Geez, we take one lousy little month off, and the weird band world goes apeshit. Apparently our favorite Japanese action comic punk band Peelander-Z is now a Japanese action comic metal band. What next? Is GWAR going to release an album of big-band standards? (Actually, that might be kind of awesome. Can you imagine Oderus crooning “Under My Skin” while peeling the flesh off a guy in a Frank Sinatra mask? But I digress.)
Anyhoo, yes, it’s true: Last month, Peelander-Z released a new album called Metalander-Z, inspired by the peroxided glory days of hair metal and bands like Def Leppard, Cinderella, Van Halen and Mötley Crüe. Their press release claims they even went so far as to collect ’80s-era guitar amps and other vintage gear, the better to capture that Spandex-and-Flying-V sound. They’ve also scored themselves some sweet new headgear and a new bassist, Peelander Purple. The video for the album’s first single, “Ride On the Shooting Star,” tells the story of how Purple arrived from the Planet Peelander and joined the band. Apparently, they skipped the traditional audition process in favor of shooting each other with energy beams.
Metalander-Z is available now via Bandcamp, Amazon
If you’ve never been to a Peelander-Z show, a little part of you might be dead inside. But don’t worry, that part can still be resurrected. Yeah, they’re that good.
PEELANDER-Z TOUR DATES:
10/12/13 Philadelphia, PA North Star Bar
10/15/13 Richmond, VA Stange Matter
10/16/13 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
10/17/13 Knoxville, TN The Bowery
10/18/13 Nashville, TN The Mercy Lounge
10/19/13 Chattanooga, TN JJ’s Bohemia
10/20/13 Orlando, FL Nerdapalooza 2013
10/22/13 Lake Worth, FL Propaganda
10/23/13 Gainesville, FL High Dive
10/24/13 Ybor City, FL The Orpheum
10/25/13 Jefferson, LA House of Shock
10/26/13 Jefferson, LA House of Shock
10/31/13 Brooklyn, NY Glasslands
Tagged: japanese rock, metal, peelander-z, punk, weird news
