While certain parts of Long Island are known for haunted houses the members of Kissing Candice have been leaving their horror inspired, blood splattered touch on heavy metal for eight years and counting.
They’ve incorporated horror elements giving their on camera masks stries and histories, fictional and otherwise enhancing the music and visuals. With new video “Tapeworm” the five members have smashed all body parts together with bloody precession bringing their true crime-like video to life.
The industrial five-some have toured relentlessly from bars, clubs, arenas and festivals giving their all regardless of crowd size. Three EP’s and an album deep into their history, record number two comes next year, prolonged by the global crisis, hopefully followed by a beastly- long tour.
The band would be remiss if they didn’t have some stories to tell about their public stage faces. Starting with the weird, wretched and wrinkles of vocalist Aunt Donna who’s evolved like a psycho-erotic man-eater says the vocalist. A three-way personality split of Marilyn Manson, Buffalo Bill, and Freddie Mercury. Or like Tourist Trap meeting Leatherface in a duel for creepiest outfit.
Donna’s a bit more stylized even if it is in a Dressed To Kill kinda way. Though if you asked either, who are you wearing, they’d literary tell you.
Drummer Michael Pak’s visage was originally based on Reaper’s Nevermore skin from the Overwatch game. They had some melting surgery to look more unrecognizable after deciding to give it the vintage House of Wax treatment in studio with the help of Donna and a handy full-flamed blowtorch.
Guitarist Suffront’s inspiration was a mix of the “Santiago Fulanito” an urban legend from his native Dominican Republic. A story from the 70’s in Santiago where a priest’s son was run over by a black Buick in front of the church during Palm Sunday. Legend says you can hear his cries every Palm Sunday at the downtown monument. If that’s not keep the light on after bed enough, further inspiration was found in the bugged out alien from Signs. With two rubber horns representing the demons inside, and a crossbreed, leviathan-like lovechild of a Dominican demon and an alien.
Bassist Grip likes to keep certain parts of each design’s evolution in tact as a remembrance, like serial killer trophies. Exaggeration’s of the human form, like Ed Gein sun-drying future attire, leaving a large grin and huge eyes cut in place. Grip wanted a different version of himself to be seen through the covering, taking parts and pieces from Steampunk and Hellraiser.
Guitarist, vocalist Dreamer invests in a look somewhat recognizable with no clear features, like the Michael Myers of band masks, almost a blank slate. Inspiration taken from the movie Goodnight, Mommy, and the famous Edward Munch painting: The Scream.
Their new single “Tapeworm” is 2:40 of pulse-pounding, parasitic delivery. Accompanied by a video that’s part horror movie, part grindhouse looking like it was filmed in a backstage basement after a bloody homicide with tons of twisted, morphed visuals, flesh-ripping gore and worm-eating protein. The boys are in their environment, we’re just waiting for the chainsaw to start shedding.
“Tape Worm” currently peaks their collection of horror-gore inspired videos, many of which look like they borrowed or broke into a haunted house or dead granny’s secret cellar and attic space, naturally blending in with its surprises.
