Demented Are Go are fast approaching their 30^th birthday as one of the UK’s best loved Psychobilly acts. ‘Welcome        back to Insanity Hall’ is the eighth instalment in the madness that these Welsh punks peddle. Mixing Punk, Rockabilly and some further reaching ingredients such as Country, this new album is a welcome addition to the back catalogue.

It’s an addition that has been tough work though. Having laid down the tracks for ‘Welcome back…’ the band entrusted the tapes for mixing with long-time friend/producer Tim Buktu. Sadly Tim died of a heart attack during the process which understandably delayed the delivery of the album.

The long wait has been worth it however and this new release sees Demented Are Go unleash some of their hardest rocking material to date.

The insanity starts from the word go. The intro is indeed demented with an insane laugh/cackle welcoming you into what will be your insanity hall for the next forty minutes. The title track sets the theme for the whole album. Spark’s 40-a-day vocals sit somewhere between Lemmy and Brian Johnson in the tar stain ranks, but he has the demented factor to add into the mix too. ‘Welcome back to Insanity Hall’ is a great party album, but this album is packed full of them. ‘Bodies in the Basement’ has the horror punk base covered, ‘Engine Trouble’ plays to the car loving Rockabilly’s heart, and ‘Retard Whore’ is just unashamedly brain dead.

There’s nothing big or particularly clever on display here but that was never the idea really. The album is crammed full of whisky and beer fuelled anthems which alternate between steady driving tunes and more chaotic riot songs. Lead single ‘Lucky Charm’ encapsulates everything that’s great on this album and the closer ‘Dark Angel’ is a highlight with a swing and groove to end the album on a high, just in time for last orders no doubt.

8/10

Welcome Back to Insanity Hall will be released on 26^th March 2012 through People Like You records.

Also try the Misfits, Stray Cats.