. Vocalist Terror sounds less like Robert Plant but more like the classic Chicago blues belters. The chorus is “Gone but not forgotten!” which could be an alternate title. “Life Don’t Matter” is a deliberately-paced hard rocker bathed in molten waves of fuzz. I noticed the bass has a cool, trebly Rickenbaker tone. Extremely cool, unexpected middle section too. “Desperate for Attention” brings us home with an angry rant aimed at someone who’s better off going away because “He’s just so DESPERATE!!” Can’t help but wonder if this isn’t aimed at an unhinged fan (“travel a thousand miles for a hundred dollar show!”) because I doubt any woman would put up with being described this way. But oh yeah: it’s a great tune with killer vocals, amazing guitars and many exciting changes including a guitar solo that was probably paid for with human souls.

By now you’ll know if you need to hear this, and I think you just might. Recommended!

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