Wednesday 13’s name immediately evokes visions of Punk Rock attitude, Heavy Metal energy, and a twisted sense of humor. Born and raised down in Lexington, North Carolina, Wednesday 13 is often easily recognized by the mainstream for his time spent as the lead vocalist of Murderdolls, who released two influential albums in 2002’s Beyond the Valley of the Murderdolls and 2010’s Women and Children Last. Broad exposure that helped Wednesday 13 turn on a whole group of listeners who may not have heard his other work in bands like Frankenstein Drag Queens from Planet 13, since the Murderdolls days, he has developed his brand as a solo artist.
First debuting in 2005 with Transylvania 90210: Songs of Death, Dying, and the Dead, for many, it was the Murderdolls fix they looked for since there were no signs of new music coming on their end at the time. With that in mind, this debut mixed in Punk, Rock, Heavy Metal, and some Gothic sensibility that instantly wants more from Wednesday 13. Keeping the fire burning since, twenty years later, Wednesday 13 has released one solid album after another, leading into the most recent, Mid Death Crisis.
The first Wednesday 13 album since 2022’s Horrifer (which hit number two on the US Heatseekers chart), Mid Death Crisis marks the tenth overall. The mark of consistency, Wednesday 13 has spent the last twenty years dishing out material, touring heavily, and continuing to do what he does best: rock loudly and proudly. Released on April 25, 2025, through Napalm Records, Mid Death Crisis finds Wednesday 13 retaining his classic tongue-in-cheek lyrics with Horror and murderous themes.
Just what you expect from Wednesday 13 and are delighted to hear, he and his band (Roman Surman on lead guitar, Jack Tankersley on rhythm guitar, Troy Doebbler on bass, and Mike Dupke on drums) capture a specific energy that kicks you right in the gut. A perfect blend of styles, the riffs are second to none, production by Alex Kane (who has worked with Marky Ramone and Enuff Z’Nuff) is on point, and Wednesday 13’s voice is distinct as ever before. Having a raw feeling of something Wednesday 13 may have recorded during his Murderdolls days, the songs making up Mid Death Crisis are large and in charge.
With twelve tracks in total, big standouts include “Decease and Desist,” the Metal chugging of “When the Devil Commands,” and the amusing “Rotting Away.” Just a drip of the embalming fluid, there is also the Punk Rock vibe of “Decapitation,” the catchy “In Misery,” and the dirty Rock-n-Roll sensation of “Xanaxtasy.” However, there is no way of skipping “No Apologies,” which finds Wednesday 13 teaming with Faster Pussycat’s Taime Downe for the perfect duet.
Overall, Wednesday 13 has put together one of his best albums to date. It is fun, heavy, and sure to please even the most fickle listeners. That is why Cryptic Rock gives Mid Death Crisis 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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