Nekromantix

by Mario Mesquita BorgesNekromantix counts as one of the wilder bands working in psychobilly. Kim Nekroman (bass, vocals) quit an eight-year career as a submarine operator in the Royal Danish Navy to found the band in 1989; Peter Sandorff (guitar, vocals) and Kristian Sandorff (drums) joined him in the trio soon after. After performing live on two occasions, the band immediately gained an enthusiastic following, not only in Denmark but also in Germany, where they made their first festival showing in Hamburg. That performance led to a record deal for the first Nekromantix album, Hellbound. With a sound once described as "Elvis meets the Wolfman," the band toured extensively throughout Europe in 1991, releasing Curse of the Coffin, their classic second full-length album, that same year. The Brought Back to Life EP appeared in 1994, and two years later Nekromantix offered up Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend. A tour in Japan followed, as well as a 2000 live set for Kick Music. Nekromantix signed with Hellcat Records, a vanity label of the respected punk indie Epitaph, for 2002's Return of the Loving Dead, their U.S. debut. The guys stayed with the label through 2004's Dead Girls Don't Cry, which appeared after Nekroman's relocation from Copenhagen to Los Angeles (the Sandorff brothers stayed put in Denmark). Brought Back to Life Again followed a year later, which was actually a reissue of the by then out of print 1994 release. The Nekromantix lineup did see some turnover over time, and backing up Nekroman's signature coffin-shaped bass and vocals in 2005 were guitarist Trouble Tony and drummer Wasted James. By the April 2007 release of Life Is a Grave & I Dig It!, however, he was instead joined by guitarist Tr?y Destr?y and drummer Andy DeMize.