Rock Plaza Central - Anthem for the Already Defeated

If you've seen Jeremy Gardner's film The Battery - which I've watched twice in the last four days - you know this song.

Check out Rock Plaza Central's Bandcamp HERE. Watch The Battery wherever you fucking can. Instantly in my top six zombie flicks of all time.

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NCBD:

Way behind on posting these - I started writing this Wednesday, but finishing it became arduous at best with the Holiday and our travels. 

This week's Pull list is from Rick's Comic City, which I won't actually be picking up until next week due to choosing writing over a trip to the shop last night and heading out to Dayton on Friday.

Four in and so far, I'm super happy I didn't jump ship on the new series. Jason Aaron found an elegant solution to hitting 'reset' for new readers without jettisoning the 12 years of continuity and world-building that prefaces this new era. Really digging how all four brothers are scattered to the wind - reminds me a bit of the old Claremont, "Dissolution and Rebirth" era of Uncanny X-Men.

 

The final issue. I can't wait to sit down and re-read this start to finish. Fucking love Michael Walsh.

Hot Rod! What more do you need to get pumped for this 14th issue of Robert Kirkman's Void Rivals?

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Watch:

Really hoping this pops up in my local theatre next week. I've only watched the first minute or so of the trailer, and although I love a good werewolf movie, they seem to be few and far between. This, though, the idea of a werewolf plague brought on by a super moon... that sounds fucking awesome!

Plus, Frank Grillo doesn't get nearly enough screen time, so I am in on Werewolves.

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Playlist:

Sumerland - Dreamkiller

Marilyn Manson - One Assassination Under God Chapter 1

Deafheaven - Sunbather

Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium

Antibalas - Where The Gods Are In Peace

Spoon - They Want My Soul

Drab Majesty - Careless

The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen

Boris & Merzbow - 2R0I2P0

Opeth - Deliverance

Sunn O))) - Life Metal

Deafheaven - Ten Years Gone

Genghis Tron - Dream Weapon

Black Pyramid - The Paths of Time are Vast

Zeal & Ardor - Eponymous

Crystal Castles - II

Ministry - Animositisomina

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Card:

From Jonathan Grimm's Hand of Doom Tarot, which you can buy HERE.

• Ace of Pentacles

• IV: The Lovers

• Four of Cups

This pull reflects Stability and union, and I've got to say, it's timely. Starting a week or so ago, I've had the best sleep I've had in years. No kidding; I'm waking up in the morning feeling like I used to wake up when I was younger - all groggy and sleep-infused like I'm actually getting deep, regenerative sleep. That hasn't happened in a long time. I've become a light sleeper, and even on days when my Fitbit tells me my sleep qualifies as "Good," I usually still don't feel like this. Lately, however, things feel more even. I don't know how in the hell that's possible with the world where it is - this country specifically - but I'm not going to argue. 

The Cramps Live Performance!!!

MAJOR thanks to Simon G for posting this on his youtube channel, which you can check out and subscribe to HERE. If you dig the Cramps, it's a win-win. And with a set list and attire that, while pretty spot-on for The Cramps, seems especially strategic to alarm a television broadcast company, this is one for the ages. 

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NCBD:

Really looking forward to today's NCBD. Here's why:

I'm loving Jeff Lemire and  Gabriel Hernandez Walta's Phantom Road so far. Stories that include a slip into any kind of 'between place' always hit a certain harmonic with me, and this one's taking that idea and really doing something different with it. 

Pat O'Malley's Popscars is in Comic Stores and you're missing out if you're not reading it. Why? Check out my interview with Pat HERE to find out. 

Another "Before the Fall" one shot, however, like last week's Heralds of Apocalypse, this one is written by one of the main X-architects, so I'm in. 

 

This book just continues to delight me. 

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Watch:

I rewatched Moorhead and Benson's 2014 film Spring this past Monday evening. Wow. I hadn't seen this one since before I knew who Moorhead and Benson were, and looking back on it after watching and rewatching their other movies, I couldn't remember very much about Spring other than the basic set-up, the location, and that both K and I really liked it when we watched it back in, probably 2016.

 

All the performances are fantastic, and just seeing Vinny Curran and Jeremy Gardner in the opening ten minutes or so was a treat, as was hearing talk about "Shitty Carl." I need to track this one down on Blu-Ray, as I'm hoping there will be a making of or commentary track, as I find myself really wanting to know how they made this. I'm kind of assuming they did a lot of the filming guerilla style, but who knows? Moorhead and Benson continue to prove they are two of the best filmmakers working today, regardless of whether they have a budget or not.

 

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Playlist:

Flying Lotus - Yasuke

Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium - Undreamble Abysses

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse

Blackbraid - Blackbraid I

Spotlights - Seance EP

Greg Puicato - Child Soldier: Creator of God

Secret Chiefs 3 - Le mani destre recise degli ultimi uomini

Secret Chiefs 3 - Book of Horizons

Sepultura - Chaos A.D.

Sepultura - Schizophrenia

Sepultura - Arise

Godflesh - Purge

QOTSA - In Times New Roman

Ike & Tina Turner - Live! The World of Ike & Tina

Pastor T.L. Barrett & the Youth for Christ Choir - Like a Ship (Without a Sail)

Christopher Cross - Ride Like the Wind (single)

Bria - Cuntry Covers Vol. 2

Orville Peck - Pony

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Card:

• IV The Emperor 

• Ace of Wands

• Two of Disks: Change

Draw on strong, established resources (practices?) to enact a breakthrough with Will, but don't expect it to last just because it happens once. Will, as with everything else in the Universe, is fluid, coming and going depending on millions of variables. Those variables are actually what rule us, The Emperors of all life, but especially those humans who try and find a window into their own internal operating systems.

 

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7 Days of Badalamenti - Day 4: Meatloaf Mambo!

 

From Bob Balaban's 1989 surrealistic WTF Horror/Comedy Parents. Badalamenti is not the main composer on this one; that's Jonathan Elias. However, he does contribute two stunning tracks that totally help make the aural signature of the film.

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Watch:

Two nights ago I watched Eric Pennycoff's new film The Leech on Arrow Video's streaming service. This immediately jumped into my top ten films of the year. Not in my top ten Horror films, because The Leech isn't really a Horror movie, despite containing definite elements of the genre. 

Graham Skipper, Jeremy Gardner and Taylor Zaudtke Gardner all turn in outstanding performances in what I was happy to discover is a completely batshit crazy film about religion and the secrets its practice sometimes hides for people. I loved everything about this one and can't recommend it enough.

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Playlist:

Angelo Badalamenti - Dark Water OST

Public Memory - Veil of Counsel

James Luckett - May OST

Lustmord - Dark Matter

White Lung - Premonition

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Card:

From Jonathan Grimm's Bound Tarot, which you can buy HERE.

In order to attain emotional the fulfillment I seek, I have to put in the work and be prepared to undergo a transformation. This is pretty vague, or at least my reading it. As usual when I garner a head-scratcher, I chalk it up as something to watch for in my interactions throughout the day.

Blackened Metal Hero

My follow Horror Vision host Tori recently turned me on to Bölzer. This album is fantastic! A Black/Extreme Metal band, I was floored to discover Bölzer is a two-piece! This record is fantastic, and mixing/mastering/recording engineers Victor Santura, Michael Zech, and the enigmatic D.G. really knew how to steer the band into a sonic space that more than makes up for any 'missing' instrumentation. I'd say the sound of this album, which really knows how to use an ample but still tasteful amount of reverb, is one of the fullest metal band sounds I've heard in a while. There's a definite 'space' to this recording, and it's big and dark and bold.  

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Podcast

 

A new episode of The Horror Vision went up last week. I've recently moved beyond just the audio component of the show, and started making extremely rudimentary 'videos' for each episode. The plan is to eventually make a more involved video, or - gasp - do something similar to DwC, but with that show slowly creeping back toward reappearance, where I'll find the time remains to be seen. Until then, enjoy us talking about the genre we love, and if you dig it, leave a comment and let's talk Horror!

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Watch:

Tuesday after work I rented Jeremy Gardner's new film After Midnight. Produced by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead - Benson has a small supporting role in the film - Gardner wrote and co-directed this one, as well as starring in it. As it stands now, After Midnight will almost definitely finish 2020 as my favorite film of the year.

 

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Playlist:

Emma Ruth Rundle and Thou - May Our Chambers Be Full

Lake Street Dive - Making Do (Single)

Bölzer - Hero

Zombi - Shape Shift

Zola Jesus - Stridulum

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Card:

Back on track, big time.