The Misfits disbanded in 1983, and Glenn Danzig went on to form Samhain and then Danzig. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music later became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock. After a series of legal battles with Danzig, Only and Doyle regained the rights to record and perform as the Misfits. They formed a new version of the band in 1995 with singer Michale Graves and drummer Dr. Chud. This incarnation of Misfits had more of a heavy metal sound, and released the albums American Psycho (1997) and Famous Monsters (1999) before dissolving in 2000. Jerry Only then took over lead vocals and recruited former Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena and former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone for a Misfits 25th anniversary tour.
This lineup released an album of cover songs titled Project 1950 and toured for several years. In 2005, Marky was replaced by Robo, who had played with Black Flag in the early 1980s and had also previously been Misfits' drummer from 1982 to 1983. This lineup released a single titled "Land of the Dead" in 2009. The Misfits' lineup of Only, Cadena, and drummer Eric "Chupacabra" Arce released a new album titled The Devil's Rain in October 2011. In 2015, it was announced that Cadena would be taking a break from music after receiving a cancer diagnosis, and was replaced by Only's son Jerry Caiafa II, presented as Jerry Other. That same year Soulfly's Marc Rizzo joined the band, also playing guitar. He filled in for Cadena, before Caiafa would move on to become the sole guitarist for the band.
In September 2016, for the first time in 33 years, Danzig, Only, and Doyle reunited for two headlining shows as the Original Misfits at that year's edition of Riot Fest, along with drummer Dave Lombardo and second guitarist Acey Slade. The Original Misfits lineup continued performing sporadically through 2019.
Each incarnation of the Misfits has made use of horror film and science fiction film-inspired themes and imagery, with makeup, clothing, artwork, and lyrics drawn from B movies and television serials, many from the 1950s through 1970s. Musically the band are often recognized as progenitors of the horror punk and psychobilly subgenres and have drawn from punk rock, heavy metal, and 1950s rock and roll and rockabilly to inform their style. Rolling Stone describes them as "the archetypal horror-punk band of the late 1970s and early '80s", and they are considered icons in punk music and culture.
Living Hell
Misfits Lyrics
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A monster lusting blood and the hunger grows
Out on the street, danger's real, the killer's still at large
A trail of death through sewers to the underground
I feel their fleeting life draw into my bones
Hear the heart that pounds, the blood that flows
Eternity I damn thee let me rot into the ground
Living hell, whoa
Living hell, whoa
Living hell, whoa
I just can't go on
In this living hell
This town has worn thin everybody knows
Panic in the news and the terror grows
A tunnel full of filth escape into the night
Another hole to dwell in the underground
I feel their fleeting life draw into my bones
Hear the heart that pounds, the blood that flows
Eternity I damn thee let me rot into the ground
As the empty veins collapse, cast them down
Living hell, whoa
Living hell, whoa
Living hell, whoa
I just can't go on
In this living hell
In this living hell
In this living hell
I feel their fleeting life draw into my bones
Hear the heart that pounds, the blood that flows
Eternity I damn thee let me rot into the ground
As the empty veins collapse, cast them down
Living hell, whoa
Living hell, whoa
Living hell, whoa
I just can't go on
In this living hell
The opening lines of Misfits’ “Living Hell” set a dark, tense atmosphere that continues throughout the song. The singer feels trapped in a world of darkness, where a monster is on the loose, and danger lurks around every corner. The killer has left a trail of death, and the singer can’t ignore the steady hunger growing inside. The second verse expands on the chaos erupting in the town, a tunnel full of filth offers only a temporary escape as the horror continues.
The chorus is an expression of the singer’s frustration and despair. He can’t go on living in this hellish world, where everything seems to be spiraling out of control. The repetition of the phrase “living hell” heightens the sense of desperation, emphasizing that the singer feels truly trapped and unable to escape.
Overall, “Living Hell” is a song about feeling powerless and trapped, with a sense of doom and danger constantly hanging over the singer’s head. The lyrics evoke a world where horror and death are never far away, and where hopelessness and despair reign.
Line by Line Meaning
Imprisoned in this world of darkness few have known
I feel trapped in this dark world that very few people have ever experienced.
A monster lusting blood and the hunger grows
I have a monstrous desire for blood and the thirst only becomes stronger.
Out on the street, danger's real, the killer's still at large
There is true danger lurking in the streets and the killer is still free and wandering around.
A trail of death through sewers to the underground
There is evidence of death in the sewers and it leads to a place where people don't normally go.
I feel their fleeting life draw into my bones
I am able to sense and feel the shortness of their lives in my very bones.
Hear the heart that pounds, the blood that flows
I am able to hear their heartbeats and the sound of their blood circulating.
Eternity I damn thee let me rot into the ground
I curse eternity and simply want to decay into the ground.
As the empty veins collapse, cast them down
As their veins empty, let them fade away.
This town has worn thin everybody knows
Everyone is aware that this town isn't what it once was; it has become dull and unbearable.
Panic in the news and the terror grows
The news is spreading panic and terror is spreading throughout the town.
A tunnel full of filth escape into the night
People are escaping through a tunnel filled with filth and darkness under the cover of night.
Another hole to dwell in the underground
There is another place to hide and live in the darkness beneath the ground.
I just can't go on in this living hell
This life is a true living nightmare that I cannot bear to endure any longer.
In this living hell
This existence is truly hellish and unbearable.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIEL REY, JERRY CAIAFA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind