In my first local spotlight I bring to you the bludgeoning sounds of Wraith! If you didn't know, I'll tell you. There is a unique and very much alive metal scene in the unsuspecting state of Arkansas and these guys craft their Hell music in a small town called Searcy. The guys in wraith keep one foot in the old school and one foot in the new. They have a developed sound for a band so young and I hope to hear more coming from these guys in the future. Now on with the music...
Their first single Immortal Transgression was released on Facebook and YouTube and will be featured on their upcoming debut album. This song starts off with a few seconds of ominous synth before it kicks you in your face! It slides into Behemoth territory with single note chord picking and brute and demonic vocals. The drums are pummeling; switching from loose to tight stylings in appropriate form. The guitar work and layering is fantastic with a tight crunching tone that doesn't ignore the bass end. Speaking of bass, it doesn't stand out too much on this track but it's there matching the guitars note for note which is sometimes not an easy feat. Wraith mix up the vocal style on this one as well with both guttural death and scratchy throated black metal styles. Lyrically Wraith offer up epic and bombastic apocalypse prophesies sure to suit the tastes of death heads and black metal ponderers alike. Wraith are off on a good footing with this track.
This next track was re-mastered by Bart Williams of The Black Dahlia Murder and starts in again with the ominous intro. Quickly this track moves into blackened thrash territory and moves at lightening speed. There is a stronger mix of vocals on here with dueling black and death styles. The guitars are at a frantic pace with fantastic tri-tone breakdowns. The drums are tighter on this one with heavy use of quality and sickeningly fast double bass. There is a clean guitar breakdown that works perfectly to create some dynamic and now I can hear the bassist show off his talents with a lengthy run. The soloing is spot on! My biggest pet peeves with solos is when they overstay their welcome and go on for ever with incessant noodling. And when solos are musically just off with out any regard to the key or notes that are being played by the other musicians, that is just a travesty. The solos here are anything but that and they are quality with out the quantity. Wraith really show off their song writing skills with this song and every band member shines. Horns to the sky!
Wraith have another song to blast your eardrums with but you will have to visit their Facebook page to listen for yourself. https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWraith
I highly recommend this up and coming band. Like them on Facebook. View and like their YouTube videos. And I think they just might have T-shirts you can inquire about while you wait for their debut album to be released.
FIRST RESPONSE! Night of the Creeps starts off with really cool blue and pink neon credits that are laid out with an early 80's style computer graphics and font. There's some ambient music that's not half bad and is a nice break from the 80's pop or electronic music you sometimes here on these lesser known 80's films. As soon as the movie kicks in the camera is panning into this alien ship where these little naked aliens are stalking around with their laser guns. These aliens are so ugly their cute and they have almost an Gremlins feel with how adorable they are. It jumps to 1959 and changes from color to black and white and continues with the neon intro credits which really pop out at you. It jumps again to 1986 and back to color and the whole movie is set around a collage campus and group of students. You think there are multiple story lines going on at first and then it all comes together in the end for a good story line that keeps you interested. You could sum this up by saying; aliens turn people and animals into zombies on a collage campus while a cop battles his inner demons. The special affects are great and totally worth a watch with some good moments of suspense and some subtle comedic banter between the actors. There is an homage to Plan 9 which as we all know is a Sci-Fi, Horror, comedy, underdog cult classic. Night of the Creeps is the same type of movie and even sometimes has a Twin Peaks vibe with the tension that is built between the action sequences. This is a great movie that just takes me back to the old days and does a fantastic job of melding the 50's and 80's horror styles. There is a fantastic life sized animatronic zombie that looks similar to the Crypt Keeper and it was really crazy to see a zombie that wasn't portrayed by a live actor. The way this film ties together aliens and zombies is just totally unique you must see this to believe it. There is a lawnmower kill scene that I and many people I'm sure thought was only something you would see in Dead Alive. But let me tell you, check your dates...this one came first! Night of the Creeps also stars some high caliber actors the likes of which are; Jason Lively, Tom Atkins and David Paymer. I highly recommend this movie. You can watch it streaming on Crackle or you can rent if from Netflix. Kvlt
As a kid the coolest dude I knew was my cousin. His room was covered in Iron Maiden posters, he had long hair and let me play my first guitar; a B.C. Rich Bich (which I later bought one of my own due to him). Back in the of summer 1992 at the tender age of 14 I was visiting my cousin at his apartment talking about Metallica and playing guitar on his Boss HM-2 pedal (which he gave me when I left!) and low and behold on cable TV started the intro credits to Hellraiser! I was like what the Hell is this? He replied "you've never seen Hellraiser?". Well no...I'm 14 and live in a tiny Podunk town. I put down the guitar and for the next hour and a half soaked up some of the most demonic and brutal shit I had ever seen. Now before I started this franchise review I had only seen the first six movies. So here is my review of four movies that hold a special place in my heart, two that are acceptable and three more that until now weren't even on my radar. Here's what I think...and by the way all nine movies are available streaming on Netflix.
Hellraiser 1987
The first and most classic Hellraiser film in the franchise. In his directorial debut Clive Barker who also wrote this film give us a glorious glimpse in to the dark recesses of his mind. This film is gory, sexy, dirty and dark. The whole film is shot with an overcast in the sky and low lighting which lends to the eerie feel. Hellraiser gives us horror fans everything we are looking for and starts off immediately with blood and carnage. You get a glimpse of Pinhead himself with in the first five minutes. I've probably seen this movie at least 20 or more times and every time I watch it I feel comforted in some twisted way. It was in constant rotation in my VHS player back in 1994 and still is an old standby. Samples from this movie were also featured on my favorite band Entombed's Wolverine Blues EP. The special effects in this movie are just fantastic and for 1987 were top notch! The "recreation" scene is one of the sickest and most amazing things I've ever watched! The soundtrack sets the mood and makes for a dark and hellish atmosphere. Pinhead spits out the best one liners one after another after another. This movie is essential, classic and Kvlt!!
Here is the trailer.
Hellraiser II: Hellbound 1988
Clive Barker unfortunately was not involved with any of the sequels to the original. But...This next one does do him justice and maintains much of the original feel, characters and pretty much picks up where the first left off. The soundtrack also continues in a consistent direction and theme. Again the lighting is low and dark with plenty of gore and special effects. Hellbound; like it's predecessor is sinister and ominous. The acting is cold and reserved and the characters create tension in tandem with the silent and whispery breaks between intense moments of sheer gruesome horror. Some of the scenes in this installment are as sick if not more so than the first. With out any spoilers I will have to say, even in all it's glory as a sequel there is a few inconsistencies that I suppose were written for sheer convenience. But as a stand alone movie it does a good job catching you up at the beginning so if this is the first of the Hellraisers that you have seen you won't even notice those inconsistent elements. The other great thing about this sequel is that it also gives you a little back story which is nice and keeps the tale moving along. Again this one has some sexuality to it then takes a dark twist that makes you cringe. This movie gives you a small "loyalty" reward at the end. You'll know what I'm saying if you watch the two of these back to back. Essential and Kvlt!
Here is the trailer.
Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth 1992
Another one of my favorites! This one like the first one stayed on constant rotation and I'm surprised I never had to buy another copy from the continuous play. This one picks up where Hellbound left off but stars a whole new cast. Gone is Kirsty and in is Terri, the overworked and under appreciated new reporter. The theme music makes a grand return and again it is dark and gritty. This one reeks of the 90's with night clubs, goth chicks, boobs, blasphemy, BDSM and an overall red/orange hue to the whole movie. I can't say enough about the coloring and lighting of this movie. Even though it's dark the colors just saturate the screen. At the ten minute mark there is a cameo performance from the legendary Armored Saint at the night club and the soundtrack features original songs made for the movie by Motorhead! As usual this movie is sexy and sinister. When Pinhead finally breaks free from his..err...umm...restraint; he looks down right menacing! There are some flash backs to wars, interesting connections to the characters and you find out where Pinhead came from and what this box and Hell are all about. When if comes to kills Hell On Earth begins a string of unique and entertaining kill scenes different from the usual death tactics in part 1 and 2. Essential, classic and Kvlt!
Here is the trailer.
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline 1996
By the time I saw this I was about to graduate High School and I thought I knew it all. I've seen this film once, and it was in 1996 when if first came out. That tells you how much I did not like it. So I'm treating this as a first response review. The old music is gone and in comes a new theme music but it is still as bombastic as the original. This is the last movie to use the bulk of the original production crew and from the get go I feel like they were trying to "wrap up" the franchise. I won't ruin this for you but I will say it does take you into the future and the deep past of the story line and reveals even more tid bits for you to digest. I haven't even gotten 10 minutes in and I'm remembering things about this film and wondering "why didn't I watch this more?". I think maybe at the time I was saturated with futuristic action films and just wasn't ready for the twist it was going to take. I think I longed for it to go deeper into the past and could care less about the future. Now that I'm a total Sci-Fi fanatic as well and Star Trek is in my regular rotation I am eating this up! I'm remembering why I liked this movie so much and I remember being very sad at the end. The theme music is mixed in here and there starting in the middle which I was happy about. Terri is gone and we see a whole new "family" of characters emerging to make this story have a rich history. Again the lighting is low with saturation's of red, orange and this time around some green and blue! I'm realizing this franchise shaped my little warped brain and if my parents knew what I was really watching in my bedroom back in the early 90's they probably would have thrown me into a psych ward or made me join a church. It seems we see the beginning and end of the tale wrapped into this one sexy and gruesome movie. But we will see...Essential and Kvlt!
Here is the trailer.
Hellraiser V: Inferno 2000
Spoiler alert! As you will read I feel very strongly about this film so the spoilers are to spare you the misery that is Inferno. I saw Inferno when it came out with out any knowledge that it would be so much different from the first four. It's almost as if this was a side story as to things that might have happened with the box and Pinhead between the beginnings and endings wrapped up by the first four movies. When I saw this I absolutely hated it and didn't understand what they were trying to do. So with this viewing maybe I can have my mind changed or maybe I'll feel the same. Inferno starts off as a detective story. The intro credits are cool and it immediately kicks in with the gore as you enter a gruesome "crime" scene. I got big beef with this movie on the sound mix alone. The "background" music is so loud in comparison to the dialogue. Most of the characters talk in a whisper and the music is just so much louder its almost distracting. Also if you live with other people and you are trying to squeeze in scary movies after everyone has gone to bed this kind of sound mix just doesn't work. The main character is a corrupt cop and he picks up a prostitute that is just way too hot to be a prostitute. Then you see his bellybutton ring! What cop has a bellybutton ring?! The other thing I don't like is that all the cenobites look the same and are not personalized to the individual like the ones in the first four movies. They seem more like drones than demons. Inferno is a very dark and gritty movie but it just doesn't feel like a Hellraiser movie. The lighting is brighter and less artistic and dramatic. Overall this installment has more of a film noir vibe and there are some nice gore payoffs with some pretty sick death scenes. Compared to Hellraiser 4 this movie is so slow and absolutely grueling to get through. The CGI just sucks. All the cenobites have the same signature look and they are just absolutely boring. What a real disappointment when they pull up to that bar with the XXX neon signs just to find that there are nothing but cowboys in there! And by the way, who the fuck is the engineer? By the end of the movie you figure it out and it takes such a cerebral twist with almost no action sequences. I'm going to spare you and say no one should watch this movie. If you've never seen a Hellraiser movie make sure this is not the one to watch first, or second or third. This movie is shite!
Here is the trailer.
Hellraiser VI: Hellseeker 2001
I gave Hellseeker a chance when it came out just to get the bad taste out of my mouth from Inferno. But again this is only the second time I will have viewed this installment as I kind of just threw the towel out on Hellraiser after this. The intro credits are pretty cool with cool music featuring some distorted electric guitars. This movie starts off with an action sequence then you are immediately hit with gore and staring right into someones insides. I thought this was a pretty crazy way to start a movie. Again the music is loud as hell and the dialogue is just so low and it's so frustrating. I realize that the sound effects are for shock value with the abrupt volume but it's just not necessary in my opinion. It's just a trendy scare tactic that is annoying as hell. If you have a good film you shouldn't need to try to get your scares with volume alone. There is a blue color wash over everything which I liked a lot and the lighting is very much like Inferno. Spoiler Alert! The story revolves around Kirsty's husband! So she gets more than just a cameo and when I realized she was in it and the overall premise of the plot dawned on me my attitude about this movie totally turned around. There is a vicious acupuncture scene although I still think the first time Pinhead pulled a pin out of his skull was the best in comparison. This installment is highly sexual and has better sex scenes than any of the other movies. The boob knob gets dialed to 11 on this one. There is a suicide scene that I gotta call out. The guy puts the gun under his chin and the hole explodes out of the front of his head? I don't think so. You hardly see Pinhead in this movie and its just another crime mind trip like Inferno was. I wouldn't call this one essential or classic but possibly cult. Hellseeker is a mind bending, thriller, supernatural, crime type thing and if you've never seen any Hellraisers you won't understand anything that is going on. If you have seen them all you will probably like this film especially after the shame that was Inferno. Kvlt
Here's the trailer.
Hellraiser VII: Deader 2003
FIRST RESPONSE! Like I said I pretty much hung it up with Hellraiser after VI. So The last three movies will be a first response. Deader starts off in some sort of tweaker pad and you can instantly see a more modern tone to the set and the subject matter. So Deader comes from the fact that there is a group of kids called "deaders". There is a sequence of "found footage" that is really creepy and intense. I've never seen anything set up like this scene and I found it very unique and it actually scared me a little. This movie moves along to Romania where the blue wash is back and there is lots of hazy filtered window lighting, old buildings and cool architecture. This is the first movie in the whole franchise since the first one that has actually created some suspense for me with a serious claustrophobic scene and I just kept waiting for the girl in the bathroom to jump out at me. With out giving away anything there is a scene worth watching the whole movie for. Let's call this scene Boobs and Blood. There is a variation on the original theme music that I like a lot. I was really impressed with this movie. The storyline is good, the blood is good, there are lots of boobs. The acting in Deader is phenomenal where the acting in 5 and somewhat in 6 was a little flat. I'm finally starting to embrace the psychodrama and the head trips as well as the modern, gritty, city type of crime thriller. It's all coming together for me and even though Clive Barker wasn't involved in these later incarnations of Hellraiser I do feel like his vision is represented well in just the general overtone of his style. I don't really feel good about the way the movie ended even though I loved the film up until the very then. I feel like it wasn't wrapped up well and left you kind of hanging. There's no need for you to have seen all the movies before this one but it helps. Kvlt
Here's the trailer.
Hellraiser VIII: Hellworld 2005
FIRST RESPONSE! So far the franchise has been getting back to a good pace and this movie starts off again dark, sweaty, gross and dirty. The opening credits are nice with some red lettering and a new font and some ambient music. There is a new twist and basically this is based on a Hellraiser video game. The settings are nice and we are back in America in New York and the music is very "soundtracky", mostly ambient and alternative rock. The concept is cool where they seem to be going to this gaming party that is invite only and all themed on the ultra violent Hellraiser game. Hellworld plays out like a teen movie except they are more like collage age. Everyone who plays this game is obsessed with Hellraiser as well as the party host who has lots of Hellraiser relics making the scenes really dark with lots of eye candy and cool stuff to see. The lighting is consistent with the other films and looks nice. I wont say that this film is progressing the story at all and mainly is just borrowing ideas from the first four movies. There are great kill scenes and this film has great shock value but the strange thing is that Pinhead seems to be knocking off all the main characters one by one slasher style which really isn't the way it's done in Hellraiser. So the heroine ends up calling out the main bad guy that might be Pinhead about how all the kills are wrong. No one has opened the box, there's been no chains and it was pretty classic Scream style set up with her calling him out on that. There is a great twist at the end that is a damn good payoff. Is this a Hellraiser movie? No. Is it a great scary movie? Yes. It's not essential, classic and it cant even be called cult. The only things that make it a Hellraiser movie is that they have used the history of the box, a few cenobites and Pinhead every once in a while. It doesn't advance the story and it is basically a slasher flick. It's a good homage to Hellraiser but does nothing to add to the story.
Here's the trailer.
Hellraiser VIIII: Revelations 2011
FIRST RESPONSE! I started off knowing that this movie would not have any story line from any of the other Hellraiser movies. I also already knew that Doug Bradley would not be starring as Pinhead in this one because he turned down the role. Right off the bat we are seeing Pinhead who is not even remotely close to looking like Doug Bradley. You can't quite tell what's going on in the beginning of the movie it could go in numerous different directions. Personally I'd hoped for two kids making a film about Pinhead and as you read along you find that that would have been a better set up. The homeless guy makes an appearance and overall his presence just doesn't even make any sense. Both him and Pinhead are like caricatures of the original characters and I just don't like it. So the movie goes on and on and on in one direction with out any reference to the past movies other than pin head and the homeless guy and then all of a sudden there is a maybe 10 second sequence where the guy comes out of the bed and asks for more bodies to be brought back to life. That hasn't happened since the 2nd or 3rd movie and my gut reaction again is this cant be justified as a Hellraiser movie. The make up effects are really good in this movie so it does have that going on for it but it just seems to jump around and the typical Hellraiser moments just happen so fast. Its as if they had a script and it wasn't complete and they couldn't make a full movie out of it. Then they had the opportunity to make a Hellraiser movie so they filled in the missing parts with Hellraiser stuff and then squeezed it all into an hour and thirty minutes and called it a Hellraiser movie. The new Pinhead sucks and his look is just all wrong. I really don't know why it's called Revelations and overall I think it really sucks. If it wasn't a Hellraiser movie I would have still thought it sucks. The Hellraiser elements seemed like an aside or an afterthought. Even the sex scenes can't redeem this film. This movie is shite.
Here's the trailer.
I mean look at this dude...Douche bag.
My advice. Watch the first four and don't watch the others unless your bored. And if you are board watch Hellseeker, Deader, or Hellworld. No one ever, ever, ever really needs to watch Inferno or Revelations. Now jump on your Netflix account and take a step in the sick mind of Clive Barker.
Goblin. You may not have ever heard of this band but if you've seen movies like Susperia, Deep Red or Dawn of the Dead you know who these masters of progressive horror trips are. I won't attempt to go into their entire discography or give you a full breakdown of their history, that's what Wikipedia is for. I also won't be reviewing these movies as I will be saving that for another post someday. I will be giving a first response report to the entire sound tracks from these films and shed some light on the oft overlooked horror soundtrack realm. Following each soundtrack score review I will have a link to the full movie for that soundtrack. And as usual at the bottom will be a link to their discography play list. Now with these movies; they are not intended for minors so it's on the honor system that you do not watch these movies without parental guidance. There will be...Extreme Violence. Nudity. Adult Content. Language. And all those other nasty things you see on the R and NC-17 ratings descriptions. You are forewarned. Now guys and ghouls; on with the show...
Deep Red (Profundo Rosso) 1975
The album I listened to was the 2000 re-release with re-mixes and bonus tracks. This soundtrack is a mind trip of progressive, jazz fusion psychedelia. It takes you on a voyage and tells a story of it's own as a stand alone piece of work. There are creepy kids singing, horns, winds and playful piano and flute that sets the scene for more aggressive segments. There is a reoccurring melody that makes it a cohesive body of work but these light moments are a little too much for me at times. Toward the hour mark they really start to rock out with some fast guitar leads, spooky synth melodies and some drum solos. There are also some very interesting samples of people screaming and getting hacked! Goblin employ the guitar for odd sounds and scares which are very unique and very much jazz influenced. As an album it is not really all that scary, creepy or haunting; until you get to the hour mark then the last eleven minutes are fantastic! It is how ever a very dark psychedelic affair which is why I deem this kvlt and 420.
Here is the theme and by far the best part if you want to skip all the drug trips.
If you want to watch the movie...
Susperia 1977
1977...The year of my birth. This soundtrack and movie really speak to me as it is a really good representation of the aesthetics that are ingrained into by entire being. It starts off with the main theme which is equally as spooky and haunting as it is psychedelic. A clinking, chiming melody starts us off and sets the mood and then shifts in to a rhythmic variation on the theme with trips into spacey territories with lots of cool blips and swells. The second track explores some pre-industrial styles and features some screams and loose samples that upon further listening don't sound like samples at all; they sound live! Again there are some rocking tunes on here with heavy jazz style, speedy tremolo guitars, horns, synth and very present bass grooves. I mean it was the 70's. Overall this soundtrack is quite eerie indeed. It's chock full of screams, wails, rhythmic tribal drums, chanting, strange metallic stringed instrumentation and the overall mood is tense, dissonant and occultish. I tag this fantastic soundtrack again; 420 and kvlt!
Here is the main theme song...and it just gets weirder from here on out.
And if you care to brave the full movie.
Dawn Of The Dead/Zombi 1978
What a classic movie!! This soundtrack starts off with some bombastic keyboards and thumping bass line and then transitions into some really old school gaming music style synths. So far a fantastic start with bells and dissonant synth. There are some great voodoo and tribal rhythmic and vocal elements that get you in the zombie mind frame. Then comes this western saloon sounding piano piece that does not sit well with me. But it gets a free pass as it was the 70's. This is a prog rock band. And it is a soundtrack. So skip that one over and spare yourself when your listening. Fortunately it redeems itself with some distorted guitar leads, rock drumming and classic bass, synth pairing. Again Goblin have a very psychedelic vibe and this one incorporates lots of the aforementioned gaming music style keyboards, saxophone, funk/jazz and lots of crazy spaced out noises. And for you sticklers out there this is what the Dawn of the Dead Wiki has to say about it. 420, Kvlt
"For Argento's international cut, the Italian director used the band Goblin (incorrectly credited as "The Goblins") extensively. Goblin was a four-piece Italian band that did mostly contract work for film soundtracks. Argento, who received a credit for original music alongside Goblin, collaborated with the group to get songs for his cut of the film. Romero used three of their pieces in his theatrical release version. The Goblin score would later find its way onto a heavily Dawn of the Dead-inspired film, Hell of the Living Dead. The version of Dawn released on video in the mid-nineties under the label "Director's Cut" does not use the Goblin tracks as they had not been completed at the time of that edit. " - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_of_the_Dead#Music
Here is the directors cut featuring Goblin (The Goblins).
Patrick 1978
If you haven't cross referenced me on Wiki yet or if your are not an expert in horror soundtracks you might not have known Goblin are from Italy. And consequently they did a lot of music for Italian films. I was lucky to find the few tracks I did on YouTube for this movie and what I've heard are a mix of 70's prog rock and ambient synth. It's your standard Goblin sound with their usual trippy and interesting space noise. The bass seems to do a little more than just keep the rhythm this time and some of the guitars especially for the Patrick 2 theme could easily have been developed into non soundtrack music. As usual...420, Kvlt!
Watch the movie here...
Contamination 1980
Again; spacey, jazz, progressive and lots of creepy fun. More of the gaming music vibe going on as well that is reminiscent of Castlevania. There are some moments where they cruise into some Samba styles and sometimes it reminds me of the music for Romancing The Stone. The one thing I've been trying not to say but I just can't hold it in any longer is that Goblin slip into porno territory sometimes with their funk grooves, slap bass and wah wah guitars. I can over look this though for the choice dark bits that are worth finding. Because, then you find awesome aural treasures like the haunting piano piece that just screams of innocence lost. As all of their other works 420 and Kvlt.
Watch the full movie and hear the soundtrack as it's meant to be.
Beyond The Darkness/Buio Omega 1979
More of the same for this soundtrack but overall this is much slower and more eerie. This soundtrack has a much mellower vibe about it and is less spacey and psychedelic. The faster parts remind me more of the old action and exploitation films more than anything else. They finally changed up their synth sound for an organ piece that could have gone on a lot longer for me. But I have to keep reminding myself that this is a soundtrack. There are going to be parts that I don't like and there are going to be parts I wish were full length songs. There is a song at the 26 minute mark that I know I've heard in another movie or even in an elevator. It's killing me that I can't figure it out. If anyone knows where else I've heard this song please do me a favor and let me know in the comment section. 420 and darkly Kvlt.
And again...the movie.
Tenebre 1982
Goblin start off very synth heavy and game score sounding again. This work already seems like it screams of it's time...the early 80's. There are lots of cool samples already that blend smoothly. They go into a standard 80's rock mode on the song Lesbo with heavy use of cow bell. It gets real trippy on Slow Circus with some underwater noises and clinking harpsichord that creates a very eerie mood. It goes on to a dark segment and then back again in to the electronica with the dark synth. This sounds like it could have inspired bands like KMFDM, Front 242, and the like. But then again I could be late to the party as I often am and this may be old news. I feel this is a really good album for monotonous tasks, art or writing and is well suited for background music. 420, Kvlt
Watch the whole movie here!
Phenomena 1985
This starts off fantastic with a classical piano piece accompanied by operatic female vocals. Then the song speeds up and into the rock arena. I like this one a lot! It's very dark, atmospheric and industrial. This is another one that could have inspired many industrial musicians. The main theme repeats throughout the soundtrack as well as the female vocals making this a cohesive piece. Great soundtrack and essential for lovers of this type of thing. Kvlt
The movie with Spanish subtitles.
The Church/La Chiesa 1989
This one gets started with big organs and then quickly moves into the 80's industrial synth with a dark vampiric twist. This soundtrack goes down that Castlevainia path and stays in that Gothic realm regardless of it's classical piece or a bit of electronica. This is probably Goblin's most haunting effort yet with whispers and winds and creepy eerie tones. This is a true Halloween noise/background album. This would be suited for haunted houses or to play on your porch for the Trick 'R Treater's. The songs Go To Hell and Wire Blaze reeks of 80's cheese and camp complete with male and female pop vocals. Essential and Kvlt.
The movie.
Sleepless/Non Ho Sonno 2001
Wow! This starts off with distorted guitars and sounds almost like metal then the melodic keyboards come in and you can tell this is very modern but still bombastic! So far I like it a lot and I'm impressed how Goblin change with the times. They are highly talented and adaptable. There is lots of jazz pieces on this one but it is coupled with an equal amount of progressive metal with screaming guitar solos, crunchy riffs and heavy drums. This score isn't as much ambient music as it is rock. Although there are some ambient moments they are brief and act as a lead in for the heavier songs. There are also some intensely dark and haunting moments with a reoccurring piano theme. This is dark and Kvlt.
If you love their music or any of these movies please buy them or download them from a proper source. Support these talented artists that bring such evil grins to our wretched faces.
Ready to listen for yourself? Follow this link to the Left Hand Path YouTube page to listen to the entire discography!
Arcturus are not for your average metal fan. They create artsy and progressive soundscapes that go beyond the status quo and challenge the listeners ears while at the same time can serve as background music for monotonous tasks or creative pursuits. Again this is great music to create to, especially writing, painting and drawing. Also a great band for the WoW heads and Skyrim fans. Like the previous review, if you like what you hear buy some of their stuff; CD, vinyl, MP3's, shirts or whatever. If your a true fan of the metal, support the metal! And on with the show...
Mortem Slow Death 1989
Technically this is not an Arcuturus release and Mortem continued on after Arcuturus formed. But, the three original members of Mortem created Arcturus and so this demo is relevant in that it set the bases for what was to be one of the greatest, most underrated and short lived Norwegian bands around. The Slow Death demo is a standard Norwegian black metal affair but has the advantage of Hellhammer behind the kit. To me is sounds a lot like Morbid which I recommend you check out. Strong Venom influences and overall it's atonal and just churns along in the treble range. Most of the songs sound the same although Nightmare and Slow Death start off nice but they finish, again, the same. The production is what you would expect from Norway in the 90's; basement recording. I personally like that sound but it does get old when you hear it over and over again from countless crony wannabes that just sound like mockery. This however is the real deal and would be worth listening to if you care for this DIY, lo-fi sound. Kvlt
My Angel EP 1991
Arcturus debuted their avant garde and atmospheric sound with this two song EP. I've only heard the My Angel track off this EP and the Morax track on a promo copy. The production was really kicked up a notch and the tracks are very synth heavy. The guitars are mainly in the background and setting the mood with eerie sounds and noises. Some black metal enthusiasts hate this style but I find it refreshing and beautiful. And I mean come on, a black metal band releasing a love song? You can't beat this! Essential and Kvlt!
Constellation 1994
With Constellation they have really developed their sound. It's a lot faster and more black metal with heavier guitar presence but still symphonic. As the title suggests they take on a more spacey theme with lyrics and sound structures. The new vocalist Kristoffer Rygg a.k.a. Garm brings a new and beautiful style with quality black metal stylings and a clean vocal approach which you have to hear to appreciate to its fullest. This is beautiful and thought provoking music indeed! I also hear a heavy presence of gypsy, oompah or polka that most would mistake for a circus type of sound but is actually a very traditional European musical structure. Make no mistake though this is again essential and Kvlt!
Aspera Hiems Symfonia 1996
On this album we hear a lot more progressive tendencies and some even heavier guitar parts than before. On the flip side there are also more mellow and moody parts than the previous album. Aspera Hiems Symfonia again features Garm that you may know from the progressive black metal band Ulver. Yet another beautiful album that could serve as both contemplative art and atmospheric back ground music. Excellent, essential and yet again, Kvlt!
La Masquerade Infernale 1997
FIRST RESPONSE! Well sort of. I'd heard a few songs from this album but had never listened to it in it's entirety until this review. This one starts off trippy and crazy with dive bombs and dips from the guitar, soaring vocals popping out and spacey keyboard trips. I like how the second songs kicks in with some orchestral keys and a string quartet. Then smoothly and before you realize it there comes the electronic beats and space samples. This is beautiful! Their song The Chaos Path I had heard before and it seems to be one of the stand out songs on here. It features I.C.S. Vortex and incorporates some more electronic break beat segments. Some of that original Oompah is back, and it's amazing how they fit all of these different style together so seamlessly. Overall this album is worth your time and requires an in depth and serious listen. Essential and Kvlt.
Disguised Masters - And The Deception Circus 1999
FIRST RESPONSE! I've never heard this album until just now and I have to say this is some of their most experimental work. I knew they delved into some strange ponds for inspiration and weren't afraid to incorporate nontraditional elements into their works of art. (I say art because these are not just songs they are masterpieces.) Ah wait...as I'm listening I realize I have heard this remix before; Alone (Intellecto & Valle Darktrip). I've always liked this song and I'm not even a really big electronica fan. But this is so dark and so unique I could listen to an entire album of this sort of thing. Mostly this album is made up of remixes with the exception of the two first songs and even includes some rap segments! I usually don't like remixes but this sort of thing really suits Arcturus. At the risk of the Internet haters telling me I'm insane I will have to call this cult. This is for die hard fans and metal heads that can think outside of the box and have some sort of appreciation for art. Kvlt
The Sham Mirrors 2002
Now here we go! This is the Arcturus we all love and this is my favorite album from them. Again Garm is showcasing his absolutely amazing vocals under the moniker Trikster G. Rex. His vocals are so haunting and emotive and they speak to my soul personally. Some of the remix albums elements have snuck in on this one and it fits perfectly! Still all the old stuff we love from Arcturus but re-adapted and improved upon. This album is highly recommended! More of the spacey, progressive and avant garde atmospheres here. Completely essential. Classic, Kvlt
You need go no further than to listen to this song to understand this albums importance to the black metal genre and metal in general.
Sideshow Symphonies 2005
Another kind of FIRST RESPONSE. As before I had heard some songs off this one...I really don't understand why this album is not affecting me in the same way the others do. It could be that Simen Hestnæs a.k.a. I.C.S. Vortex is singing full time on this album and I hear his voice everywhere when I really think he should just stick to Borknagar. Don't get me wrong, everything that comes out of his mouth is gold I just think his best work is with Borknagar. That being said I felt that the best songs on this album are the ones I'd previously heard; Evacuation Code Deciphered and Reflections. All the normal bits and pieces are here musically and maybe that's the problem. Arcturus seemed to have churned out the normal affair with out stopping to challenge themselves. Maybe the real problem is that only one original member is present on this album and it's just not even close to the Arcturus we all know and love. Neither essential or cult.
Take a listen to my favorite track of Sideshow Symphonies and decide for yourself.
Shipwrecked In Oslo 2006
I have not been able to get my eyes and ears on this entire DVD yet but here is a clip you can check out. There are more clips on YouTube that I will definitely be catching up on when I have time. I can say that that I.C.S. does a great job at singing Garms songs and I like what I'm hearing here. Listen for yourself! Kvlt
Arcturus reunited in 2011 to tour and just maybe we will see a new album sometime in the future. It looks like for now Hellhammer and most of the original crew are on board but I'd really love to see the return of Garm. Only time will tell what these blackened space rockers will bring forth.
Ready to listen for yourself? Follow this link to the Left Hand Path YouTube page to listen to the entire discography!
This is my first beer review and let me start by saying that I am no expert and I do not have a developed pallet. I'm just an average guy who likes not so average things; beer included. So today I picked up Samuel Adams' Dark Depths Baltic IPA. This is a heavy beer clocking in at 7.6% alcohol and comes in a drinkable one pint six ounce size bottle. On the first pour it was a really dark amber, almost black. It had a nice brownish tan head on it that faded really quickly unfortunately. I don't usually care for IPAs but I'm slowly growing a taste for them. However I do like dark and malty beers so this appealed to my tastes. I really like it! It has a hoppy nose and finish but the overall flavor is malty and slightly nutty. This is definitely a full flavor beer with lots of complex characteristics. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary but still a safe bet this is a good one to pick up. And at under $6 in my area it's fairly affordable. Let's not skip over the amazing label! I really like beer labels and have a fairly impressive collection that is taking up too much room in my house honestly. Dark Depths has an intricate drawing of an old divers helmet with a Sea Serpent passing through it! If I loved it enough it would be tattoo worthy, but I don't love it that much. To be honest I haven't had a Sam Adams I don't like though and in my opinion they really can do no wrong. The Sam Adams brewery is always spot on and always gives you a satisfying beer. This is a good beer for anyone who likes Chocolate Stouts, Abby's, Nut Browns or Porters. Four horns up! /,,/ /,,/
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