Winter Horrorland (album)

Winter Horrorland is a compilation of parody tunes of popular Christmas and Hanukkah songs. Most of it is focused around the Horrorday Gang, a band of Nordreichdunni enforcers in The Gerosha Chronicles who enforce the will of Krampus around the world.

Story
While Krampus and his minions primarily limit themselves in terms of whom they target, and don't target their victims indiscriminately, they don't always ensure that survivors understand the reasons for their victims being targeted. This has led to rumors that they kill indiscriminately. However, as they get better at their craft, the Horrorday Gang are seen less and less often. They maximize efficiency with hunting down despicable targets, causing the world to see them as violent antiheroes rather than outright villains.

Putting Nordreichdun officially on the map, to make matters worse, grants Krampus, Luca, and Perchta in particular a small degree of diplomatic immunity. Thus, Krampus comes to exist as something somewhere between Dr. Doom and Venom in pre-"woke" era Marvel Comics, somewhere around 1990s Marvel. Yet, while the Horrorday Gang at one point even forms a begrudging alliance with the Order of the Oraphim to tackle the Society of the Icy Finger, causing them to help the heroes in Gerosha mythos more often than not, the gang's soiled reputation due to their vampiric bloodlust remains.

"Winter Horrorland" describes the attitude of one member of the Straggele who works for Luca, warning any who would invade Nordreichdun that they don't welcome just anyone in. And that the disfavored of their guests will be in for nasty surprises. He also warns that typical symbols of wintertime joy for children tend to be desecrated without hesitation or pity by the locals - or perverted into symbols of dread. "Run, Jerry, Run" discusses Jerry the Psycho Reindeer's role as Krampus' chauffeur / enforcer, though the singer depicts Jerry executing targets for very minor crimes.

"Krampus is Coming to Town" is the predictable dark mirror to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and discusses Adolphus in terms of him being a dark mirror of Santa. "Luca the Snowmobster" tells one version of events of the origins of Luca Ricci as the titular snow elemental abomination that he is, describing how he terrorized an entire town in the early 20th century. "Beware of Perchta" discusses bad Jewish families coming under the wrath of this monster for the evils they tolerate on Hanukkah. "Witnessed Tomte Killing Off Your Mom" is one man's twisted tale of how his friend's mother died at the hands of the Tomte.

"The Straggele Ballad" is about Nordreichdun border security, before the death of Ivalu Molgaard. After that, they went softer, allowing Anarteq and Li'Ban to enter Nordreichdun without serious consequence. Before that, they had a policy that waffled back and forth between "prove yourself and you can stay, or get deported" on one end, or "death to all invade" on the other extreme end. The song is written based on a belief that the policy was "death to all who invade."

"Baby, You're Dead Inside" is an unrelated tune, about a man who fears his girlfriend is a zombie, and is making excuses not to let her inside his home. She finds a way in anyway, and then zombifies him against his will.

"Is That You, Krampus?" is the tale of a petty criminal who finds Krampus in his home one evening, and starts fearing for his life. His suspicions of who it is are confirmed after he's attacked with a flamethrower. Choking on his own crisped flesh, he confirms it was Krampus, right before dying.

"Scheming Up a Dark Krampusnacht" is one unhinged maniac's quest to don a Krampus outfit on December 5th and go on a mass murder spree in a town where he has lost faith in the locals.

Inspiration
Based on past work with writing "Jerry the Psycho Reindeer," this album was in consideration for up to 8 years. Additional songs around this theme began being pursued more seriously after several years of the Dozerfleet founder hearing bad Christmas music play over the PA system at various stores in Michigan. The idea is to add the pessimistic, horror-themed lyrics over these overplayed tunes, as a form of catharsis for whoever sings the new lyrics.

In addition, this album serves as a tie-in for The Horrorday Gang, part of The Gerosha Chronicles. Counting the "Jerry" song on The Chicken of the Opera, that makes this album the second-ever crossover between the Gerosha and Every Ape universes.