Burning The Ground Exclusive

Some records are simply made for Halloween, and today’s Spooky Season Spins selection sounds as though it crawled straight out of a crypt. We’re heading back to 1984 for a delightfully twisted slice of British gothic rock from one of the most outrageous bands to emerge from London’s underground scene. It’s Alien Sex Fiend with “Dead And Buried,” a sinister, hypnotic, and wonderfully deranged record that perfectly captures the darker side of the 1980s.

Formed in London in late 1982, Alien Sex Fiend became closely associated with the legendary Batcave nightclub, one of the most important gathering places for the emerging gothic subculture. Led by the unmistakable Nik Fiend and his wife, Mrs. Fiend, the band developed a sound that combined post-punk, psychedelic rock, primitive electronics, industrial rhythms, and a healthy dose of B-movie horror. Their music was strange, confrontational, and often darkly humorous. While many of their contemporaries approached gothic rock with a sense of seriousness, Alien Sex Fiend seemed perfectly happy to turn the whole thing into a gloriously demented nightmare.

“Dead And Buried” arrived in August 1984 on Anagram Records, a subsidiary of Cherry Red Records, during an especially productive period for the group. Following their 1983 debut album Who’s Been Sleeping In My Brain?, Alien Sex Fiend were quickly establishing themselves as one of the more recognizable names in Britain’s independent music scene. Their unusual appearance, theatrical performances, and unpredictable recordings helped them stand apart from the growing number of bands associated with the gothic movement.

Musically, “Dead And Buried” is a wonderfully unsettling experience. A relentless, mechanical rhythm drives the track forward while distorted guitar, swirling electronics, and eerie effects create an atmosphere that feels somewhere between a haunted carnival and an underground nightclub. Nik Fiend’s distinctive vocals are the real centerpiece. He snarls, howls, mutters, and shrieks his way through the recording with the enthusiasm of a mad scientist who has just discovered how to bring the dead back to life.

What makes the song especially appealing is its danceable quality. Beneath all the noise and theatrical horror is an infectious groove that would have sounded perfectly at home on the dance floor at the Batcave. Alien Sex Fiend understood that gothic music could be both frightening and fun. “Dead And Buried” captures that balance beautifully. It is creepy enough for a Halloween soundtrack but energetic enough to keep the dance floor moving.

The single was produced by Ken Thomas, whose work helped give the recording its thick, atmospheric sound. Interestingly, the single versions of “Dead And Buried” and its companion track “Attack!!!” are entirely different recordings from those that appeared on the band’s second studio album, Acid Bath, later in 1984. The 12-inch editions are also longer than their 7-inch counterparts, allowing the band’s hypnotic rhythms and bizarre sonic experiments additional room to unfold.

The record’s unsettling atmosphere extends to its accompanying material. “Attack!!!” is another extended excursion into the band’s chaotic musical world, while “Ignore The Machine… Dub” revisits one of their earliest underground favorites through a more spacious, dub-influenced arrangement. Produced by Youth, the latter provides an especially interesting contrast with the more aggressive material on the record.

Despite their unconventional sound, Alien Sex Fiend managed to make an impression on the mainstream British charts. “Dead And Buried” entered the UK Singles Chart on August 25, 1984, at No. 92 and climbed to No. 91 the following week. It eventually spent three weeks in the Top 100, a remarkable achievement for a record that sounded so completely unlike the polished pop dominating the airwaves at the time. The single was also a Top 10 hit on the UK Independent Singles Chart.

One of the most memorable aspects of Alien Sex Fiend was their ability to combine horror imagery with a playful sense of the absurd. Their influences stretched from punk rock and psychedelia to electronic experimentation and classic horror films. Unlike bands that relied on gloomy atmospheres alone, Alien Sex Fiend created an entire world of grotesque characters, twisted humor, and musical mayhem. It was a world that could be disturbing one moment and completely ridiculous the next, often within the same song.

More than four decades later, “Dead And Buried” remains a wonderful reminder of just how adventurous the independent music scene could be during the early 1980s. It also demonstrates why the original gothic movement was far more varied than its popular image sometimes suggests. Alien Sex Fiend were never particularly interested in following anyone else’s rules, and their willingness to experiment helped give their recordings a character that remains unmistakably their own.

For me, “Dead And Buried” is exactly the sort of record that makes Spooky Season Spins so much fun. It has the atmosphere, the attitude, the strange electronic textures, and just enough campy horror to make it a perfect October selection. There is something irresistible about a record that sounds like the soundtrack to a midnight séance taking place on the dance floor of a particularly disreputable nightclub.

So dim the lights, draw the curtains, and prepare to disturb the neighbors. Alien Sex Fiend are about to wake the dead, and judging by the sound of this record, they have absolutely no intention of letting them rest in peace.

Until the next Spooky Season Spin, keep those turntables spinning and the lights turned down low.

SIDE A:
A1. Dead And Buried (12″ Version) 5:47
Producer – Ken Thomas

SIDE B:
B1. Attack!!! (12″ Version) 8:30
Producer – Ken Thomas

B2. Ignore The Machine… Dub 6:45
Producer – Youth

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Anagram Records – 12 ANA 23
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: Aug 1984
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Goth Rock

CREDITS:

• Drums – Johnnie Ha. Ha.*
• Engineer – Ken Thomas
• Guitar – The Yaxi*
• Producer [Help With Early Production Work] – Tommy Desmond
• Synthesizer [The Organ Grinder] – Mrs Fiend*
• Vocals [The Crooner] – Nik Fiend
• Written-By – Wade*, James*, Freshwater*, Wade*

NOTES:
Made in France.
Printed in France

Mastered at The Town House, London.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

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