Back in 2004, Detroit's KOFFIN KATS stole our collective dog site attention with "Inhumane", a steaming aural kettle of rocketing horror punk overflowing with flashy, psychobilly guitar chops. The unrelenting quality of the album landed it smack dab on our 'must have' list for the year, and pulling it out typically stimulates a week-long listening binge of all things billy, from GUANA BATS to early CRAMPS.

On the whole, "Drunk in the Daylight" continues the trio's musical journey away from the Hot Topic aspirations plaguing many other bands of the genre in favor of dark, campy, high-velocity punk madness. Cuts like "Above Me, Beyond You" and "Our Faded Funeral" are masterful combinations of speed and power augmented by Tommy Koffin's squealing-tire guitar leads. Singer Vic Victor endlessly Morriseys stirring odes to Bela Lugosi over the marching drums and clever turnarounds of "Blood" and "A Vampire's 2084", the latter suggesting a bit more MISFITS than METEORS this time around. From the moment this hot rod hearse of an album leaves the garage, it's hurtling toward fourth gear and blowing past the competition. Never mind all the dead bodies on the road straddling punk power and musical prowess; these Kats never slow down long enough to notice. Recommended!

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITES: www.koffinkatsrock.com,myspace.com/koffinkats

RELATED ITEMS: KOFFIN KATS interview, 2008, Picks of the litter, 2004