Miguel and the Living Dead - Hyenaz! (EP 2026, Cassette)
By Flork
Country: PL; MC Vydavateľstvo: JDØS (JDØS-25);
Tracklist: A1 Speaking In Smoke A2 Hyenaz A3 (I Am) the Outcast A4 The Great Replacement B=A Playing Time: 18:30
After nearly two decades of silence, Miguel and the Living Dead return from the shadows with Hyenaz!, a four-track EP that plays out less like a conventional comeback and more like a resurrection ritual. Originally released in 2026 via Piranha Music and now set for reissue on the Slovak label Jablka Daleko od Stromu this April, the record wastes no time reasserting the band‘s place in the darker corners of alternative music.
Hyenaz! opens with Speaking in Smoke, which sets the tone with a brooding and macabre atmosphere, and later erupts into something more kinetic and unhinged. But it‘s a fitting gateway into the EP‘s world, which means lots of smoky and nocturnal ambience with a hint of danger sprinkled throughout. You can even hear subtle tones and echoes of Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) woven into the delivery that adds an extra layer of gothic authenticity. The title track follows and has already been met with rave reactions. This tune oozes with swagger and bite, delivering a punchy, immediate hook wrapped in sinister energy. There are theatrical and dramatic elements that remain distinctly theirs, with equal parts of menace and dark charm. Sometimes, the band‘s sound evokes the spirit of The Last Days of Jesus, particularly in the way their melodies and darkness intertwine, yet Miguel et al. are clearly original in sound. And so, by the time the third track (I Am) the Outcast rolls in, the band leans harder into their punk roots, embracing a raw, almost confrontational sound that carries both defiance and identity. This could be a reminder that beneath the gothic aesthetics lies a band that still thrives on rebellion.
But what makes Hyenaz! particularly compelling is its ability to feel a bit nostalgic but still very fresh. You can sense the DNA of Warsaw‘s underground scene all over it, by which I mean the psychobilly twitches or post-punk tension, and that unmistakable gothic gloom. This EP pulses with life and is driven by a clear sense of enthusiasm and creative freedom. The production encourages grit rather than polish, and so the songs are mainly visceral, or, let’s say “punch-in-the-eye,“ all of them having an immediacy that suits the material perfectly.
And the Florkman's prognosis? Absoloutely brilliant. The closing track The Great Replacement is in my personal opinion the EP‘s crowning moment, since it blends mood, melody, and menace into something deeply satisfying and memorable. For longtime fans, Hyenaz! is a triumphant revival; for newcomers, it’s an invitation into a world that‘s as electrifying as it is dark. Either way, this is a re-emergence that demands attention.
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You can support the band and/or the label by purchasing Hyenaz! ltd. cassette here:
https://miguelandthelivingdead.bandcamp.com/album/hyenaz
https://jablkadalekoodstromu.bandcamp.com/album/vedome-nevedom-mc-jd-s-26
JDØS Distro: https://jablkadaleko.blogspot.com/2024/05/distro-e-mail-jablkadalekoostromugmailc.html
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