Effusion 35 storms into the holiday season with “ALL CAPS” wicked smugness on “Rockin’ Coal In My Stocking,” their delightfully unhinged Christmas single arrived this November 17. It’s a tongue-in-cheek blast shaped by songwriter Pat Manley, who set out to flip the Christmas-song script, ditching sentimentality and leaning into mischief, chaos, and every pop-culture holiday reference you can imagine—just like a poltergeist. Produced at Defiant Sound Studios and dressed up with bells, organ, and angelic backing vocals, the track taps into the spirit of The Kinks’ irreverence, The Waitresses’ wit, and Spinal Tap’s gleeful absurdity, all while still sounding unmistakably like Effusion 35: loud, riff-driven, and impossible to ignore.
The song wastes no time. Shredding guitars rip open the door like an angry reindeer on a sugar bender, the drums thump and crash with big-room bravado, and the cymbals splash hard enough to shake the tinsel off the tree. Over it all, Manley sings with a charismatic, mischievous bite — energetic, passionate, and fully leaning into the role of the festive delinquent who simply cannot stay on Santa’s nice list. His delivery walks the line between earnest rock conviction and pure comedic timing, especially as he rattles off film nods, from It’s a Wonderful Life to Gremlins, and gleefully confesses to running over Grandma “and surviving.”
As the chorus kicks in, the whole track balloons into a riotous, shout-along anthem. “I’m rockin’ coal in my stocking,” he belts, with backing vocals flaring behind him like a choir of feral elves. The guitars grind forward, the rhythm section pounds with gleeful momentum, and the Christmas-from-hell fantasy takes full flight, Krampus whispers in his ear, Baby Jesus sheds a tear, and Jingle Bells rings all the way to the gates of Hell.
Check out Effusion 35’s very Christmasy song on Spotify.
STAY IN TOUCH:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | X | SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | TIKTOK | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
Review by: Naomi Joan