Halloween "Top 10 of the Last 5" Week - Day Five

2) Wolf Creek


Drum roll please...

My Number One pick for the Last 5 years in Horror

is...

Planet Terror (and yes, the shit with Rose McGowan flying was retarded but STILL, great flick)

Halloween "Top 10 of the Last 5" Week - Day Four

4) The Hills Have Eyes


3) Masters of Horror - Imprint

Halloween "Top 10 of the Last 5" Week - Day Three

6) High Tension


5) Masters of Horror - Jenifer


Incidentally, I also really enjoyed "Masters of Horror - The Black Cat" but there's no trailer on YouTube. Check it out if you haven't already. It might be Jeffrey Combs' best role yet. You can get it cheap on Amazon here.

Halloween "Top 10 of the Last 5" Week - Day Two

8) Feast


7) Masters of Horror - Cigarette Burns

Halloween "Top 10 of the Last 5" Week - Day One

To celebrate the best holiday of the year I am counting down my picks for the 10 best horror films released in the last five years. I will post trailers from each choice (two per day) from today until Halloween. Feel free to comment but I don't have time to argue with you. I would love to hear your own choices though.

LATE ADDITION: Speaking of Horror Films here is a list of all the full length movies Exhumed Films showed at their 24 Hour Film Fest. I only had the stamina to get through "The Fly" sadly. I can't deal with groups of people for more than a few hours at a time.

10) Masters of Horror - Right to Die


9) Shaun of the Dead

Grind Madness at the BBC

Earache just released an amazing 3 CD collection of BBC Peel Sessions by their early roster. The Napalm Death, Unseen Terror, Carcass and Bolt Thrower sessions are just plain essential in any extreme music collection. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! Dig added the very rare and crushing Godflesh session as well. Nice. More on the whole set here at Earache.

Check out this related interview with the one and only Mitch "The Chin" Dickenson (from Unseen Terror) over at Terrorizer.com.

You can also hear some of the tracks online at myspace.com/grindmadness

Madventures

I just saw my first episode of the Finnish Mondo Travel Show "Madventures." It was very intense and quite funny as well. I am looking forward to seeing much more of this show.

The clip above is from the episode I saw which deals with a "cannibal" tribe in Papua New Guinea. It has moments that are as close as "Cannibal Holocaust" as a reality show can get. Check out what they find at around 6:00 in the above video to see what I mean.

If you search "Madventures" on YouTube there are a lot of episodes to see. They have their own official channel there as well.

Their official website is madventures.tv

Olivier de Sagazan - de tout mon coeur

Parce que l'art est ce qui rend la vie toujours plus belle
Voiçi un compte rendu d'une... performance
au goût étrange,
et

"gracias a la vidad que me a dado tanto!"


(Click images to see larger)

















nefdesfous.free.fr

Comsat Angels Soundcheck

I wish I could have been there.

You can learn more about one of the most underrated bands EVER at Commercial Zone and also comsatangels.net

Trevor Brown Interview / Urbangarde

There is a brand new interview with artist Trevor Brown over here at metropolis.co.jp

Check out Brown's art from the magazine cover.

The above image is Mr. Brown's CD cover artwork for the band Urbangarde from last year. You can check out their very... uh... interesting version of J-Pop at myspace.com/urbangarde - their videos are particularly bizarro (and entertaining).

As always - for more on Trevor Brown go to his official site at pileup.com/babyart

Gallhammer

Sorry the above interview is a bit dated but I found the, shall we say, "cross-cultural crust" exchange to be amazing. I must admit I avoided Gallhammer because of the hype but it certainly seems their heads and motivations are in the right place. More importantly they deliver some killer music.

For more on Gallhammer go to myspace.com/ghammercrust

Broadcast

This last Sunday my lady and I saw Broadcast perform at the First Unitarian Church here in Philadelphia. I had no idea what to expect as I have been just a casual fan for the last couple of years.

First off, this was the first time I have actually seen a band play in the actual church area, with pews and all (normally shows are in the basement). That alone was amazing. Secondly, Broadcast spent the first 20 or so minutes of their set doing pure experimental music which reminded me of Kluster. Yes, THE "Kluster with a K" Kluster. Finally, the band had a very well edited psychedelic video projection which really added to the performance. I assume this was part of their new collaboration with The Focus Group? More info on that at their official blog.

Anyway, it was an excellent performance and I recommend checking them out on this tour if you have the opportunity.

There's tons to see including videos, remaining U.S. tour dates, release info etc at futurecrayon.blogspot.com

R.I.P. Films

RIP from RICHARD Fabrice on Vimeo.

You can see all the R.I.P. shorts here at TCM.com (if you can get the plugin to work) or there are links to each film here at crystalxp.net (sorry about the ads).

New York Ripper

Argh. It finally happened. Something has been re-issued on Blu-ray that SERIOUSLY tempts me to break down and get a High Definition setup.

New. York. Fucking. Ripper.

What's that bank account?

She says it ain't going to happen.

Well, for those that can afford it, great. For the rest of us, thankfully Blue Underground were kind enough to release it on regular old DVD as well. They also finally revamped their website. The majority of their catalog is WELL worth looking into. Blue Underground is still one of the best DVD labels out there.

"FULCI AT HIS ABSOLUTE MOST BRUTAL... Only Those With The Strongest Tolerance For Violence Will Be Able To Avoid Feeling Uncomfortable!" -HorrorDVDs.com (now HorrorDigital.com)

That's for sure. However, New York Ripper is definitely a great film if you can stomach it. It's one of Lucio Fulci's very best efforts and one my all time favorite films period.

You can learn more, see the trailer, etc for the Blu-ray here and Regular DVD here.

David Russell / Relentless Corpse

When Nightmares played in Ohio we had the honor of performing with the band Relentless Corpse. David Russell's performance in the group was particularly captivating so I looked him up online. It turns out he is an even more prolific talent than I ever imagined. There's TONS to see / hear / experience at David's official website polarenvy.com

My favorite part of his site is this one. Hopefully he meets mine someday (my lady and I have FOUR).

The video below is from the same venue Nightmares (and Dilloway / Turman) played but a more recent show. Check out that beautiful reverb...

Love Sex Fear Death

A couple of weeks ago I went to a presentation at Germ Books by Timothy Wyllie, author of the new book "Love Sex Fear Death: The Inside Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment." I am not really much into occult / spiritual / cult subjects but I must admit I have been fascinated by The Process for many years. It's hard to avoid if you are a fan of "Industrial Culture."

"Love Sex Fear Death..." was published by Feral House so luckily Adam Parfrey himself was present and did an informative and humorous introduction. Wyllie had a photo slide show and talked about his life and some of the crazy experiences he had relating to The Process. He was a very engaging speaker full of bizarre stories so I'm positive his book will make for a interesting read. The amazingly complex and colorful Process artwork / propaganda included in the book is worth the price alone.

The Germ event also included The Sabbath Assembly Band who played some Process related music. To see a bit from one of their earlier performances click here.

You can learn more, check out some free extras and order the book over here at Feral House.

Francis Bacon - A Terrible Beauty

Francis Bacon A Terrible Beauty from feenish productions on Vimeo.

The Doctrine of Flesh

The "blackened death industrial noise" project The Doctrine of Flesh is some seriously heavy and evil sounding power electronics.

To get a taste first or learn more go to myspace.com/thedoctrineofflesh

NOTE: THE BAND GAVE ME FREE DOWNLOAD LINKS THEY LET EXPIRE. I CONTACTED THEM ABOUT IT BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. SORRY FOLKS.

Pieter Schoolwerth / Wierd Records Documentary

Why didn't I post this a long time ago? I have no idea.

For more information on Wierd Records go to wierdrecords.com

Also, in case you somehow missed it, you can download a Wierd Records comp here for a limited time.

MIKE IX

MIKE IX and the Southern Nihilism Front present:
"That's What the Obituary Said" and "Ten Suicides"

MIKE WILLIAMS, vocalist for Eyehategod, Outlaw Order, Arson Anthem and author of "Cancer as a Social Activity: Affirmations of World's End" delivers anti-social misanthropic spoken word and power electronics on this limited edition 7". Side Zero: "Thats What the Obituary Said" a spoken prose piece with ambient backing by Ryan (The Guilt Of...) McKern, The other Side Zero: "Ten Suicides"' originally a Bloodyminded track with vocal by Mike IX Williams and now newly re-mixed by Mark Solotroff (Intrinsic Action / Bloodyminded).

Original artwork by Mike IX presented in an 11" x 17" poster and lyric booklet. Black with yellow splatter colored vinyl. Limited to 500 copies. Orders will ship at the end of October 2009.

Order directly from Chrome Peeler Rec. @ chromepeeler.com

More on Mike IX at myspace.com/nolanine

And lest we not forget myspace.com/eyehategod

Oneohtrix Point Never

oneohtrix point never live at death by audio (brooklyn) september 6th, 2008 from acid marshmallow on Vimeo.

You can hear more Oneohtrix Point Never at his MySpace page myspace.com/pointnever

Paul Romano (Solo Art Show Opening TODAY)

(Click images to see larger)

My good friend Paul Romano is having a long overdue solo art exhibition starting today here in Philadelphia. Paul is best known for doing artwork for bands like Mastodon and Trivium. He is hands down the best illustrator / designer with a specialty in music related work. Paul is also one of the very best in ANY area of contemporary graphic design. I have selected a few of my favorite covers for this post.

Paul has also done countless other fine artworks in every medium you can imagine. Hopefully this art show and his newly redesigned website will take him to the next level. He certainly deserves it.

Paul Romano's official website: workhardened.com

Here's info on his art exhibition:

Paul Romano | Workhardened - Solo Exhibition

October 10th - November 10th, 2009

OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday October 10, 2009

The Toothless Cat Gallery is pleased to present Paul Romano | workhardened. Romano will be exhibiting a collection of paintings on wood, canvas, and paper which are well known as groundbreaking images from his work with bands such as Mastodon, The Red Chord, Hate Eternal, Chiodos, and many more. Workhardened marks Romano’s debut solo fine art exhibition, marking a highly anticipated event for this remarkably accomplished artist.

Romano’s imaginative compositions are steeped in myth and allegory, illuminating the music for which they are made to represent. The works are not solely governed by this factor however, and remain ambiguous and haunting in their own right. The dark dreamscapes capture epic moments of tumult, such as the portrayal of a large white whale breaking a ship that simultaneously creates the calm of a mandala. As a classically trained painter, the works often pay homage to art history and are cobbled together in the refreshing, sometimes macabre perspective of Romano. Created with a variety of mediums such as oil, acrylic, and watercolor, the works are introspective and enthralling. Some of the pieces included are never before seen paintings and drawings by Romano as well as new, personal pieces, created specifically for this debut solo show.

The show will open on October 10th and continue through November 10th, 2009. An opening reception will be held on October 10th from 2-11 PM. A special event entitled "Collaborate With The Artist" is planned for October 24th from 4-8 PM and will feature interactive word games (MadLibs) written, designed, and screen printed by the artist. The artist will be present at both of these events.

The Toothless Cat is located at:

1050 North Hancock Street, Suites 86/88, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Gallery hours are from 12-8 PM Sunday thru Thursday, 12 -11 PM Friday & Saturday

Official website: thetoothlesscat.com














Here's a hilarious music video Paul co-directed with Isaac Williams for the band The Red Chord.

Aaron Dilloway and Robert Turman - Blizzard

(Click Image to see larger)

Aaron Dilloway and Robert Turman (pictured above) have a new collaboration CD, titled "Blizzard" out now on Hanson. Further info and MP3 samples here.

I love Aaron's description...

Collaboration between myself and ROBERT TURMAN (ex-NON, Z.O. Voider). Recorded in January 2009 during a horrible Ohio snowstorm which delayed one of my more recent moves…I was stuck in a freezing house with everything I owned in boxes..Night before I’m about to move…INSANE SNOWSTORM HITS….(If I remember correctly it was the same one that TOTALED AND STRANDED THE HAIR POLICE!)…drunk and missing my wife and kid who had left for Michigan a week earlier, I decided to camp out over at Turman’s for a few days…On my insane drive a whopping 3 blocks away… my truck breaks down… TOTAL MISERY… Once I got there I settled in for a few days of late night recording. Myself on synthesizer and tape delays and Turman on tapes and effects. Very minimal, very slow, very cold. Frozen and stuck in the snow.

If Aaron and Robert's performance I witnessed on the Nightmares tour is any indication, this CD will be an essential addition to your collection.

Hardware

(Click image to see larger)

Well, it's about damn time! I have loved Hardware since first seeing it on cable in the early 90's. Back in my VHS tape trading days I got a blurry 20th generation copy of it and was blown away by all the splashy gore they cut out for the official release. Ever since the DVD format first was introduced I have been praying for the uncut version of Hardware to be officially released.

Thank you to Severin Films for answering my prayers. Hardware will be available October 13th in the U.S. on DVD and BluRay. You can pre-order it here.

Severin is not only arguably the best DVD label for cult re-issues they were smart enough to do these cool promo videos...





Here is the original trailer (sorry about the crap quality)...



Hardware is not for everyone but I think it's an incredibly ambitious combination of horror and sci-fi with some comedy thrown in. It's also Richard Stanley's best film. See it with an open mind (and maybe a drink or two) and you won't be sorry.

Sshe Retina Stimulants

Sshe Retina Stimulants (aka P.NG5361.B from the group Sigillum S) is a prolific Italian experimental project that has been around since 1993.

You can hear some sounds and learn more at myspace.com/ssheretinastimulants



The latest SRS release is a collaboration with Chicago's The Fortieth Day. That release is available from Bloodlust here. Sshe Retina Stimulants also contributed a very excellent track to a certain compilation called "The Sound of Sadism." Hmmmm only a few copies left for sale (scroll down).

Finally, here is a recent interview courtesy of the Bloodlust blog (thanks Mark)...

BloodLust! Interview Series: #5 Sshe Retina Stimulants

Sshe Retina Stimulants - P.NG5361.B (also of Sigillum S, Sidra, Komplet, Apocalypse Fanfare, Iugula-Thor, The Sodality, etc.)

1. What have you been listening to lately?

KHANATE "Clean Hands Go Foul"; LOU REED "Metal Machine Trio"; KTL "IV".

2. Have you been to any interesting concerts recently?

CARLA BOZULICH's EVANGELISTA.

3. Can you name a favorite film, or two (or a television program), from the last few months?

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN; THE SPIRIT; DEXTER.

4. Have you read a good book lately?

SCOTT WESTERFELD "Peeps".

5. Have you attended any recent art shows worth mentioning?

ALBERTO BURRI at the Milano's TRIENNALE

6. Do you have any current obsessions of note?

MICROBREWERIES, BIG CITIES (London, Paris, Berlin, NYC, Chicago), APOCALYPSE.

7. Please tell me what recordings, projects (any medium), etc., you are working on right now, if anything

TWO TAPE RELEASES FOR BRIAN LAVELLE, "HOUSTON ST. BACKSCATTER" AND "HOUSING MEDIA TRANSIT", AS WELL AS THE "SOULS & WALTZES FROM THE TELEGRAPH FRONTIER" LP, TO BE RELEASED BY A BRAND NEW ITALIAN LABEL ..AFTER THAT, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THINGS MOVING FOR A NUMBER OF NEW SRS INITIATIVES, INCLUDING A 10" VINYL SERIES AND (MOST IMPORTANTLY) THE COMPLETION OF THE TRULY NEXT MAJOR SRS EFFORT, "CUSTOMIZED CHROMOSOME SUSHI".

8. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

PUTTING OUT A TRIPLE VINYL LP; LOTS OF TRAVELING; LOTS OF LIVE ACTIONS.

9. Is there anything else that you would like to mention, announce, or hype?

THE "ARCHIVIO INDUSTRIALE" REISSUE SERIES IS STARTING VERY SOON: DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

Serbis

"Serbis" is a recent controversial film from the Philippines. It definitely looks interesting. Here's the imdb page with more info and an additional trailer.

Thanks to Stephen from Kickback for turning me on to this.

Superjail

Superjail is my favorite current TV Show. It could be the best animated show of all time for that matter. For the uninitiated the above interview will give you a nice introduction.

Here's the Superjail page on Adultswim.com - make sure to watch the full "Bunny Love" pilot episode with commentary (watch the full episode all the way first though).

I am eagerly awaiting Season 2. Current word is they are "working on it." Hopefully Season 1 will come out on DVD soon as well.

Below are two early animation pieces by Superjail creator Christy Karacas. Karacas made "Barfight" with co-Superjailer Stephen Warbick, which led directly to the creation of the TV series.

Weekend Nachos

Weekend Nachos are a dark and very heavy hardcore band from Chicago. Their new album "Unforgivable" recently came out on Relapse Records.

There's an exclusive free MP3 available over at metalsucks.net

You can hear more over at their MySpace page. You can order the CD and some killer shirt designs over here at Relapse.

The first time I heard Weekend Nachos was on Scott Hull's "This Comp Kills Fascists." I highly recommend checking out this comp if you like fast hardcore and grind. The 7 x 7" vinyl box version is particularly great. Check out the AMAZING cover illustration by Orion Landau below. The CD and vinyl box come with some even more eye popping artwork of a zombie Ronald McDonald (ha ha)! The design and packaging alone makes this comp worth shelling out for and then you get a shitload of pissed off music to top it off.


(Click image to see larger)

Get "This Comp Kills Fascists" on CD here and vinyl box set here.

Paying the Price

("Paying the Price" star Mikey Wild - click image to see larger)

A while back I took some photos of a quick night shoot (in my backyard no less) of a short horror film. It's called "Paying the Price" and is being directed by my good friend Isaac Williams.

Check out the full set of photos here on Flickr.

You can follow what Issac is up to on his MySpace Profile and Official Website americanoriginalpictures.com.



Check out the trailer for Issac's other feature length horror feature "The Mind" here. I did the analog synth score which will hopefully be released soon. You can hear two of the tracks on my MySpace music profile (they are the top two songs in my player).

Alarma!

I used to have anyone I know that went to Mexico pick up prensa roja (red press) murder tabloids for me. Alarma! is definitely the best one. It was a nice surprise to run across this documentary.

Watch the entire Alarma series here on VBS.TV

I highly recommend the book Muerte!: Death in Mexican Popular Culture if you are interested in further info.