Album Review: AMERICAN MURDER SONG PRESENTS THE KILLING PLACE

Terrance Zdunich and Saar Hendelman are up to their antics again, bringing you the latest installation of American Murder Song: The Killing Place just in time for the new year.

This time around, the format is a bit different, not a linear story like the previous two albums but an anthology of sorts. Taking place at what appears to be some sort of hotel of murder, the songs are arranged by room numbers that turn out to be relevant Bible passages. This time, we get a single song, a snapshot, of each individual story, leaving the details up to the listeners imagination. Interspersed with these snapshots are short, introduction pieces, small aural plays, with layers of information interwoven with phone calls from the sultry voice of Cain and she is here to taunt the Trav’lers.

Three of the songs we’ve heard before: “Edward” from The Year Without a Summer, “In All My Dreams I Drown” from The Devil’s Carnival, and “The Last Americans” from The Donner Party; all excellent songs with all new arrangements. The new recordings are different enough to maintain interest for casual fans (do these guys even have casual fans?), and another piece for the collection of their avid fans. The two new tracks are covers, starting off the album with Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” about a tale of a schoolyard shooting, followed by “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine” from The Killers, a tale of love gone horribly wrong.

The Killing Place clocks in at 27 minutes of music to sate your inner serial killer, so pick it up HERE and indulge!