Holy cow - I didn't even know this was coming! Read about the whys and wherefores of the early release HERE. Meanwhile, I'll be clicking over to Debemur Morti's North American Shop to pick this one up (even though I missed out on the awesome pink and purple splatter variant! Drat!)
At a very early first listen, Hallucinogen appears to be the first Blut Aus Nord album in a while that really grabbed me right off the bat. That makes me super happy.
Also, I'm noticing Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry is back in stock on Vinyl. That's been a long time coming! Can't wait for this package to arrive - two of my favorite album covers ever in one box!
M83's new album Digital Shades Vol. II dropped today. It's gorgeous, and coincidentally makes a perfect soundtrack to my re-read of Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera's Black Science. I'm eleven issues in and th Telepathic Millipede death cult is one of the awesomest/creepiest lifeforms I've seen in a SciFi/Fantasy story like this. Check that - there are no SciFit/Fantasy stories like this. Pure, unraveling, multi-dimensional madness, and I'm loving it, especially with this lush, analog soundtrack. I fell out with M83 after HUWD, and I still want a non-instrumental record from them again, but in the meantime, DSVII is fantastic.
**
Larry Fessenden's modern take on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is fantastic, and if you're in Hollywood and get a chance to see that - or any of the other goodies playing there - you should definitely drop in at Arena Cinelounge. Fantastic venue for short run/obscure flicks. I posted the trailer for Depraved yesterday, so today, here's a super cool behind the scenes shot I found online, along with a LINK to a cool article by Fessenden on why he makes movies.
For my money, Mr. Fessenden is the closest thing to a John Carpenter-level talent who isn't wearing his JC influence on his sleeve (not always a bad thing, the point here is LF is as original in his approach now as JC was to his back in the day), toiling away in partial obscurity, making original, solid flicks that are as interesting to the philosophical mind as they are to the eye. Support this man's work!
My full, short review of Depraved is up on Letterbxd HERE.
**
Playlist from 9/19:
Tomahawk - Eponymous
Pixies - Beneath the Eyrie
Sleep - Sleep's Holy Mountain
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats - Mind Control
Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe
**
Card of the day:
Wow, talk about the cards talking directly, clearly, right to me! Two days of the 4 of Disks, Power while I recharge my mental and physical batteries, directly followed by the 3 of Disks, Work, telling me to get my ass back in gear and get to work. Time to wrap Black Science for the day and head out to write!
A friend and I are going to check out Larry Fessenden's new film Depraved in Hollywood tonight, and I am excited! I've been waiting for some time for this, a modern re-telling of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein tale. The trailer looks fantastic, and the theatre the film is playing at is one of my favorite little nooks and crannies in a city where everything is overblown and overexposed. A fun time will be had by all, of that I am certain.
**
New Fangoria arrived two days ago and I've barely had a chance to scratch the surface.
Great cover.
**
Playlist from 9/18:
Sausage - Riddle Are Abound Tonight
Sleep - Sleep's Holy Mountain
Sepultura - Roots
Malcolm Middleton - Sleight of Heart
Lustmord - The Word as Power
Perturbator - Dangerous Days
**
Card of the day:
I love seeing the same card multiple days in a row, especially when I can interpret the pull as a nod that what I've been doing is the right thing to be doing. Burnt out and not in the best physical shape, I took another day off from writing after work yesterday and had a big ol' nap. It was glorious! This restorative, Powering Up period has worked wonders - I feel considerably better today than I did yesterday, so tomorrow it's going to be rest in the morning, and then back at it.
Actually, I did a little bit of work yesterday: finally dug out an old manuscript I intend to canabalize for an upcoming short story. It was fun revisiting old material, especially looking at it with fresh eyes, seeing what I can use and what will be changed or tossed. This new one's been on my mind for over a year, so I can't wait to tear into it!
SO happy I helped kickstart this one! There are two slots for this year's Beyondfest still to be announced - I'm hoping one of them is Blood Machines. My hope for the other slot is either Babak Anvari's Nathan Ballingrud adaptation Wounds or the Soska Sisters' Rabid.
Speaking of Beyondfest 2019, I was able to get tickets to almost everything I wanted:
Joe Bob Brigs - How Rednecks Saved Hollywood Tammy and the T-Rex
Joe Begos Double Feature: Bliss and VFW, with Begos and crew in person
Tom Atkins Triple Feature with Mr. Atkins attending: Halloween III Season of the Witch, Night of the Creeps and John Carpenter's The Fog
The only flick I missed out on is Richard Stanley's adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's The Color Out of Space with Stanley in person, but I'm cool with what I was able to score. There's also tickets available for a bunch of other films I'm toying with, but I'll probably decide some of those last minute since most are during the week.
**
NCBD - so weird. Third NCBD in a row with no books, and I'm not particularly bothered. In fact, probably to sub the weekly comic experience, I chomped down hard on my re-read of Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera's Black Science, which I erroneously reported ended last month, but actually ends next week with issue forty-three. As of last night, I am eight issues into the re-read, and having an absolute blast with it. Such great world building, both story wise and with Scalera's incomparable art.
**
I've been doing a lot of digital reading. So much so, that it's becoming a bit of a problem. Kindle books are so cheap it's insane. Case in point, this was $0.99:
Forty freakin' stories by a variety of different authors. Some of those, like the Lovecraft and the Howard I already have, but there's a ton of stuff I do not. In fact, what led me to this one was researching T.E.D. Klein, whose OOP paperback Dark Gods keeps coming up in conversation as essential reading to further Lovecraft's mythos, but which runs for about $50+ on eBay. Klein's story The Events at Poroth Farm is included in this one, and it also comes recommended as a great place to start with his work. Instead of that one though, I started with a Clark Ashton Smith, whose SciFi/Fantasy work I adore, but whose entries in the mythos I've never read before. I'm about a quarter of the way through The Return of the Sorcerer, and it is, as I suspected, fantastic. Smith's handling of Lovecraft's work actually reminds me a lot Howard's, whose Lovecraft-related work I actually probably like better than Lovecraft's. Sacrilege, I know, but the man can write. And so can Smith.
**
Well, I went and saw Rob Zombie's 3 From Hell two nights ago. I didn't like it. My short review is up on Letterbxd HERE. I'll add that I am happy RZ made the movie he wanted to, it just wasn't to my tastes or what I wanted from a sequel to two movies I adore. Despite of my negative take, I'll still go see the next one when it comes out (there will be a next one).
**
Playlist of late:
Danzig - Danzig 1
Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
Mark Korven - The Witch OST
Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar
David Bowie - Aladdin Sane
Flipper - Generic Flipper
Various - Under Frustration, Vol. 2
Brass Hearse - Eponymous EP
Rob Zombie - Apple Essentials
Brass Hearse - In Death (I'll Love You More) single
**
Card of the day:
To me, this card always indicates a solid foundation, or re-gathering thereof. And that's what I've been doing of late - a lot of rest. I've felt out of sorts, stressed out, and my wrist in probably badly sprained. I may continue to rest today, even if I am neglecting my writing. We'll see. The reading - of comics, The Queen's Conjuror, and now some Cthulhu Mythos, is also an attempt at re-cementing my foundation, and that combined with the added rest is helping put me back together a bit after traveling and a grueling return to work last week.
Ghost released two new tracks last week. At first listen, I'll be honest and say I wrinkled my nose a bit. After a few more, I've come around a bit. I get the campy 70s thing, I just don't particularly care for it. Still, new Ghost is always something to look forward to. However, now I'm curious. Since the second record, Ghost's M.O. has been an album every two years, with an E.P. in-between. Do the two tracks released as "Seven Inches of Satanic Panic" constitute the entire release, or is there more still to come?
**
In keeping with the theme, I watched Chelsea Stardust's Satanic Panic last night. Solid horror comedy, with some very bizarre scenes. Watch Rebecca Romijn read recently excavated intestines was fantastic, and I'm always happy to see AJ Bowen.
**
A new episode of The Horror Vision went up Saturday. Featured film is Richard Stanley's Hardware, but we hit all kinds of stuff, from Wes Craven's original The Hills Have Eyes, to Mindhunter Season Two, to the theatrical release of Ari Aster's Midsummer.
Pixies - Head Carrier
Ghost - Seven Inches of Satanic Panic
Ghost - Prequelle
Twin Temple - Twin Temple (Bring You Their Signature Sound... Satanic Doo-Wop)
**
Card of the day:
Change. This is good. I've been so stressed out from work lately, I'm having night terrors. First time for that, and it's pretty fucked up. Also, my diet is not what I want it to be, and I need to change that; I've developed a running fear of heart attacks due to the stress and the amount of red meat I've been eating. Change won't be easy though, because having K's mother live with us means for the last year and some change and continuing forward, there's a lot of food in the house I would normally not buy. I need to figure out a way to topple this current paradigm. I also need to get back to my breathing exercises and meditation, which, after a good start, went out the window with my Chicago trip. First part of the battle though, is recognizing what needs to Change.
The new Pixies album came out yesterday. It's fantastic.
Long time Pixies fan, but I've always been a bit disappointed that their reconvening has pushed Black's solo career out of the picture. So there's that. But I loved Indy Cindy, and all the weird, negative shit I'd see online, like, "This isn't the Pixies I remember!" felt so ridiculous to me. It's that, no-matter-what-when-a-band-reunites-I'm-gonna-hate-it attitude that I don't get. I mean, I always approach long-awaited reunions with skepticism, but some bands pull them off. Off the top o' me head, Bauhaus' Go Away White in 2006 was fantastic. And I put Indy Cindy in that camp as well. Then Head Carrier came out and I tried multiple times but just did not get it. Until, several nights ago in Chicago, Mr. Brown recommended I give it another chance. This time, I did what I had not previously done - headphones. Late one night while staying at my parents' place, I had a late night writing session and put Head Carrier on the old Apple Music.
Instant fan.
And now, here's Beneath the Eyrie. And although I'm still spending most of my Pixies time with Head Carrier on repeat, the one somewhat choppy listen I've been able to give Eyrie lead me to believe it is more of the same.
**
It's been a while. Where do I even start? How about currently reading:
This is research for the second book in my Shadow Play series. The first book has ties into historical events, but in a much smaller way than I always knew subsequent books would. And of course, John Dee and Edward Kelley are going to play a part, because I've been obsessed with them off and on for almost two decades now. Although, their presence may largely be in an indirect way.
Regardless, I needed to brush up and expand my Dee/Kelley knowledge, and Benjamin Woolley's The Queen's Conjuror has turned out to be not only the best historical narrative I've seen yet of the duo, but a very well-written, enjoyable to read book.
Another book I grabbed on the day of release but haven't started reading yet came by way of a recommendation Warren Ellis wrote in his most recent Orbital Operations email newsletters. Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth had me at this blurb by author CharlesStross (also awesome):
"Lesbian Necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!"
Sold! Can't wait to read this one; my deep dive into Alan Campbell's Gravedigger Chronicles earlier in the year left me seriously hungering for some strange SciFi/Fantasy, and Gideon sounds as though it will fit the bill.
**
I watched Gaspar Noe's Climax a few nights ago. With heavy trepidation, might I add. I ended up really liking it; there's a social, "getting to know the characters" scene after the first dance number that I hated violently, but aside from that, Noe crafts a harrowing hell on earth that can only be described as modern de Sade. Also, the choreography in this flick is fucking amazing:
**
K and I finally caught Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood last night. I have to say, I went through most of the film not really liking it; the film often felt aimless. Some of QT's more 'experimental' approaches to editing seemed sloppy. And Kurt Russell's narration appears in a way that made it feel like a rather sloppy device. Then the final, "Cielo Drive" sequence began and I LOVED it so much that this one sequence completely turned the entire experience around for me. I feel like I have to see it again, for sure, even if only to indulge in that final scene. Man! So good. Made me really miss Brad Pitt, so that I'm working it into the remaining days of September to re-watch both Twelve Monkeys and Fight Club, two flicks I haven't watched in ages, and in which Pitt really shines.
**
Highlights of music that is new or has been important to me since my previous entry:
The Pixies - Head Carrier
The Pixies - Beneath the Eyrie
Black Sabbath - Sabotage
Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave (Vol. 4 alternate, cassette release I've had for decades)
Black Sabbath - Eponymous
Fantomas-Melvins Big Band - Millennium Monsterwork
Ghost - Seven Inches of Satanic Panic
Purity Ring - Lofticries (single)
M83 - Saturdays = Youth
M83 - Temple of Sorrow (pre-release single)
M83 - Luna de Fiel (pre-release single)
Alice in Chains - Rainier Fog
Pale Dian - Narrow Birth
Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats - Wasteland
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats - Mind Control
Algiers - The Underside of Power
Iggy Pop - Lust for Life
Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure
Moderat - II
Nabihah Iqbal - Weighing of the Heart (ALL I listened to on the flight back to LA)
Drab Majesty - Modern Mirror
Venom - Welcome to Hell
David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
**
Card of the day:
A nice apocalyptic image that fits right in with my delving back into Enochian Magick.
This track puts you in my exact headspace at the moment. Holed up in the business center in San Jose Airport - a layover on my way to Chicago - I've had a restful day of low impact/low stress. I arrived at Long Beach Airport an hour and a half early and spent most of that time sitting absolutely still, regulating my breathing, giving Tool's Fear Inoculum a second chance. Turns out it's fantastic, and designed around what I would guess is a formidable, uncompromising vision. That said, I've come away from two repeated listens with a newfound respect, but still feeling I'm only ever going to make a connection in it when I'm sitting in an airport, sitting perfectly still. Which isn't often.
**
My life reached a stress pinnacle and I had to rethink how I do this blog. My work day is now overflowing, and the writing/business of starting a publishing imprint draws much of the rest of my time. I'm still going to do these entries as often as possible, I just don't know that it'll be every day. Or even every other day. We'll see. But anyone who reads, I thank you for doing so, and there will always be more awesome to come.
**
Beyondfest 2019's lineup is a dream come true. Well, I've been going for something like five years now, and it's always a dream come true. Here's the list - my order of priority is as follows:
• Joe Begos double feature of Bliss and VFW, with Begos, Josh Ethier, and probably a lot more of the cast and crew present. A few years ago when Begos came to Beyondfest with Mind's Eye, I think he brought like, everybody. It was pretty fucking awesome. I can't wait. Highest priority.
• Tom Atkins afternoon triple feature of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Night of the Creeps, and John Carpenter's The Fog, with Atkins in person. Let me say that again: with Tom Atkins in person. 'Nuff said.
• Richard Stanley's The Color Out of Space, with Stanley in person. SOLD.
• Joe Bob Briggs - How Rednecks Saved Hollywood. Joe Bob in person, doing the lecture he's becoming very sought after in city after city to do. This man is a low-fi genius, and I look forward to hearing him do his thing in person.
• Tammy and the T-Rex- the newly restored 90s kid's movie that, turns out, was really a heavily edited, gorey A.F. revenge movie where a girl's murdered boyfriend's brain gets put into the body of a T Rex. I haven't seen this in either form, but I've heard it discussed on Shockwaves and I'm IN. Also, it immediately follows the Joe Bob, so that should be nice and easy to maneuver.
There's also a handful of free showings I might try to make, and some unannounced dates, at least one of which I'm crossing my fingers will be The Soska Sisters' in person screening their remake of David Cronenberg's Rabid. That would also get high priority in my book. We'll see. The last three years, getting tickets to a lot of these screenings becomes difficult because every year, Fandango crashes. This year, apparently, they've moved ticket sales to Brown Paper Tickets. Hopefully the handle everything better.
**
Another minor logistical problem with buying tickets to Beyondfest this Saturday is, about the time they go on sale, I'll be at Scary Perry's Halloween Store for their Scare Faire. Jonathan Grimm and I have a table - he'll be hocking prints, magnets, stickers and who knows what else with his unbelievable art, I'll have copies of both A Collection of Desires: 7 Tales of Modern Horrorand the just-released Shadow Play Book One: Kim and Jessie. Unfortunately, due to some printing errors, I won't have as many copies as I would like, but there's a solid twenty of each, so if you're interested, come on down!
**
Playlist from the last couple days:
Budos Band - Burnt Offerings
Jenny Lewis - The Voyager
Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure
Joy Division - Closer
The Ocean - Rhyacian: Untimely Meditations (2017 Version)
The Ocean - Aeolian
The Ocean - Precambrian
The Ocean - Anthropocentric
The Ocean - Heliocentric
Twin Temples - Shadows
Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual
White Hex - Gold Nights
