The new solo album by P. Paul Fenech, singer, guitarist, and mastermind of the self-proclaimed Kings of Psychobilly The Meteors, bears the beautiful name “International Super Bastard“. What a name. Can it get any more extreme? But it also sounds a bit arrogant, a bit conceited, and of course, it’s about polarizing and simultaneously presenting oneself. P. Paul Fenech manages all of this, just as he accomplishes pretty much everything he sets his mind to. He is a true workaholic! This is the eighth (!) solo album; he also regularly records albums with The Meteors, plays live (more with The Meteors than solo), and has his own recording studio. There, among others, the Horrorbillys of Sir Psyko and his Monsters recorded their latest record.
P. Paul Fenech lives his very own style. His life is Psychobilly! He embodies this way of life that many dismiss as insane, violent, and sick. He is probably a bit insane himself.
A bit of madness is also present in “International Super Bastard“. The album contains a total of 17 songs. The sound is heavily influenced by the '50s, with elements of Rock’n’Roll, Blues, and Country. It is the sound that has shaped Psychobilly and made it what it is today. It is, so to speak, the dark side of Rockabilly. The sound is also gloomy, and combined with P. Paul Fenech’s voice, which sounds rough, aggressive, and sometimes subtly violent, it creates a unique aura. This aura is also created by The Meteors and is naturally felt on the previous solo albums of the master.
It is a mood that one must immerse oneself in. If you do, you will find a lot in the music. It is the music that can play out a horror film when you drive down a lonely country road at night in your clunker and don’t know the way exactly. It is also the sound of Grindhouse and B-movies; it is the dark side of the soul that he opens up. That’s where he feels at home.
With songs like “Fire Down Below“, P. Paul Fenech also ventures into the territory of sailor and seaman sounds, which can hardly sound more sinister.
The songs, when viewed individually, are very multifaceted, well thought out, and each song is a small masterpiece in its own right. The record is not quite as dark as “Skitzofenech“, which was released in 2008, but not a bit worse. “International Super Bastard“ is musically even more demanding, more complex, and wants to be discovered. It is not an album to listen to casually, but it is a musical masterpiece, not just for Psychobillys but for all people who value music and enjoy good sound, even if it is dark and melancholic.
P. Paul Fenech is an institution, and with “International Super Bastard“, he cements this status.
