That just seems smart. The guys are also keen to stress that, while they love Halloween and horror movies, and they're called the Pretty Ghouls, they don't want to lean too heavily on the campy horror themes for fear of becoming gimmicky. For example, they're playing a show the week after Halloween rather than during the holiday itself.

Still, they know how to get their gore on. "We just got done with a new song called 'Creature Feature' that references Humanoids from the Deep, The Brood, Basket Case and Deadly Spawn," says Grech. "I like the big movies like Halloween, but I really like movies that play up their genre, and you get that opportunity with horror and sci-fi."

This is a band that you have to see live. Brash, energetic and trash-heavy, these three are learning what they're doing before our very eyes. You get the impression that, should they eventually perfect their craft, they won't be nearly as much fun.

"We just learned how to properly string a guitar the other day," says Grech. "We don't know what the fuck we're doing. Sarah had only played acoustic guitar from her mom's folk book before I forced her to get an electric guitar. You could find a bum that beats on a bucket on the side of the road who would be disappointed in us."

When it works though, it works.

Brett Callwood writes City Slang.

Send comments to him at letters@metrotimes.com

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