Blasting Dance Floor Fillers
A remix album can be a tricky thing for bands to do well and to release one so close to the original can be even tougher. Hollywood Undead either didn't get the memo or decided to risk it anyway and as such have released "American Tragedy Redux", an album that, funnily enough has taken the original tracks from "American Tragedy", added some guest appearances and overhauled each one. For those fans that loved the originals it may seem like sacrilege but what in truth it does is breathe new life into each song, regardless of how old said song is.
For a band that transcends genres, refusing to be labelled and stuck in the nearest convenient box, a remix album seems fitting for Hollywood Undead and as 'Levitate (Digital Dog Remix)' kicks off proceedings it is clear that "American Tragedy Redux" is going to dodge all the pitfalls that befall other remix albums. With toe tapping dance beats now pulsating throughout, 'Levitate' has had a whole new makeover, changing completely from its earlier incarnation and throwing Hollywood Undead into yet another light and genre defying stance. 'Comin' In Hot (Wideboys Club Remix)' does exactly what it's names suggest, exploding into a dance floor frenzy that could easily hold its own against more seasoned club tracks 'I Don't Wanna Die (Borgore Remix)' might slow the beats slightly but still carries the dance floor torch proudly for the LA rockers. Ultimately though it will be the guest appearances that grab the headlines for "American Tragedy Redux" and as such the inclusion of Andrew W.K and Korn's Jonathon Davis will undoubtedly be the talking points for the album. 'This Is My Town (Andrew W.K Remix)' instantly feels like a Andrew W.K track, complete with shout out gang vocals and a feel good vibe throughout that immediately injects a party feel, transforming the track perfectly yet still retaining all that was good about the original whilst Jonathon Davis' inclusion on 'Hear Me Now' adds a wonderfully grunge fuelled edge to the song, stripping away the originals hook heavy sense of perfection, leaving in its place a dark roughness that epitomises Davis.
Whilst some fans of the originals may not take anything away from the remixes, Hollywood Undead have achieved the near impossible with "American Tragedy Redux", they have created an album that altered the earlier songs, that hasn't merely dropped some dance laced beats over the top and passed it off as a new track; "American Tragedy Redux" is an entirely different album to its processor. Whilst the track's titles maybe similar and the skeleton of the original might still be there for all to see, the LA rockers have transformed all of "American Tragedy" making for a blast of dance floor fillers that will have you heading out for the clubs.