Movie Review: Black Sunday (1960)

As I have said before, and will likely repeat for a long time, I was very late getting into the deep end of the horror genre. Even having dived in head first, there is a lot of ground to cover and I am not likely to ever fully catch up to where I should be had I gotten in at a more logical age. With that said, one of the directors with whom I have had very little experience is Mario Bava. It is a name I here time and again when it comes to quality horror fare with an eye for the artistic. I figured I should probably watch some of his films. To that end, I have dove in and watched Black Sunday, also known as Mask of the Devil.

Horror-A-Day: Dr. Orlof's Monster

So, I seems that the cool weather is finally here to stay and I already miss my shorts. Yes, I look forward to the seasonally cool Fall weather, but that doesn't mean I can't also miss the comfort of my shorts. I guess it doesn't matter when I spend most of my time inside a climate controlled room. I guess if I want to warm up I can watch a movie with a warm setting, like A Nightmare on Elm Street's boiler room or Tatooine in Return of the Jedi. Conversely I could go for a chill with The Thing. It was none of these this night.

A Revisitation: Type O Negative

In my limited music exposure I have come across a few bands that released albums that were ahead of their time as well as bands that found me lagging behind. I have just experienced a brand new situation. Prior to this past week, I do not think I had encountered anything like this. I have been listening to a band I have been a fan of for years but have not listened to for awhile and I have discovered an entirely new respect for them. Perhaps I have finally caught up to where they were so many years ago. The band? Type O Negative.

Music Review: My Inner Burning - Eleven Scars

Hailing from Germany, My Inner Burning has arrived with their latest offering of modern gothic metal, Eleven Scars to the masses. Will it have you begging for more or more likely to give it an outer burning? Only you can answer that question. As for me, I found it to be another in a long lime of albums that are well produced, demonstrate some musical skill, but ultimately fail to excite. My Inner Burning shows that a nice production can put an attractive sheen on a project, but it is not going to change the underlying product.

Music Review: Blood Ceremony - Living with the Ancients

In recent months I have learned something, I really dig this 70's throwback style acts that have been coming across my desk. It is not like there have been an overwhelming number of them, but the ones that I have listened to I really like. They benefit from modern production techniques and still fit in with the current music scene. The latest act to fit this bill is Blood Ceremony. They are like the love child of Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull, complete with flute solos.

Music Review: A Pale Horse Named Death - And Hell Will Follow Me

Drummer and co-founder of Type O Negative (RIP Peter Steele) and current member of Life of Agony, Sal Abruscato has stepped out from behind the kit to create a project like none other that he has been involved in. The "band" is called A Pale Horse Named Death and it is no more than an entire solo project conceived, written, produced, and performed by Sal alone. It is a pretty solid piece of dark, edgy rock. It reminds one of the darkest tunes that Alice in Chains ever turned out crossed with some of Type O Negative's dark, gothic edge, all while sounding pretty fresh.

Music Review: Bronx Casket Company - Antihero

I swear I have head of Bronx Casket Company from somewhere, I am just not sure where. I am pretty sure that this is the first time I have ever heard them, though. Come to think of it, I might be thinking of Casket Crew, which I believe is the Type O Negative fanclub. Whatever the case is the bottom line is I have the band's fourth release, Antihero, blasting through my headphones and I like what I hear. The sound is familiar yet fresh, incredibly catchy and something I am going to want to listen to over and over.

CD Review: Danzig - The Lost Tracks of Danzig

Love him or loathe him, there is no denying the impact that Glenn Danzig has had on punk and goth rock over the past three decades. From founding The Misfits to forming Samhain, all the way to his glory years as simply Danzig, he has never stopped making the music that he wants to make. Since his departure from The Misfits and the disolution of Samhain, the Danzig years have spawned 8 studio albums, one EP, and one live album, along with a number of singles, soundtrack contributions, and two modern classical albums. In addition to all of that music, there have been a great number of songs recorded that were not included on any other release. Glenn has said that it was not because they were bad or weak, it was just that they did not fit the sound or theme that was being built on for the given album. Now, we get a two disk set with 26 of these unreleased tracks.

CD Review: Lake of Tears - Moons and Mushrooms

Wasn't sure what to expect when I first slipped this disk in, as I am completely unfamiliar with the band. Their name, Lake of Tears, would lead me towards a progressive style, while the album name, Moons and Mushrooms, would indicate a dark psychedelia. The cover would lead credence to the darker possibilities with a black, white, and grey cover featuring a field of mushrooms with a man in a spacesuit in the lower corner, and a burst of light emanating from the horizon. It is actually a pretty cool cover, and one that does accurately visualize the music contained within. As for the sound, there are progressive and dark gothic elements, but they are played towards the middle in a hard rock format. It is pretty good, but nothing mind blowing.