The Accused A.D. – “The Ghoul in the Mirror”

A ferocious return to the blood-soaked roots of crossover thrash, The Ghoul in the Mirror is the blistering 2019 full-length studio album from Seattle legends The Accüsed A.D. (formerly performing as Martha’s Revenge). Released through independent imprint Blackhouse Records, this LP features a star-studded lineup of extreme underground royalty, capturing the band’s relentless energy alongside a devastating rhythm section anchored by Poison Idea drummer Mickey Widmer. The physical vinyl format stands as a high-octane masterpiece of audio engineering, having been engineered and mixed by iconic grunge and punk producer Jack Endino, and mastered to perfection by Scott Hull of Pig Destroyer.

What makes this record incredibly cool is how effortlessly it channels the legendary, horror-fueled “Splatterrock” sound that The Accüsed pioneered in the 1980s, injecting it with modern, bone-crushing intensity. Fronted by the instantly recognizable, visceral vocal screech of Blaine “The Wizard” Cook, the album delivers a rapid-fire assault of heavy metal riffs, breakneck speed metal, and raw hardcore punk. From a venomous reimagining of old-school dynamics to a chaotic, heavy-hitting cover of Rick Derringer’s classic “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo,” The Ghoul in the Mirror proves that the cult of Martha Splatterhead is alive, dangerous, and completely uncompromising.