Many bands pay tribute to their inspirations through audio means- namely the “covers album”- but few, if any, pay tribute through holiday accoutrement. Always finding a new way to forge ahead, Integrity has done just that. Now sure, the band likes to reference all sort of ancient texts and scrolls in their music (the flipside of Humanity is the Devil doubles as an academic paper on Gnosticism and the excellent Howling, for the nightmare shall consume is heavily driven by similar texts both in plot and aesthetic). But, rarely is it mentioned that the band is also influenced by the classic 70s punkers (see, eg, the band covering Misfits) and even moreso, classic 70s trash cinema.

To further make the connection apparent, the band has amusingly released a light, plastic Halloween mask as was popular in the late 60s and early 70s, and as was codified by the much maligned Halloween III. Indeed, the new Integrity ‘ween mask looks and feels like it’s from 1973. Of course, it is a 3D reproduction of the iconic Integrity shattered skull logo. The material is light weight and is held onto the head via a thin band, just like so many K-Mart specials were, some 50 (ugh) years ago. The detail is exactly what you’d like it to be on this sort of item. It rests lightly and comfortable on one’s face and the eyes are big enough to allow good sight, without revealing too much of one’s face. They come in various colors including a fetching glow in the dark version which adds to the spookiness at the onset of dusk. It’s packaged in a handsome box, seemingly built to display the mask as a collector’s item- but sure, the vast majority of you will rip the mask from the cardboard and toss the packaging away, no doubt wildly excited to show off your new “get” this October 31.

I mean, sure Integrity is big, bad, rough, and tough- but they can have some fun, once in a while can’t they? C’mon, man, lighten up! (I’ll add that Franics Bacon, core subject of Howling, was also renowned for his parties, including fancy dress). It takes a bold band to detail all sort of misery that entails this universe. But, it takes a bolder band to detail all sort of misery that entails the universe, and then say, “hey man, let’s party!” Now all we need is the accompanying uncomfortable plastic smock that has “INTEGRITY” written on it, because, as our Joker and Dracula costumes from 1976 proved, all monsters wear a shirt that has their own name (and maybe a picture of them) written across the front.