Mephiskapheles - God Bless Satan (1994)

Mephiskapheles, in addition to having the best name ever, seemingly created a band around a terrible mad-lib. The ska/metal/satanic group formed in New York City in 1990 and once and for all proved that "real" genres are for posers. While touring the East Coast, the group eventually settled on a 7-piece lineup and developed an occult following among devil worshiping ruddies. Not content with merely creating its own genre, Mephiskapheles carved out a musical niche by contrasting powerful horn melodies and metal leanings. Their debut LP God Bless Satan hit in 1994, and the video for "Doomsday" played on MTV. After few US and European tours, two more LPs, and presumably 666 shows later, Mephiskapheles called it quits in 2001.

The blaring horn section drives God Bless Satan. Sometimes bright and playful, other times dark and ominous, the horns take on the melodic duties on the bulk of the album. "Bad John" opens with the archetypical ska revival upbeat intro, punctuating riffs, and solos while a minor tonality melody slowly builds up the brooding "Hard Times." The articulated lines of "Doomsday" conjure up images of a demonic reveille calling the dead to rise and juxtapose the bouncy Latin dance vibe of "Saba." While always tight and driving, the horns usually fall back on playing in unison. While this doesn't really detract from the overall quality of the album, a more layered approach could improve most tracks.

You don’t need to be a fan ska revival or Beelzebub to enjoy Mephiskapeheles. Anyone who enjoys upbeat, high energy dance music (and who has no qualms with outright satanism) should give God Bless Satan a shot. It’s loaded with fast, fun, and occasionally funny tracks. Fans of the genre, especially, should tune in because God Bless Satan offers a hectic pace and tight melodies that put most other ska albums to shame.