The End of Godflesh

 

A lot of Godflesh this past weekend after seeing the following post on Justin K. Broadrick's IG. I find it sadly indicative of the age we live in that a man with a serious health condition needs to hesitate to inform his fans of a situation such as this with the expectation of retaliatory comments. I, for one, will be crushed to see Godflesh go; however, Broadrick has many other projects and I would rather he err on the side of his continued health than risk disaster continuing. Also, if you listen to the opening vocals of this lead-in track from 2017's Post Self, you can hear the strain this man still puts on his body while recording vocals. It's awesome to behold, but also no real surprise that as he ages, this kind of exertion would become a health concern.  

 

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A post shared by Justin K Broadrick (@justinkbroadrick)

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Watch:

This past Thursday night, I did another double feature at the local cinema. First up was Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride. This was a treat; I can't tell you how many times I sat through the trailers for this film in the theatre, but the film turns out to be a lot more than either version of the preview intimates. Maggie is destined for the marketing tag, "... visionary Director..." and it fits. I knew within the first five minutes that A) there was A LOT about this film I had not anticipated and B) as a filmmaker, MG's style is singular and strong. 

Afterward, I drove K home, recorded a spoiler-free review with Missi for The Horror Vision, and then drove back to the theatre for a 10:55 PM showing of Rod Blackhurst's Dolly. Turns out, 11:00 PM was the perfect time to view this one in a mostly empty theatre. Creepy A.F. doesn't even begin to describe this film!

Ostensibly a new take on the classic Slasher formula, the thing I really loved about this one was how much the sequences inside the killer's home felt like a Puppet Combo game, specifically, Don't Go in the House and Nun Massacre. Two of my favorites. 

Blackhurst has to be a Puppet Combo fan - there are first-person shots from hiding beneath a bed and a sequence where the final girl - Fabianne Therese - searches through dresser drawers and the like. It was just spot on! Fantastic performances all around, and also, one of the gnarliest jaw-related practical FX I've seen. 

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Playlist:

Deftones - B-Sides and Rarities

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - B-Sides & Rarities Volume 1

Godflesh - Purge

sunn O))) - Eponymous (pre-release singles)

Deliverance - Neon Chaos in a Junk-Sick Dawn

Godflesh - A World Lit Only By Dub

Godflesh - Post Self

Godflesh - Songs of Love and Hate

Psychedelic P*rn Crumpets - Pogo Rodeo

Melvins - Houdini

Christopher Young & Lustmord - The Empty Man OST

Converge & Chelsea Wolfe - Bloodmoon: I

Deftones - private music

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Card:

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

• Six of Cups

• Five of Pentacles

• Three of Wands

Tap into your inner fears and transmute them into something strong. 

Interesting. The idea here is taking something from the real world that frightens me - let's face it, only the real world frightens me - and use my Will to turn it into something strong. Something known. 

Also, not sure I've drawn the Three of Wands on this deck before. Gorgeous fucking card (like every other card in this deck!)

Tossing Coins Into The Fountain Of F*ck!

I'm late on the game with this one, but I got the tip-off last week when Heaven is an Incubator posted about the new edition of last year's Melvins/Napalm Death collaboration, Savage Imperial Death March, originally released on Amphetamine Reptile. First track off this full-length aural beating has an amazing title and a bludgeoning sound, so I am in! Pre-order from Ipecac Records for an April 10th release HERE.

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Last night, I went to a double feature of two movies I knew absolutely nothing about. First up, This is Not a Test:

I was stoked to see Adam MacDonald's name come up as Writer/Director/Producer on this one! Takes place in 1998, doesn't reinvent the wheel, but has solid performances and is deeply unsettling. 

This is Not a Test is built around Olivia Holt's performance as Sloan, and she anchors the film. Cinematographer Christian Bielz - who previously worked with MacDonald on the film Backcountry - employs a handheld, shaky-cam technique that gives the film a gorilla feel, which definitely makes it feel more real. This realistic approach augments the chaos we get hit with from the opening scenes, which establish Sloane's relationship with abusive father. Because of this, we never get an established 'normal' for Sloane or the film's world through her. 

Also, composer Lee Malia (Pyewacket and Out Come the Wolves) hits a sweet spot with drone, itch-you-can't-scratch background, and a little bit of what I'd call a Steve Moore flourish. This also adds to the film's overall unnerving feeling.

Next, Psycho Killer:

Having seen Cold Storge last week, then watched Barbarian again over the weekend, I LOVE that Georgina Campbell is having a moment this year with two back-to-back films. And this... wow. Talk about go big or go home - a saying I don't particularly care for, but it's appropriate. I just couldn't believe how big this one swings and lands. There's a harty comparison here to films like Random Acts of Violence and Son, but Psycho Killer has a grand design that you just won't believe until you see it. 

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Read:

In researching the middle section of Shadow Play Book 2, I realized I knew very little about the canonical five victims of Jack the Ripper.

One thing I wanted to be certain about was the Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elisabeth Stride, Kate Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly's lives, as they've become something of minor characters in the second act of the book. All five women are generally dismissed as prostitutes; however, that is not a proven fact, but rather an assumption very much in keeping with the misogynistic paradigm of Victorian society. Hallie Rubenhold's book is a mesmerizing and in-depth look at all five women, from birth through to their murders. 

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Playlist:

Mountain Realm - Stoneharrow

Wintersun - Beyond the Dark Sun (single)

The Mountain Goats - Bleed Out

Metallica - Master of Puppets

Me and That Man - New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1 

Faster Pussycat - Wake Me When It's Over

Gogol Bordello - We Mean It, Man!

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯ A♯ ∞ 

Chris Connelly - Largo 22

Psychetect - Extremism

Silversun Pickups - Tenterhooks

sunn O))) - Metta, Benelvolence BBC6 LIVE: At the Invitation of Mary Anne Hobbs

3TEETH - EndEx

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Card:

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

• Queen of Pentacles

• Two of Swords

• XX: Judgement

Fostering a partnership or collaboration can lead to solidified power.

Very interesting. This is extremely timely and has prompted me to do some research. I'll try and explain a bit more later on. 

The Nausea of a Hungry House

 

I revisited both episodes of Kier-La Janisse's The Haunted Season on Shudder. A good friend was in for the long weekend, and after a lengthy discussion about Folk Horror, this seemed a perfect way to end the night. 

Rewatching episode two, Janisse's adaptation of Algernon Blackwood's "The Occupant of the Room," I was reminded how much I liked the score by The Nausea. Spending some time with their 2024 album Requiem, I pretty much fell in love. I'll be adding this one to my writing playlist this year. 

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I caught wind of this new Scottish Horror film, The House Was Not Hungry Then, over on Bloody Disgusting. Just the sonic profile of this trailer - which gives nothing away - put this on my list. As did, let's be honest, the fact that it's Scottish.

This is the feature debut for Writer/Director Harry Aspinwall, has a one-hour-and-thirty-two-minute runtime, and is currently available to rent on Prime Video for $5.99. I'm going to try to add this to my viewing this week, but I want to curate the experience. It's clear Aspinwall took great care with the sound design, so I'm thinking a little bit of smoke and some headphones in a dark room might work best. 

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Plastic:

I caught wind that Trick or Treat Studios was doing a comic-book-based figure for The Crow last year, and I've kind of been waiting on the edge of my seat since. I checked around Halloween and nothing. I kept checking periodically, but this had recently slipped my mind, so I was especially grateful when Grimm sent me a link for the pre-order. Check this thing out:

If you read these pages or know me, you know how I feel about The Crow. The original comic book is the ONLY one for me, and to finally have a figure - and one that looks this bloody good - is something I've been waiting for most of my life.* 

I believe this is the first figure I've ordered from Trick or Treat Studios, and I was impressed to see this one comes fully loaded. 

Here's a list of accessories:

• Standing crow 
• Flying crow with clear display stand 
• Two interchangeable heads: stoic and smiling 
• Six interchangeable hands: 
• Left & right gripping hands 
• Left & right trigger hands 
• Right pointing hand 
• Right reaching hand 
• Sword 
• Shotgun 
• Revolver 
• Cat 
• Removable coat 
• Two interchangeable arm sets: with coat and without coat

This is a timed release, so you have just over 25 days left to pre-order it HERE.

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*No exaggeration when you figure I first read James O'Barr's The Crow circa late 1993/early 1994, shortly before the movie came out. 

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Playlist:

Grimes - Visions

Soundgarden - Super Unknown

Quicksand - Slip

Corrosion of Conformity - Gimme Some Moore

Corrosion of Conformity - No Cross No Crown

Mike Patton - The Solitude of Prime Numbers

Tomahawk - Eponymous

Mr. Bungle - California

Mr. Bungle - Merry Go Bye Bye (single)

The Plimsouls - Everywhere at Once

Orville Peck - Pony

The Neverly Boys - The Dark Side of Everything

The Nausea - Requiem

Slow Crush - Thirst

Darkswoon - Bloom Decay

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Card:

The Thoth deck continues to hold my favor. Here's today's cards:

• V: The Hierophant

• Ace of Wands

• Princess of Disks

"Forgotten or obscured ideas/information may lead to inspiration and, ultimately, provide a solid foundation for moving the project forward."

Harmless

 

An oldie but a goodie from Helmet. I've had 1997s Aftertaste in regular rotation lately, and it feels good to reconnect with such a formative album for me. I am hot and cold on everything they did before this, but Aftertaste has blown me away since the first time I heard it, back when Mr. Brown slipped me a dubbed cassette shortly after the album's release. 

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NCBD:

A couple of books I'm very excited for on this list. Let's go!

A couple of years back, K and I randomly came across the old Thundarr the Barbarian cartoon we grew up with in the 80s and gave it a whirl. We were both shocked at what we didn't remember about this one - namely, that it takes place in a post-apocalyptic future! Way to turn the barbarian tale on its head! And now Jason Aaron is writing a new Thundarr comic for Dynamite! I've been waiting for this one since I first saw the solicitation a few months back, and finally, today, here we are!

A double dose of Barbarism this week! Savage Sword of Conan issue 12 lands and we get another single-issue story from Chris Ryall and Gabriel Rodriguez! Can anything top last month's Liam Sharp? I'm game to find out.

The Nice House By the Sea returns from its "mid-season hiatus," and I realize I'm going to have to re-read the previous six issues before digging into this one. Weekend project. 

Speaking of weekend re-reads, I fully intend to sit down and read all of Event Horizon Dark Descent in one shot now that the final issue is upon us. I didn't love this book (so far, anyway) but then, I like the film less and less the more I watch it. I mean, I still like Event Horizon, it just doesn't quite live up to that first viewing way back when, and looking too closely has revealed some gaps. Still, Sci Fi Horror is fun as hell, and watching Sam Neill take his eyes out in a hell dimension is no exception.

Finally, my first fully on board, subscribed and in my box waiting for me issues of Fraction and Jimenez's Batman, and after last month, I'm chomping at the bit for it. I LOVE this book!!!

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Watch:

I've reengaged with Japanese Cinema more over the last year, so when I saw this trailer about a man trapped in an endless subway station, I was immediately interested. Kind of a Japanese Backrooms, but also, this reminds me of Sofia Ajram's novel Coup de Grace, which I read last year (or the year before) and really dug.

I'm quite the fan of stories about people being lost in seemingly endless labyrinths. House of Leaves, In the Walls of Eeryx, No End House... the list goes on and I'm a fan of them all, so I'm excited to add another to that list, and Genki Kawamura's The Exit 8 looks to be just that. Read more about this one over on Bloody Disgusting HERE.

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Playlist:

Steve Moore - Jimmy & Stiggs OST

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right

QOTSA - Lullabies to Paralyze

Metallica - Ride the Lightning

Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou - May Our Chambers Be Full

H6LLB6ND6R - OST

Melvins - (a) Senile Animal

Agriculture - The Spiritual Sound

Massive Attack - 100th Window

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Card:

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

• Two of Pentacles

• Knight of Swords

• Six of Pentacles

Collaboration of Wills can create a balanced mechanism. No idea what this is trying to say, so let me look a little deeper with the help of Banzhaf & Theler's Keywords for the Crowley Tarot.

Two of Pentacles, combined here with the sharpened intellect of the Knight of Swords may point to paying attention to opposites. There's what I normally do, and then what's the opposite of that? Six of Cups suggests whatever that is, it might be a good idea. 

I Care Because You Do, Wolf Boy

Aphex Twin's 1995 ... I Care Because You Do was once an almost nightly staple of my listening, but it's been quite some time since I'd spun this one. Felt really good to reconnect. 

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I'm a pretty big fan of a number of Brad Anderson's middle-career films, but at some point, I fell off. Vanishing on 7th Street didn't do for me what I'd hoped, and Anderson's follow-up, The Call, admittedly did not get a fair shake due to my allergic reaction to the lead actress. All that aside, I LOVE Transsiberian and Session 9 - both of which Anderson wrote and directed, and The Machinist holds a special place in my heart despite the twist. When I stumbled across the trailer for upcoming Worldbreaker, I was interested - I don't know that Anderson has done anything like this before, and that alone puts it on my list.

This is getting a theatrical release, but I'm not sure if I'll be getting it here in Clarksville or not. Either way, I'll definitely check it out once I'm able. 

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Read:

A few weeks ago I had my local independent book store, Clarksville Book Shoppe, order me a copy of Nat Cassidy's 2025 novel When the Wolf Comes Home. I'd heard a lot of good things of late, and decided I felt like walking into a well-received, recent Horror novel absolutely blind. 

This definitely fit the bill.

Cassiday's prose is sold. Like, SOLID. His ideas are unqiue and, even though a couple things in this one rubbed me a little wrong, overall I really enjoyed it and 100% recommend it to fans of contemporary Horror. 

Not a werewolf novel, but also not entirely not a werewolf novel, the shapeshifting in this book has a very unique mechanism behind it; one that opens the story up to a much larger arc than first apparent. His characters are deeply developed and as real as characters get, and because of that, there are a couple of moments throughout that really hit me hard and made me set the book down before continuing for a day. Some harrowing circumstances befall Nat's characters, and he makes us love them enough that it hurts. 

That's great writing, isn't it?

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Playlist:

Radiohead - Kid A

Radiohead - Amnesiac

Radiohead - Hail to the Thief

Tool - Aenima

Alice in Chains - Eponymous

The Soft Moon - Criminal

Fever Ray - Eponymous

Gylt - I Will Commit A Holy Crime: Tandem

Chicago Underground Quartet - Good Days

The National - High Violet

Aphex Twin - ... I Care Because You Do

Sunn O))) - Metta, Benevolence BBC6 Live: On the Invitation of Mary Anne Hobbs

QOTSA - Songs for the Deaf

Fever Ray - Radical Romantics

Roxy Music - Eponymous

NIN - Pretty Hate Machine

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Card:

One of my favorite cards in the Crowley/Harris Thoth deck, XVII: The Star.

Basically,  a "go for it," situation. 

Electric Wizard LIVE!!!

Here's a nice little 666 injection into your Christmas Holiday. Posted by the Kilkim Žaibu festival. Great channel - check 'em out HERE.

 

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Watch:

If there's one subgenre based on location I love, it's Horror set in the Irish countryside. Director Peter Vass's upcoming film Banshee looks to have the quiet atmosphere I love in spades. Check out this trailer:

I'm unfamiliar with Vass and everything about this project, but after watching this, oh do I yearn to know more! You can check out the film's socials via the YouTube link. 

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Read:

As I approach the finish line on Isabel Cañas's The Possession of Alba Díaz, I realized that my first read of 2025 is probably going to be a long-overdue re-read of William Gibson and Bruce Sterling's classic The Difference Engine. 

I pulled my old beat-up paperback off the shelf a few nights ago and set it aside in preparation. It's easily been 15 years since the last time I read this one, and I think it will help me nail the Victorian England portion of Shadow Play, Book Two, which I'm hip-dip in at the moment and needing some authenticity. 

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Playlist:

Metallica - Kill 'Em All

The Dream Syndicate - The Days of Wine and Roses

The Ocean - Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic

Allegaeon - Apoptosis

Dreamkid - Daggers

D'Nell - 1st Magic

James Last - Christmas Dancing

Various - I'll Be Home for the Holidays

Bob Rivers - Twisted Christmas

Metallica - Ride the Lightning

Vince Guardaldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas OST

Rodney Crowell - Christmas Everywhere

Bing Crosby - Merry Christmas

Calexico - Second Shift

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Card:

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

• XVII: The Star

• XIX: The Sun

• Seven of Pentacles

Hope, clarity and assessment. That pain turned out to be another example of the bane of my middle age - gas. I'm alright now and ready to turn the volume up on my eating and drinking over the next few days. 

The Return of... Plague Bringer!!!

In celebration of the fact that Plague Bringer is back and playing their first show in ten years at this year's Forever Deaf Fest in Chicago on April 1st and I grabbed tickets HERE.

These guys have such a small internet presence. Thanks to the Spreading the Plague YouTube channel HERE for posting this video. Lots of great stuff on this channel - go check it out.

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NCBD:

What a great week! Let's go:

I really enjoyed issue 3 of David and Maria Lapham's Good as Dead, so I'm charged for #4! This book has some really interesting things going on in the background, and apparently, that's about to go off this issue!

This bi-weekly schedule for GIJOE's Dreadnok War storyline has really given the book the boost it needed! We've got major The Hills Have Eyes vibes in the outback with everyone's favorite grape soda addicts, and now that we've gotten an almost otherworldly, animalistic view of Cobra Commander, the pull on this one has strengthened for me quite a bit. 

I recently covered Tynion and Walsh's Exquisite Corpses on The Dread Broadcast because I think it's a book people need to know about. 

It feels like it's been forever since the first issue of Dan Jurgens, Mike Perkins and Mike Spicer's follow-up to last year's Bat-Noir, Bat-Man: First Knight, which I wrote about HERE. So far, I dig this new series just as much as the first; I could literally read one of these every year and be pretty happy. Batman fits 1930s Noir so well, and these creators really flourish in the style. 

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Watch:

Finally! The trailer I saw for Damian McCarthy's new film Hokum has hit YouTube, and I can share it! I know, I know - I don't normally like to watch trailers. I saw this before Sisu: Road to Revenge last month and was left jaw agape - another fantastic Neon trailer that shows us so much without telling us anything at all. Now that's how trailers should be!

Especially for McCarthy's films, which, to date, with Caveat and Oddity, are extremely unique and unnerving creations. Hokum - out May 1st - looks to be no different. 

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Playlist:

Tim Hecker - Infinity Pool OST

Bluekarma - The Information

The Afghan Whigs - Gentleman

Frank Black and the Catholics - One More Road for the Hit

Ritual Howls - Ruin

Drain - ... Is Your Friend

Plaguebringer - As the Ghosts Collect, the Corpses Rest

Orville Peck - Pony

Radiohead - Kid A

Radiohead - OK Computer

Dreamkid - Daggers

Eldov - A Story of Darkness and Light

Mondo Decay - Nun Gun

Massive Attack - Mezzanine

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Card:

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

• Four of Wands

• Seven of Wands

• Eight of Cups

Don't allow harmony to convince you to drop your guard.