Horror Addicts, it’s a new year, but is it a new you? Or are you just as cynical, melodramatic, and haunted as ever? Personally, the past year smacked me around even harder than the previous two years, and I’ve got my guard up for another year of challenges. The best way to stave off the doldrums? Good music. So let’s start this season off with some hard-rocking Macabre Musicians.
Review
The band Derision Cult, described as “Chicago Industrial Metal for psychos charlatans and the age of regression,” offered up the supercharged album Mercenary Notes #1 in late 2022 and I’m here for it. There are many vibes represented here, but it’s a delightfully dark collection of hits that fits this week’s theme perfectly.
The album starts off with two industrial tracks that each had a strong groove, but then I got to “Deaf Blood,” featuring Chris Connelly and Reese Gabrels, and the hardcore punk-esque chanting had my lip curling and my fist pumping. “Slaves Rebuild” has a droning voice riffing about the doldrums of life and it sucks you in with its dry humor. “Bastards of the World” will appeal to fans of Rob Zombie with a hard-hitting rhythm and growly vocals. “Mercenary” gives a Bauhaus vibe, and I love the guitars on “Year Hope Failed,” which reminded me a bit of old-school industrial punks The Butthole Surfers. Mercenary Notes #1 is a solid effort and enjoyable through to the end.
Ro’s Recs
Macabre Musicians are my favorite, so here’s a list of some of the best you should check out, if you haven’t already, along with my favorite tracks and some brand new tunes:
Ghost – Danse Macabre
Slipknot – Bone Church
Everybody Dies – Billie Eilish
Younger Hunger – Dead Inside
Black Sabbath – Sabbra Cadabra
The Misfits – Die, Die My Darling
Metallica – Screaming Suicide
Judas Priest – Beyond The Realm of Death
Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead
Camille Saint–Saëns: “Danse macabre in G Minor, Op. 40
Death Cab for Cutie – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
The Smiths – Suffer Little Children
Harley Poe – I Wanna Die
Thanks to this article from 34th Street for some inspiration. I hope you discover some new Macabre Musicians on this list, and feel free to share with me some of your favorites! That’s it for this week, but Stay Tuned for More…
Former Requiem In White/Mors Syphilitica vocalist, Lisa Hammer, has a new album out titled Dakini, which the artist’s website describes as “Medieval songs, Indian Ragas, Appalachian Folk Music, Middle-Eastern Drones, and Opera.” Dakini is a re-release of Hammer’s classic album with some previously unreleased tracks that will attract fans of atmospheric music such as Enya and Dead Can Dance. The pieces on this album are appropriate for accompanying your rituals or to fill the spaces between light and dark. Hammer’s clear and pleasant voice will carry you away on a mystical journey of the senses. With Latin, Indian, and Celtic influences, Hammer’s album will appeal to those looking for soothing sounds on a cold evening night by the fire. Standout tracks include “In Taberna Quando Summus” and “Kyrie Orbis Facto,” which will stay with the listener long after. Hammer writes soundtrack music for film, theatre, and TV, and sings as a guest artist with the Brooklyn psychedelic musical project: Fashion Bird Danger Danger. She is currently writing and recording the next Radiana album and a second solo album to be released by The Circle Music. Lisa is also an award-winning filmmaker, currently working on several projects. Horror Addicts who enjoy artists like Valentine Wolfe will enjoy Hammer’s work. Pick up Dakini and be bathed in Hammer’s sensual and enticing world. Dare I say the album would make a great soundtrack for a Bloody Tea… Read more in Bloody Tea.
What horror-related themes have you found to be the most inspiring for your music?
Universal Studios Monsters and Kaiju Films
What horror movie/TV show would you re-score if given the chance?
Are Hallmark Channel movies considered horror? Because they are scary! Hmm… Dark Shadows from the 1960/the 70s would be fun!
What non-musical things inspire your music?
Buddhism, the sea, Julia Child, Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Gardening, my loved ones because so many are creative.
What film/TV horror-related character would you most identify with? Why?
I think Elvira because of the balance of horror and humor which I love.
How do you handle fear as an artist?
Sometimes I walk right into it and sometimes I walk right beside it or around it. I don’t like to walk away from fear. I walk away from other things like foolishness. Life is always out of our hands a bit.
What are your favorite horror movies?
Dracula, Dracula’s Daughter, The Others, Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Pan’s Labyrinth
What was the scariest night of your life?
Is this about something supernatural? A friend and I once went ghost hunting along route 44 in Rehobeth, MA, and ended up having the rubber of the tire break and slap the side of the car. We were sure it was a ghost! There is a fable about a ghost there.
If you could bring back greats who have passed on, who would be your undead opening band?
Ofra Haza, though I would have to be her opening act.
Her voice was from celestial realms not yet discovered.
Final thoughts / Anything you want to tell the Horror Addicts?
Please check out my new album El salón (A Happy Home is a Haunted Home)! It is horror and humor and what I hope is weird fun!
Who was your favorite band of 2021’s Season?
Vote now so they can be voted “Best Band!”
Who will it be?
Valentine Wolfe
Static X
Dissonance
Vexillary
Riot Legion
Black Angel
Provision
The Funhouse Collective
Batavia
Palace of Tears
In Chasms Deep
Elle Noir
Night Terror
Greetings Horror Addicts! I hope you’re surviving the Dog Days of Summer. I mean, it’s fine, I guess. Sunny, hot, daylight comes early…what’s not to love? BLECK. I must be patient, I know, but that’s tough when our mistress Emz posts pictures of the spooky offerings at Ross and Michael’s and there are SO many great horror flicks online. I’ve already hit Etsy for some creepy goods while binging What We Do In The Shadows. Man, I love that show with its dark moody set where it feels as if it’s always nighttime is perfect for those, uh, sunny summer days. BARF. We watched Day Shift with Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco and I loved it! It’s got a Zombieland feel, but the action was WAY more intense…and graphic. Watch the trailer on Netflix and see what I mean. Any favorites from this summer? Hit me up at rlmerrillauthor@gmail.com and share your favorites.
Ro’s Reviews
Since we’re featuring Mechanical Horror this week, we’re revisiting industrial artist Zwaremachine (reviewed on Horror Addicts in September 2019). They’re back with a couple of catchy tunes called “Parasol” and “Resist.” Both songs have great rhythm and instrumentally they remind me of the 80s synth music that was heavily featured in movie soundtracks. Folks have gone wild for shows like Stranger Things and Archive 81—can you tell I’ve been watching WAY too much TV?—and both shows’ scores have this vibe. Their track “Resist” also has a retro sound I’d compare to Nitzer Ebb or Prodigy. Fans industrial dance tracks might want to check out the band’s catalogue. I can picture films like
Shout Outs
Dark Wave Doom artist Jonathan Christian’s “Talkin’ Bout The Wolf” is an intriguing tune you should check out. Seattle Darkwave artist NUDA’s instrumental “Trigger” is full of hooks and effects that tease the senses and will likely give the listener an inkling of what their live shows would be like. Bellhead’s “Nothing As It Seems” is a super creepy industrial track with shudder-inducing whisper-talk lyrics and a fun drum track. Don’t listen at night by yourself.
Ro’s Recs
I love the radio function on Spotify and YouTube Music. I’ve found so many bands that I really dig that way. My latest discovery was a heavy rock band from Sweden called Witchcraft. They have the same vibe as another recent discovery, Nashville’s All Them Witches, and the similarity goes farther than the similar names and themes. Their music styles are alike, the kind of rock that you can just zone out to, get in the flow and get shit done. Or not. Get bewitched by these excellent bands.
That’s it for this edition of Merrill’s Musical Musings. Have you been following along on the YouTube Music Playlist for this season’s show? If not, check it out, and Stay Tuned for more…
What TV/movie horror character do you most identify with and why?
I feel like I always identify with the misunderstood villains, I can always see their side of things for the most part. But every time I watch “The Lost Boys” I feel an absolute connection with David…a kick-ass hair connection that is, and who wouldn’t want to be an awesome vampire with platinum hair?
What is the most frightening thing you’ve written about as a lyricist?
I think the most frightening thing I’ve written about is death/ loss of someone close to me. I’ve written about losing my close friend in a car accident and also losing my friend and manager to suicide. It is scary but everyone can relate to losing someone. Writing about it really helps my grieving process and it definitely keeps my memories of them closer to me.
What non-musical things inspire your music?
I pull from emotions from personal experiences, nature, and even solitude. All of these things really inspire songs and pull from deeper parts of myself. I am constantly getting ideas from scents that remind me of past events which bring up emotions and things I have forgotten about.
What is the meaning behind the album name, ‘IV0X10V5’?
We took the name “IV0X10V5” (pronounced noxious) from my song “Battleground”. Whilst shooting the music video, my friend and artist painted the lyrics of the song onto my body to mimic tattoos. Across my collar bone, she painted noxious, but the way that she painted it looked more like how we write it for the album. Almost like leet speak. It just stuck with us ever since then.
If you could re-score any horror movie or tv show, what would it be?
I love the soundtrack to The Craft and I think it would be SO fun to re-score it with some modern music with keeping the feel of the 90s. I’d kill to hear my songs in a horror movie.
What are your favorite horror movies?
I would have to say my favorite horror movies are Scream (1996), Raw, and Donnie Darko. I love the cheesy jump scares of Scream. And both Scream and Raw have some awesome amounts of bloodiness. But the psychological aspects of all three of these movies are so interesting I could watch them a thousand times.
What was the scariest night of your life?
I have quite a few, but one that sticks in my head is when I was flying back to MI from Cali. I absolutely hate flying but I suck it up for the most part and wear my brave face even if I have to bring a stuffed animal on the flight with me. The flight was about 5 hours and I remember it being the worst turbulence I’ve ever experienced. At one point we had dropped altitude so fast that my arms flew into the air. I was certain we would be falling out of the sky at any moment. I had put on a movie before takeoff and I didn’t watch any of it. I was gripping the armrests and squeezing my eyes shut for the ENTIRE flight. I was scared out of my mind.
My heart never beat so hard. I remember getting off the flight and being absolutely drained. My arms were sore from gripping the armrests for so long. Not super scary to most but it is one of my biggest fears.
If you could bring back greats who have passed on, who would be your
undead opening band?
There are so many that I would love to bring back. Recently I’ve been listening to Alice in Chains and I would love to bring back Layne Staley, his voice is so iconic and his songwriting was so unique. I would bring back Taylor Hawkins on drums, have to have Jimi Hendrix on guitar and John Lennon on the bass.
Final thoughts / Anything you want to tell the Horror Addicts?
Thank you for checking out my interview, now “We’re friends till the end, remember?” -Chuckie (Childs Play [1988])
Greetings Horror Addicts! I hope this bit of Musical Musing finds you in a good place. I’ve come up with a theory, want to hear it? Yeah. Good. See, my kid’s school starts in early August now. I decided that means it’s fall, and therefore time to bust out the spookies! Right? With this declaration, I put on one of my Halloween necklaces and I treated myself to some new décor this past weekend. Emz and I represented HorrorAddicts.net at Creatures Con in Concord, met some cool fellow horror peeps, and shared info on the podcast and HorrorAddicts.net Press. I even ran into a few music fans, including a dude in a Slipknot jumpsuit, a young’un sporting a Pierce the Veil shirt, and a gal wearing a homemade, hand-painted System of a Down shirt. I was in heaven chatting with folks about music and horror, and how much we all miss getting together in person! I came home fired up, jammed out to some Ghost, and finished a novella I was writing featuring vampires, witches, and Shifters. Life is good.
Let’s get to the meat of my Musings and talk about Heavy Metal. I got to chat with our very own Historian of Horror Mark Orr about my favorite genre of music this week and I’m sure I geeked out on him quite a bit. I highly recommend watching Metal Evolution, a ten-part docuseries that features all of the subgenres of heavy music. Check it out and tell me what you think!
Ro’s Reviews
We’ve got a few musical offerings to fit the theme. Melodic death metal outfit A Fitting Revenge from Rochester, New York, launch into punishing yet technically sound riffs from the beginning of their newly released album Omnipresence. Horror Addicts who love to get lost in an album with superior musicianship will enjoy tracks like “The Infinite” and “The Inquisition,” the latter of which takes the listener on an epic sonic journey. Fans of Killswitch Engage, Angelmaker, and Enterprise Earth will dig this sci-fi-infused offering.
Shout Outs
She 1 Him 2 has put out a couple of singles this year that are worth checking out, including a cover of the Bowie classic “Fame” and “Stuck Inside” a situation many of us can relate to after the past couple of years. Artist CARV.R released the single “Iris,” which has melodic vocals over an excellent hypnotic dance track. And Sirens of Light shared with us a delightful cover of “Revolver” from Mission of Burma. I hope to hear more from these sirens.
Ro’s Recs
I would be remiss if I didn’t inform you that Texas band Space Cadet reunited recently for some shows and released a brand-new album titled 11 that is, quite simply, fire. It harkens back to the early days of grunge but with a modern-day vibe that invokes nostalgia at the same time that it fits with current hard rock/metal radio offerings. I hope this is the beginning of the second half of their career as I’m absolutely sold. Tracks like “All Over But The Dying Now” and “Like a Ghost” definitely go to eleven.
Another must-listen is the all-female Mexican hard rock band The Warning. Their video for “Disciple” has some creepy, mind-control visuals that are a little too close for comfort these days. Check them out!
Greetings Horror Addicts! As summer stretches on and sunny days rule, we can feel some comfort in the fact that we just passed the 100-day mark. Yes, less than 100 days until Halloween! Stores are starting to put up their decorations and I can’t WAIT to see what this year’s spooky season has in store. Perhaps a few sea creatures should be added to my décor…
Yes, there’s something welcoming and yet terrifying about the wide-open waters, and musicians throughout time have created songs and music inspired by the sea. Since we here at Horror Addicts are all about the creepier side of art, I thought I’d write about some of the creepier music from the depths. See my list of recs below.
Ro’s Reviews
This episode’s review is of the phenomenal goth rock band from Athens, Georgia, who rep the area’s legacy for great alternative music well. I reviewed their debut album Inked in Red on the April 2021 episode of Merrill’s Musical Musings and I’ve been shouting from the rooftops about them ever since. They recently released a new single and video called “Beautiful Day To Die” and once more I’m here to sing their praise. The mellow, moody track is on the softer side for the goth punk pop band but the gorgeous harmonies will suck you in despite the flowery sunshine of the video. In fact, the dichotomy of the field of wildflowers while musing about death is perfection. The band has been touring for the past few months and you can find clips of their shows on YouTube, their Instagram page—which also features the hilariously hip advice from Goth Dad—and I highly recommend you check them out or heck, even catch them live!
Shout Outs
Oh, Lord. Where are my Weird Al Yankovic fans? Psychostick has tickled my metal heart with their new versions of metal songs we love. I am so digging songs like “Numbers” and “Bruce Campbell.” If you want a chuckle, check them out. It looks like they’re even taking a trip under the sea… Metal band Locust Grove released a new album called Battle of the Locust and if songs like “Monster” are any indication, they should make metal fans quite happy.
Ro’s Recs
The ocean is definitely one of my favorite places to be, although I don’t go nearly enough. There’s something peaceful about it, but there also lies a warning to humans who think they are invincible. Whether it was films like Jaws, The Abyss, or The Lighthouse reminding me to never turn my back on the water, or my own life experiences, I have a healthy respect for the water and what lives beneath. When the Pirates of the Caribbean movies were insanely popular, there were lots of folks praising the resurgence of sea chanties. I picked up Rogue’s Gallery back then and it’s a lot of fun. There’s even a Son of Rogue’s Gallery you can jam out to. They’re naughty and I just love them. I also made y’all a little gift. Songs of the sea for your dark little hearts. Okay, some of the songs are dark, and some are just classics or by artists us Horror Addicts love. Have any other ideas? Send them to me at rlmerrillauthor@gmail.com.
Luscious Apparatus shares their single “Infiltrate” with us this week. The band was inspired to write this song by the deplorable reports that have surfaced regarding Brian Warner AKA “Marilyn Manson” and the abuse he allegedly inflicted on several partners. Artists who use their voice to lift others up have my appreciation and the song “Infiltrate” is a moving entry point to the band whose sound will appeal to fans of the goth rockers like Evanescence. For those who are/were Manson fans and who are troubled/angered by the reports, you are not alone. As we begin to learn more disturbing facts about our musical “heroes,” it’s difficult to decide: do I continue to listen? Do I stop supporting?” Every music fan must decide for themselves. In the meantime, let me know what you think about Luscious Apparatus.
Disconnected is one of those artists that comes to me through the Horror Addicts HQ and within the first few bars of the song I recognize a kindred spirit. Melodic hard rockers from France, their latest album We Are Disconnected kicks off with “Life Will Always Find Its Way” and sucks you in. The vocals, both screaming and clean, are hauntingly compelling. I will definitely be listening to more from this band. “King of the World” and “Your Way To Kill,” are standouts as well. The harmonies are awesome and the hopeful vibe takes me back to some late 80s metal bands who knew that a power ballad was the way to a true fan’s heart.
Shout Outs
Dual Analog dropped their debut album Lust, Worship, and Desire. They dub their genre Turbowave and it’s definitely a vibe for folks who dig 80s bands like Book of Love and New Order’s offshoot Electronic. Against I released their EP O.M.G this spring and this one is great for folks who dig heavier industrial music like Rammstein and Static X. Cliff & Ivy’s “Bloody Ghost” has a 90s post-grungey kind of sound, so if that’s your jam, check them out.
Ro’s Recs
So my daughter and I have been watching Archive 81 and I cannot for the life of me tell you what is the creepiest thing about it. The music, however, is seriously ominous and music plays a significant role in the storyline. Anyone watching it? Anyone have ideas? Don’t spoil it for me, but if you are digging this show, shoot me a message on the socials or at rlmerrillauthor@gmail.com and let’s hear your theories. In the meantime, if you like really freaky music in the background while you’re working check this soundtrack out.
What singers or bands inspired you growing up? Kate Bush, Dead Can Dance, Violent Femmes, Tori Amos, Smashing Pumpkins, Guns n Roses, Annie Di Franco, Cranberries, NIN, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley
If you could be any TV or film horror character, who would you be? Why? I’d be Jack, from The Nightmare Before Christmas, cause I adore, simply adore Danny Elfman!
What non-musical things inspire your music? Films, Books, Food, Sunsets, bad relationships, Alcoholic nights, Sleep deprivation
If you could write your own soundtrack to a horror film already out there, which film would it be? Donnie Darko, although it’s not really a horror film, so let’s try The Beyond (L’Aldila) – E tu vivrai nel terrore! L’aldilà (1981) although that film’s soundtrack is a true gem, a masterpiece
Where was the coolest place to play? Where did you enjoy yourselves the most? a. in a roof apartment in Antwerp, with 3 Chinese fluffy chicken. b. in Utrecht, after a gorgeous show we played in an old medieval monastery’s basement theatre.
What are your favorite horror movies? I used to love zombie movies, cause they were fun, and I always love the latex effects. After seing the SAW series (up until III) I got disgusted at almost everything that contains torture, and now I only watch vampire or mystery or historical stuff.
What was the scariest night of your life? Watching Nightmare on Elm Street 3 – the puppet scene. I still have nightmares about it.
If you could bring back greats who have passed on, who would be your undead opening band? Layne Staley with Mark Lanegan and Christ Cornel with an Ennio Morricone conducted orchestra
Final thoughts / Anything you want to tell the Horror Addicts? I sometimes lay in bed and think I soak into the mattress all the way to the earth’s core and can hear everyone’s thoughts while descending. I swear I heard your voice, too, one day .. (just kidding.. or not?)
Bourbon House is one of the most exciting bands to come across my Horror Addicts Music Desk and their new album Into the Red is not to be missed. They are described on their website as “Forever passionately in love with the classic ’60s and 70’s hard rock sound of pioneering artists like Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath, bourbon house are on a mission to create music that is timeless and infectious.”
Oh, yes! Give me all the female-fronted grungy bluesy hard rock please and thank you. Fans of The Dead Weather, Dorothy, and The Kills will dig tracks like “Devil On My Heels” and “Dead In The Water.” These tracks would have fit right in on the True Blood soundtrack and are perfect for road trips, whiskey drinking, and good times with your friends. I look forward to more!
This week’s Shoutout is for Neonpocalypse and their new EP -Ish. This is the first-ever solo project by Then Comes Silence frontman Alex Svenson. It’s an apocalyptic EP for the ambivalent set. “Lips” is a gloomy jam that stands out from the rest of the tracks.
Ro’s Recs
Dream Widow is the metal band you’ll die for, but have never heard of…
Foo Fighter’s frontman Dave Grohl never does anything halfway, so when the band recorded their 10th album, Medicine at Midnight, they rented a house that allegedly had some extra ghost hosts living in it, and apparently, the band had some interesting experiences—which led Dave to decide, “we’re going to make a horror movie!” Studio 666 was born, and Horror Addicts, believe me when I say you will not be disappointed. I’ll work up a review for the film, but it was this strange appearance of a new artist on my YouTube Music recommendations that had me wondering…who is Dream Widow? The answer is, you guessed it, Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters. They recorded a full-length super heavy metal album to go along with the film and I am so in love. They drew on all of their influences dating back to Black Sabbath, Ozzy, and Motorhead but the sound is refreshingly new. Yes, you can tell the Foos are behind it, and sometimes you can recognize Dave’s voice, but just like they did with their Bee Gees tribute album The Dee Gees Hail Satin, they went all in to make a fantastic record. I highly suggest you check out the movie and the Dream Widow album. What better way to honor the memory of recently deceased drummer Taylor Hawkins? It was tough to watch as my heart is still hurting for the band, but I laughed and cried along, and I’m sending a big hug to the band and all of the fans missing Taylor.
That’s it for this time. Check out this week’s tunes on the Playlist and Stay Tuned for more…
Music has a strange magic about it. It can make us smile, shed tears, or remember meaningful moments in our lives. Music also has the power to bring out some of the “not so pleasant” parts of ourselves, like aggression and anger. What if there was a song that affected people so much that they are driven to suicide after listening to it once? This week’s Nightmare Fuel looks at one such song, the Hungarian Suicide Song.
Originally titled “The World is Ending”, Rezso Seress composed the song in 1933 about the despair caused by war. The song became popular after a poet named László Jávor wrote new lyrics for the song and changing the name to “Gloomy Sunday”. Rather than being a song about war, the new version depicted the protagonist contemplating suicide following a lover’s death. In 1935, a Hungarian version of the song was recorded, followed by an English version a year later. Billie Holiday recorded the version most people are familiar with in 1941, although the BBC viewed it as detrimental to the war effort and banned during World War II.
Where the creepiness really comes in is the 100 suicides believed to have occurred after listening to the song. The reports range from suicides occurring during or just after listening to the song. Some people found either held the sheet music when found or quoted lyrics in their suicide notes. Perhaps the most notable suicide attributed to “Gloomy Sunday” was in 1968, when Rezso Seress leapt from his apartment window in Budapest.
While there are plenty of suicides attributed to “Gloomy Sunday”, many of the stories cannot be verified. Nowadays, people consider the song’s reputation as nothing more than a long-standing urban legend. Regardless of where your beliefs fall on the song’s reputation, it is one to listen to. If you do, listen with a friend.
The Texas band Sevit has a sound reminiscent of Joy Division and according to their Facebook page, their sound comes from “the influences of Pornography-era Cure and a decade of post minimalistic, monologic analog sounds with melodies, big beats, and dreamy vocal hooks.” They released a cover of and this nod to The Crow hits its mark. The accompanying tune “It All Comes Down To Me” is a slow haunting tune to complement the cover tune. It’s a promising collection from the band and we look forward to hearing more in the future.
This week’s Shoutout is for the band Black Angel, who appeared previously on HorrorAddicts.net. Their latest single “Breathe” is the first of four new tracks expected from the band in early 2022 and does not disappoint. Fans of The Cure and Peter Murphy will enjoy the twisted tale of love and obsession.
Ro’s Recs
Bring Me The Horizon has become one of my go-to bands for heavy mood times. Their song “Parasite Eve” I’ve shared with you before and it became my Pandemic Anthem. They have a new collaboration out with rapper Masked Wolf, “Fallout,” and it is a total end-of-the-world creepy track you’ve got to check out. I’ve seen clips of the video and ohhh…Oli Sykes is such a chameleon. I love it.
Ice Nine Kills has also put out a video-game-adjacent track from PubG, “Hunting Season,” and I’m in love. Any gamers out there? I’d love to hear some of your favorite tracks?
That’s it for this time. All of the bands featured in Merrill’s Musical Musings are available on the Horror Addicts 2022 playlist. Stay Tuned for more…
The Royal Ritual is the artist name for David Lawrie, a UK-based, multi-talented musician. Gnossienne No. 1 is an ethereal piano performance with modern touches. According to Wikipedia, The Gnossiennes are several piano compositions by the French composer Erik Satie in the late 19th century. The works are for the most part in free time and highly experimental with form, rhythm and chordal structure. The form as well as the term was invented by Satie.
Lawrie’s take on Erik Satie’s Gnossienne No. 1 is the perfect accompaniment for reading your favorite tales of vampires or visiting haunted houses. The artist’s compositions can be found in TV and film as well.
This week’s Shoutout goes to Plastic Assault Network. “Soul Seeker” is the third and final single released by Plastic Assault Network on December 17th, 2021, and completes their EP.
Ro’s Recs this week features the Papa himself. Ghost’s latest release Impera features the catchy tune “Twenties” as well as the gorgeous track “Call Me Little Sunshine.” Ghost is considered a metal band, but fans of Blue Oyster Cult and Nightwish will love them as will true metalheads. Their music is strangely addicting and though it contains guitars, Papa Emeritus (Sweden’s Tobias Forge) has such a beautifully soothing voice, you find yourself singing along to lyrics about darkness, the devil, and dystopia-like a pop music earworm. I never quite understood why all of my musician heroes were obsessed with Ghost…until I saw them live. Then I, too, became a believer. Impera is a full-bodied, Satiric/Satanic feast of audial delight. Check it out.
NY-based Crimson Brulee released their promising EP Tragica, which brings us “words for the wounded hearts of the world.” Guitar-heavy licks laced with synthesizers give them a rich sound and the production quality on this EP is quite pleasing. The male vocalist channels his inner Peter Murphy while the female’s vocals add a soft melodic quality to their tracks. Crimson Brulee is definitely a band to watch.
The track “I Came Back To You” has an 80s horror movie vibe Horror Addicts will enjoy, and “Nothing Dies Forever” is a goth love anthem for the ages. “Where Tarantulas Roam” has a radio-ready hook that surprised me with its catchy vibe. Check out Crimson Brulee on YouTube Music
I’d also like to give a Shout-out to the band Cut Like This. Their track “The Boogieman” is like dancing with a nightmarish Gwen Stefani and I am here for it. Horrorpunk is such a fun genre and I recommend you check out this fun creepy lullaby.
Ro’s Recs:
If the Trinity of Terror tour happens to come to your town, you should totally check it out. Lilith Czar, Motionless in White, Black Veil Brides, and Ice Nine Kills? Yes, please! I caught the San Jose show at the Civic Auditorium, which is a gloriously old venue that had great energy and my black little heart was so fulfilled by their musical offerings. If Ice Nine Kills would just create a rock opera and bring it to the stage, the world would be a better place.
Catch tracks from all of the bands I’m reviewing this season on the HorrorAddicts.net YouTube Music Playlist.Stay Tuned for more…
Stephanie Stryker: I’ve always wanted my band to be called Amulet. It’s mystical, fancy, and mysterious.
Who are your main inspirations?
MJ Phoenix: Punk, new wave, reggae, and funk genres. Also, Stephanie herself.
SS: NIN and Manson are in my musical DNA, along with goth classics like Sisters of Mercy.
What non-musical things inspire your music?
MJ: Heartbreak, each other, despair, general dissatisfaction, darkness.
SS: Beauty in darkness, esotericism, and occultism. Mysteries of the unknown and exploring those topics.
What actor/actress could you most identify with? Why?
MJ: Leonardo DiCaprio he’s a great environmental advocate.
SS: She’s just a character, but Lily Munster. I love her dark housewife lifestyle and she cared deeply for her family and home. She’s got that take-no-shit sass to boot!
Where was the coolest place to play? Where did you enjoy yourselves the most?
MJ: Small venue with a packed house and good vibe. Public Bar Live in DC was great, so was Ottobar in Baltimore.
SS: 100% agreed with MJ. The vibe of a crowd enjoying the music is the best part of a venue.
What are your favorite horror movies?
MJ:Nosferatu. Not a horror movie, but I love Cat People.
SS: I love witch, occult, ghost, and vampire-themed movies. I also love all the dark fantasy classics with Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and friends.
What was the scariest night of your life?
MJ: When I was marooned on a roof rack of a speeding car going between Nepal and Katmandu. Long story…
SS: I saw Limp Bizkit in 1999 and was very close to dying in a mosh pit. Thankfully, someone pulled me out, but I lost my JNCOs and chain wallet to the pit. Can this story be any more 90’s?!
If you could bring back greats who have passed on, who would be your undead opening band?
SS: David Bowie and Type O Negative, but we’d be okay opening for them ;).
Final thoughts / Anything you want to tell the Horror Addicts?
MJ: If you feel like writing a song, do it! Go with your inspiration.
SS: Be true to yourself. Authenticity is so valuable and it helps people relate to you.
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Dave McAnally is the main driving force behind electro-industrial acts, SYS MACHINE, and DERISION CULT and is an extremely prolific artist/songwriter. Graceful Isolation is the title of the new Sys Machine album available via Bandcamp. We’d like to thank Dave for his time in this short interview.
You are the main guy behind the projects Sys Machine and Derision Cult. What are the differences in terms of themes, inspirations, and otherwise?
I’m the main guy behind both of them, but I have different folks I collaborate with. Gabe Wilkinson from the band Microwaved is involved in various ways on both Sys Machine and Derision Cult. Kimberly of Bow Ever Down does vocals on 2/3 of the tracks on ‘Graceful Isolation’ and I worked with a number of remixers for that. Derision Cult really started as sort of my platform to comment on what I felt were big themes in society. It’s not so much political as is sociological. I spent a lot of years in the advertising industry and saw firsthand how public perceptions have been manipulated and how big companies will seize on moments and movements to harness anger and anxiety to sell more products.
Particularly on ‘Charlatans Inc’ I felt like those were important issues to address- especially with what’s all happened in the last couple of years with the pandemic and political agitation in America. Some of that is more coerced and less altruistic than it appears. So that’s more me talking about the world at large. Musically, it’s industrial metal. It’s me fusing my love of all things thrash, punk, and industrial and I am always fusing other things like blues, jazz, rockabilly, and reggae into it – which are also things I’m really into. Sys Machine is a different animal entirely. It started life as experiments with different sounds, synths, and arrangements, and ‘Graceful Isolation’ is really the culmination of a few years of that. It felt like the right time with the tracks that became ‘Graceful Isolation’ to step up a bit, work with new people and really make something of those tracks and turn them into songs. I take inspiration from what some industrial artists from the ’90s were doing in the early 2000’s – Van Christie with Eco-Hed, Chris Randall with Micronaut, Mike Fisher with Amish Rake Fight, etc. There’s some really excellent stuff that got made.
Can you tell us more about the specific themes behind “Graceful Isolation”, the new album from Sys Machine?
Kim’s lyrics deal primarily with isolation, revenge through rising above situations and chasing dreams even when they feel unattainable. My tracks are almost entirely related to what I was going through while we were putting the tracks together. I’d quit drinking a bit prior to that and wanted to say something about what that felt like. I don’t have any point of view about what people should or shouldn’t do in their lives or anything like that. But the experience of giving that up and sort of looking at the world with a fresh sober set of eyes is pretty profound. Anybody who’s given up something like that probably knows what I mean. You see how a lot of notions you had about joys in life are really illusions brought on by whatever vice in question. So “Drowning in the Past” is sort of a hypothetical conversation I’d have with myself if I could go back and tell my former self what it’s like on the other side of that decision and how there’s really nothing to be worried about. “Illusions” is pretty to the point about all the distorted realities you can create for yourself in the service of a vice.
Since this is a horror site, we have to ask some horror-related questions… What horror movie character would you identify with most and why?
Ha! I was literally just having a conversation with my daughter about all the classic Universal monsters. Some definitely aged better than others! But I used to watch those all the time when I was her age (she’s going to be 8). Anyhow- I think I’d say I identify the most with Dr. Frankenstein (not the monster, the scientist dude). In the 1931 movie- they sort of touch on how myopic and obsessive he is. He gets pretty single-minded about his projects, to the detriment of people close to him. I don’t want to go raise the dead or anything, I’m definitely somebody who gets tunnel vision and hyper-focuses on things– be it in music or in business or whatever.
Do you have any particular favorite horror-related films, TV shows, and so on?
Oh man, we love Stranger Things in my house! Not sure if that counts. When it comes to horror, I’m a total occult/satanism guy. I still think The Exorcist is one of the freakiest movies even till. There’s another movie from the ’70s that never became iconic like that, but it’s called The Sentinel and it’s another one of those 70’s occult horror films that had to rely on practical effects to bring the scary. It’s got that same “the older it gets the scarier it gets” vibe the Exorcist does. But exorcisms, possessions, ghosts, etc– those are my jam. My wife likes the blood and guts stuff like Saw and the demonic stuff keeps her up at night so we usually watch horror movies in separate rooms haha.
What’s been the scariest time for you over the past couple of challenging years?
Definitely when the company I was working at basically buckled under the weight of Covid. It happened pretty fast because we were so steeped in the travel industry and that was one of the first to grind to a halt. Anybody who’s been in that position of having the rug yanked out from you career-wise knows what that’s like. Unless you’re independently wealthy or something things like how you’re going to pay for groceries or the mortgage or whatever, let alone plan for the future become constant stresses. But like most of those situations, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I ended up starting my own company and that’s been a huge success. So much that I’ve since started another business that’s also coming together nicely. So it was a scary time, but it had a happy ending.
Thanks for your time. These last words are yours.
Thanks for the questions! You can check out both Sys Machine and Derision Cult on Bandcamp, and we’re streaming everywhere! Got a big year planned with new collaborations on both fronts!
This month’s artist, Night Terror, has recently released their debut on Bandcamp titled Freak on the Inside. It is the product of the artist’s personal experiences and reflects the current darkness in our world. The tracks all consist of straightforward techno beats with some original effects and sounds. I can appreciate where the artist went lyrically and it’s obvious that he poured his heart into this project. Fans of Dark Pop duo Provision and Palace of Tears, who were both previously reviewed on HorrorAddicts.net, will vibe with Night Terror and appreciate tracks like “Falling Time” and “Get Out Of This Place.” Some artists are bravely taking on our pandemic world through their craft and Night Terror chooses to explore the reality we’re living in both literally and figuratively. Their song “Viral Attack” will appeal to those searching for answers during this dark time.
Thank you all for continuing to support art and music. These uncertain times have forced many artists to re-evaluate their choice to pursue their passion and it’s my hope that most will make it through and continue to create and rebuild. If you like the music we’ve shared here on HorrorAddicts.net, please support the artists. Whether you purchase their work physically in stores or digitally by buying albums on Bandcamp or the iTunes store, it goes a long way toward ensuring we have their art to soothe us and challenge us for years to come. If you have questions or comments, don’t hesitate to comment below or contact me through HorrorAddicts.net. I love hearing from fellow music fans. Thanks for checking out my reviews this season and Stay Tuned for more Merrill’s Musical Musings…
Greetings HorrorAddicts! Time continues to pass in stops and starts. The days blend together and are distinct only by the latest headlines or weather phenomenon, like what the heck even is an “atmospheric river?” It sounds to me like the next thing in darkwave music. As I write this, we’ve made it through Groundhog Day and that means we’ve passed the darkest time of the year. We have light at the end of the tunnel, and that can be interpreted in many ways. Thank goodness for music, I say, as we could all use a little pick me up. Today I’m here to bring you a new artist who might just get you through the next six weeks of winter that precocious Punxsutawney Phil predicted, the little furry bugger! We need the rain here in the West, but I’m sure folks would like a break from the cold. Hang in there and let’s meet this month’s artist, RIOTLEGION.
RIOTLEGION hail from Seattle and pack a hard-driving industrial sound. Whereas Seattle is known for its grunge musical history, RIOTLEGION breaks with tradition. The album Machine Liberation was released 23 June 2020 through Blind Mice Productions. The brainchild of Michael Coultas, RIOTLEGION is known for high-energy audio-visual performances in the area. Their lyrics delve into the chaotic political landscape we find ourselves in after the events of the past few months.
Many of the tracks onMachine Liberation lean heavily on distorted beats and chants that might appeal to fans of previously reviewed artists JUSTIN SYMBOL or CELLMOD. “Out of My Head” hits with a hypnotic beat and a rhythmic chant and is a standout on the album and the creepy intro to “Liberation” piqued my interest. The artist relies heavily on flickering synthesized beats and static to add atmosphere to tracks like “Decimator,” and “The One You Deserve.”
Check out RIOTLEGION if you’re looking for some angry club music to work out some of your aggressions. I’ll be back next month with more new music for you to feast your ears upon. In the meantime, be sure to follow me on Instagram @rlmerrillauthor where I post music recommendations in my stories. I can’t have my lovelies going without the best tunes to listen to, now can I? You can also find playlists on Spotify for my books and whatever mood I’m currently in. Stay tuned for more Merrill’s Musical Musings…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor.
Greetings HorrorAddicts. This month we’re listening to the Dark Wave artist Dissonance. Cat Hall has a new maxi-single that’s perfect for fans of bands like GARBAGE, NINE INCH NAILS & INFORMATION SOCIETY. Precipice is a techno-moody piece that is very personal to Hall. Music helps us heal from the tragedies in our lives, and for Hall, it’s been a form of catharsis. After a serious health battle, she’s come out on the other side to share her emotional experience in these three pieces. With remixes by Joe Haze, Diverje, Junior Kain, and Machines with Human Skin all add layers to the composition. Reminiscent of Tubular Bells or early Depeche Mode, Precipice is music to sit with and contemplate. Each element woven together, whether it be effects or harmonies, all evoke feelings of loss and yet are ultimately hopeful.
Thank you for joining me this month. I hope you and yours are well. I’d love to hear what kind of music is getting you through this tumultuous time. If you want to hear what I’ve been listening to, you can check out my #SpotifyWrapped. If you’re not on Spotify yet, you might want to change that in 2021. Getting a report on your listening habits can be…creepy, but also a great trip down memory lane. Stay Tuned for more Ro’s Recs and Merrill’s Musical Musings…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor. You can also find her at www.queeromanceink.com writing about Hope, Love and Queeromance.
Greetings HorrorAddicts. This month’s review has one helluva backstory. There’s a rock band, a romance, a drug problem, and a resurrection of sorts. I had to do a deep dive to give the album a full critique and what I found was a story that tragically has a lot in common with so many bands who have lost frontmen to the excesses of rock ‘n’ roll, however, the surviving members of Static-X are determined to make their own way back in an unusual but compelling way.
Static-X celebrated the 20th anniversary of their album Wisconsin Death Trip in 2019. The original lineup toured to commemorate the album…with a singer dubbed Xer0. Because Wayne Static died in 2014 of a deadly combination of prescription drugs and alcohol. News came out that the band was recording a new album using some of Wayne’s demos and compositions, a guest spot from Al Jourgenson of Ministry, and would feature this new, unknown, masked singer, which has been a controversial move for some of their fans. The band, on the other hand, maintains that Wayne would have found it hilarious. (https://www.loudersound.com/features/static-x-the-story-behind-that-controversial-wayne-static-death-mask).
And man is this album amazing. What a testament to Wayne and a reminder of the magic the original line-up had together.
For those new to Static-X, their hit song “Push-It” has been a staple of the industrial rock/metal scene for years. On this new album, Project Regeneration, Volume I, there’s that same electronic-tinged in-your-face feel of their early work, but the melodic atmosphere of powerhouse bands like Korn, Rammstein, or even Rob Zombie can be heard in the mix. “Worth Dyin’ For” has a hooky chorus, and “Terminator Oscillator” is a hard-hitting tune with a chanting rhyme that is the metal fan’s version of INXS’s “Mediate.” My favorite track on the album so far—and that changes each time I listen because they’re all great—is “Something Of My Own,” a powerful, emotional jam that resonates with its lyrics about opportunities missed due to the loss of Wayne.
The hard rock/metal scene these days has matured from the days of nu-metal when Static-X first set up shop, but Project Regeneration, Volume I fits in nicely with today’s sound. The album is a great tribute to a band that obviously has a lot more to offer, and it’s one I will be jamming to for quite some time.
That’s it for this month. Stay Tuned for Ro’s Recs…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor. You can also find her hope-filled posts at www.queeromanceink.com.
Greetings and Salutations! I’ve got a great rec for you this month and it all started with a bloody video. Like most 80s kids, I loved my MTV…so much that I got a job just so I could convince my mom we needed cable and that I’d pay for it so I could watch videos 24-7. It really “chaps my hide” when I think about how good kids have it today with YouTube and the like putting all this great music at their fingertips, rather than having to keep their fingertips on the pause and record buttons of their tape decks. But I digress.
I received an email with a link to Vision Video’s new clip for “Comfort In The Grave” and I clicked it while preparing for a day of educating America’s youth. And whoa. It was an imaginative short film with gore and a great soundtrack. Score! I hit the sender back and replied, “send me more,” and much to my delight, I received an early promo copy of the band’s upcoming album Inked In Red. Fellow former and current goth friends, when I tell you you’re gonna love it, I mean you’re gonna love it.
With jangly guitars, bouncy bass lines, and silky synthesizers reminiscent of Joy Division, New Order, and The Smiths, Vision Video has created an album full of delicious tracks. The Athens, Georgia quartet delivers a solid album that HorrorAddicts will love, especially after watching the killer video for “Comfort In The Grave.” Keyboardist Emily Fredock does a fantastic job with this moody track, taking the listener with her on a homicidal journey. Vocals from frontman Dusty Gannon give me a modern Killers-esque vibe and the lyrics are inventive and poetic in a refreshing way. Tracks “Static Drone,” “Run,” and “In My Side” are some of my favorites on first listen, but all of the tracks have the potential for repeat plays. While heavy topics like trauma and terror are covered in the tunes, there’s also danceability and hopefulness that make this album special. It’s a rare band that can bring nostalgia along with that fresh feeling of finding a new favorite.
Discovering new music and other expressions of art during the pandemic has been so important. We need art to keep us motivated and determined to keep putting one foot in front of the other, now more than ever. I’m so glad I found Vision Video in my inbox. I am looking forward to watching this band grow and expand their reach and I hope all of my HorrorAddicts.net pals will join me in celebrating the release of Inked in Red with them. (Release date April 16) Stay Tuned for more Merrill’s Musical Musings and Ro’s Recs…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor.
Electro/Industrial Artist I YA TOYAH Unleashes New Single & Video, “Out Of Order”
Chicago-based one-woman industrial army, I YA TOYAH has unleashed her highly-anticipated new single & video, “Out Of Order.” The song comes from the upcoming EP of the same name due out in March.
“Out Of Order” – The Video:
The video is a surreal story of a gradual mental breakdown, caused by an isolation and misinformation fed by media. It was inspired by the film art of David Lynch and the pandemic.
Video Production & Scenography: Joel Lopez of Lumbra Productions.
Music: Composed and performed by I Ya Toyah.
Produced by I Ya Toyah and Nick Palazzo.
Mixed and Mastered by Nick Palazzo at Evolution Recording.
“Out Of Order” – The Song:
A pandemic song, “Out Of Order” is expressing the quarantine moods of isolation, uncertainty, chaos and inner distortion.
“I wrote it feeling these emotions and being unable to share them as we all used to- through the togetherness, a hug, and live music experience. In the future the pandemic will be over, but the need for this connection will remain- I hope this song will be a reminder of how we survived this dark time, and how fragile yet strong we all are- even when we are out of order.” – Ania (I Ya Toyah)
Greetings HorrorAddicts! Time continues to pass in stops and starts. The days blend together and are distinct only by the latest headlines or weather phenomenon, like what the heck even is an “atmospheric river?” It sounds to me like the next thing in darkwave music. As I write this, we’ve made it through Groundhog Day and that means we’ve passed the darkest time of the year. We have light at the end of the tunnel, and that can be interpreted in many ways. Thank goodness for music, I say, as we could all use a little pick me up. Today I’m here to bring you a new artist who might just get you through the next six weeks of winter that precocious Punxsutawney Phil predicted, the little furry bugger! We need the rain here in the West, but I’m sure folks would like a break from the cold. Hang in there and let’s meet this month’s artist, RIOTLEGION.
RIOTLEGION hail from Seattle and pack a hard-driving industrial sound. Whereas Seattle is known for its grunge musical history, RIOTLEGION breaks with tradition. The album Machine Liberation was released 23 June 2020 through Blind Mice Productions. The brainchild of Michael Coultas, RIOTLEGION is known for high-energy audio-visual performances in the area. Their lyrics delve into the chaotic political landscape we find ourselves in after the events of the past few months.
Many of the tracks onMachine Liberation lean heavily on distorted beats and chants that might appeal to fans of previously reviewed artists JUSTIN SYMBOL or CELLMOD. “Out of My Head” hits with a hypnotic beat and a rhythmic chant and is a standout on the album and the creepy intro to “Liberation” piqued my interest. The artist relies heavily on flickering synthesized beats and static to add atmosphere to tracks like “Decimator,” and “The One You Deserve.”
Check out RIOTLEGION if you’re looking for some angry club music to work out some of your aggressions. I’ll be back next month with more new music for you to feast your ears upon. In the meantime, be sure to follow me on Instagram @rlmerrillauthor where I post music recommendations in my stories. I can’t have my lovelies going without the best tunes to listen to, now can I? You can also find playlists on Spotify for my books and whatever mood I’m currently in. Stay tuned for more Merrill’s Musical Musings…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor.
Greetings HorrorAddicts. This month we’re listening to the Dark Wave artist Dissonance. Cat Hall has a new maxi-single that’s perfect for fans of bands like GARBAGE, NINE INCH NAILS & INFORMATION SOCIETY. Precipice is a techno-moody piece that is very personal to Hall. Music helps us heal from the tragedies in our lives, and for Hall, it’s been a form of catharsis. After a serious health battle, she’s come out on the other side to share her emotional experience in these three pieces. With remixes by Joe Haze, Diverje, Junior Kain, and Machines with Human Skin all add layers to the composition. Reminiscent of Tubular Bells or early Depeche Mode, Precipice is music to sit with and contemplate. Each element woven together, whether it be effects or harmonies, all evoke feelings of loss and yet are ultimately hopeful.
Thank you for joining me this month. I hope you and yours are well. I’d love to hear what kind of music is getting you through this tumultuous time. If you want to hear what I’ve been listening to, you can check out my #SpotifyWrapped. If you’re not on Spotify yet, you might want to change that in 2021. Getting a report on your listening habits can be…creepy, but also a great trip down memory lane. Stay Tuned for more Ro’s Recs and Merrill’s Musical Musings…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor. You can also find her at www.queeromanceink.com writing about Hope, Love and Queeromance.
Greetings HorrorAddicts. This month’s review has one helluva backstory. There’s a rock band, a romance, a drug problem, and a resurrection of sorts. I had to do a deep dive to give the album a full critique and what I found was a story that tragically has a lot in common with so many bands who have lost frontmen to the excesses of rock ‘n’ roll, however, the surviving members of Static-X are determined to make their own way back in an unusual but compelling way.
Static-X celebrated the 20th anniversary of their album Wisconsin Death Trip in 2019. The original lineup toured to commemorate the album…with a singer dubbed Xer0. Because Wayne Static died in 2014 of a deadly combination of prescription drugs and alcohol. News came out that the band was recording a new album using some of Wayne’s demos and compositions, a guest spot from Al Jourgenson of Ministry and would feature this new, unknown, masked singer, which has been a controversial move for some of their fans. The band, on the other hand, maintains that Wayne would have found it hilarious. (https://www.loudersound.com/features/static-x-the-story-behind-that-controversial-wayne-static-death-mask).
And man is this album amazing. What a testament to Wayne and a reminder of the magic the original line-up had together.
For those new to Static-X, their hit song “Push-It” has been a staple of the industrial rock/metal scene for years. On this new album, Project Regeneration, Volume I, there’s that same electronic-tinged in-your-face feel of their early work, but the melodic atmosphere of powerhouse bands like Korn, Rammstein, or even Rob Zombie can be heard in the mix. “Worth Dyin’ For” has a hooky chorus, and “Terminator Oscillator” is a hard-hitting tune with a chanting rhyme that is the metal fan’s version of INXS’s “Mediate.” My favorite track on the album so far—and that changes each time I listen because they’re all great—is “Something Of My Own,” a powerful, emotional jam that resonates with its lyrics about opportunities missed due to the loss of Wayne.
The hard rock/metal scene these days has matured from the days of nu-metal when Static-X first set up shop, but Project Regeneration, Volume I fits in nicely with today’s sound. The album is a great tribute to a band that obviously has a lot more to offer, and it’s one I will be jamming to for quite some time.
That’s it for this month. Stay Tuned for Ro’s Recs…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor. You can also find her hope-filled posts at www.queeromanceink.com.
I would encourage the populace, if possible, to at least take a look at the recent Netflix series, Ratched. It will help if you’re familiar with the 1975 film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the one that took home a slew of Oscars for that year, the one in which the television series’ title character was the villain, but that’s not essential. Ratched is a beautifully mounted, albeit severely flawed work, and worth seeing if only for the sumptuous set design. Indeed, every frame looks like a photograph from a 1947 issue of Architectural Digest or some similar slick magazine of its type. The costumes could be out of Vanity Fair, the automobiles from Road & Track. It is gorgeous in its every visual element and blessed with a slightly languid pace that allows the eye to gorge itself at leisure on all that gorgeosity.
While I have several issues with the writing (cardboard and occasionally inconsistent characters, cliched situations, predictable plot points), I cannot fault the technical prowess of those who designed the visuals, or, indeed, the audio. The incidental music is eerily reminiscent of Bernard Hermann’s score from the 1962 film, Cape Fear, as well as Elmer Bernstein’s score for the 1991 remake. One day, I will discuss both film versions of that story in this space, and the music from each, but today I want to talk about the title music from Ratched, for it touches upon one of my passions.
Yes, I am a Baby Boomer, a member of that much maligned, fairly or unfairly, generation that for all its flaws did indeed spawn the best popular music of the past century. And, yes, I grew up a fan of, among others, the Beatles, the band whose massive output of incredible music in the space of less than a decade was not only the ne plus ultra of its time but the sine qua non of all popular music since. But they and the rest of the 1960s artists were not my first musical love.
That would be classical music. Before the Fab Four showed up on the Ed Sullivan Show on that momentous night in February of 1964, I had already begun to sample my father’s record collection. The first piece of music I remember being enraptured by was Prokofiev’s Love for Three Oranges. I had no idea at the time what that title meant, for although I was able to operate a turntable at that early age, I had not yet learned to read beyond a very superficial level. In fact, I suspect that it was to decipher the tiny print on the back of all those record sleeves that I set about becoming literate so assiduously at such a tender age.
I still love classical music. It occupies a significant portion of my listening time. I don’t know squat about music theory, but I know what I like. And in the years since I discovered the wonders on those ancient LPs, most of which are now in my possession, new discoveries of what I like have regularly occurred with delightful frequency.
I think I must have been about thirteen or fourteen when I first encountered the work of Camille Saint-Saëns, or, rather, a portion of one of his works. A radio station in or near Nashville began to broadcast episodes of the Shadow radio show from the late 1930s, the ones starring Orson Welles. The theme music was eerie and compelling, drawing the listener into the outré adventures of He Who Had the Power to Cloud Men’s Minds. No one I knew could tell me what that strange tune was. Fortunately, this was in the early years of a new cultural phenomenon, nostalgia, and every trip to the bookstore revealed a new volume on some aspect of the cultural ephemera of past decades, including radio. I knew of radio solely as a delivery system for current music, but as my dad told me at the time, it was in his youth the primary source of free entertainment in the home – musical, comedic, dramatic. Frightening.
More on that later. I think it was in a paperback edition of Jim Harmon’s 1967 book, The Great Radio Heroes, that I learned the provenance of that snippet of strange music. It turned out to be the middle section of a symphonic poem by Saint-Saëns, Omphale’s Spinning Wheel. Once I knew that, I began to search for more music by this new composer I’d discovered.
Skip years, indeed, decades ahead, and I’d just settled myself into my favorite spot on the couch to watch the first episode of Ratched. At that moment, my wife of nearly forty years came in, and I surrendered that spot, because when Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. It’s okay. The seat I gave up is slightly off-center to the TV mounted on the wall opposite, and the spot I almost always wind up in has a more straight-on view. Yeah. That’s the ticket.
For some reason, the subtitle function was turned on, which was fine. I watch a lot of films in languages I don’t understand, and I heartily despise dubbing. Nothing ruins the rhythm of a film than the dialogue being out of sync with the actors’ expressions and mouth movements. Give me subtitles, every time. So, I’m used to them, and made no particular effort to turn them off.
No issues with the first episode, although my lovely bride thought it moved a tad slowly. There was no title sequence that time out, the credits rolling at the end. And for just over five minutes, there was no such thing in the second episode.
And then, there was. I immediately recognized the music playing, although the first bit of it had been lopped off. It was Saint-Saëns’ 1874 tone poem Danse Macabre, a piece I play heavily around Halloween, for it is spooky and creepy and laden with dire forebodings.
And then, I noticed the subtitle that popped up as soon as the discordant violin screeched out its first few notes.[haunting classical music playing]
Say, what? Haunting classical music? Haunting classical music?!?!?!? Does no one at Netflix have access to a decent music library? This piece has a name, a title that has been well-known for one hundred and forty-six years. That’s as bad as people calling the tango Al Pacino danced with Gabrielle Anwar in Scent of a Woman ‘the tango from Scent of a Woman’, as if that’s its title. It’s not. It’s called Por Una Cabeza, and it’s by Carlos Gardel, a significant composer of Latin music in the first half of the 20th Century. It’s not quite as bad as pronouncing Porsche as a one-syllable name, but still, come on! Is it all that much trouble to identify a major piece of music by its actual name?
Ahem. Sorry ‘bout that.
Danse Macabre was based on a Late Medieval allegorical theme of death as the one truly universal reality, and its application in a variety of artistic expressions. Paintings, frescoes and woodcuts depicting souls of all financial stations and every societal stratum dancing their ways along to the grave accompanied by decomposing corpses and animated skeletons were all the rage in the waning decades of the Middle Ages, and into the Renaissance.
I know most folks think of the term ‘classical music’ as encompassing all that stuff you had to sit through during school field trips to the local symphony hall, but for the cognoscenti, classical refers to the music of roughly the 18th Century, composed by folks like Mozart and Haydn in an organically structured and sometimes excessively ornamental style that reflected the artistic sensibilities of the concurrent Rococo period in art and architecture. During the preceding century, more-or-less, both art and architecture on one hand and music on the other were done in what was known as Baroque style, which was also overly ornamented but with a somewhat more constrained, almost geometrical structure. Kind of. That’s very much a Reader’s Digest Condensed version of things, but not, I hope, totally off the mark.
The 19th Century in music was dominated by the Romantic period, and Saint-Saëns was very much a Romantic composer. That word does not mean, as applied to the music of its time, what you think it does, just as an opera comique is not necessarily funny. Romantic in relation to the music of composers from Schubert and Beethoven in the early 19th Century to Dvorak and Verdi near the end of the century, and even beyond with Rachmaninoff and Ravel, was intended to produce within the listener a sort of naturalistic evocation of emotions, so that the music inspired more than merely an aesthetic response. It is no accident that the Romantic period in music coincided in its later decades with Impressionism in painting. The intended reaction from the consumer was the same in both areas, an empathic connection with the artist through the medium.
And Danse Macabre did produce an emotional reaction from early critics, indeed. It was not received well at first, as it was considered to be a source of anxiety for those who heard it. As I stated before, I know little about music theory, but I have been given to understand that there are certain key signatures that lend themselves particularly well to certain types of music, and even the emotions those pieces are meant to convey. According to what I have read on the subject, G Minor is one of those keys that tends to invoke dread and angst, and Danse Macabre is in that key. I’m going to go ahead and assume my informant was correct, for it does put the nerves on edge.
Listen to it throughout that title sequence in Ratched, when and if you’re able to watch it, and see if it doesn’t augment the show’s overall feeling of fearful expectation, even more so perhaps than the story warrants. Then, listen to it in its entirety.
Then, please don’t tell me you felt nothing from that – no frisson, as it were. I hope you do. I might just worry about you if not, just a little.
Also, rest assured I won’t leave you hanging regarding all the possibly unfamiliar references above. I will, one of these days, wax poetic on horror as it was used in old time radio programs and operas, comique and otherwise, as well as by other composers, artists, and even architects. I might even explain just what is meant by a ‘slick magazine’, translate the Latin phrases I love tossing around like confetti, and reveal from what major genre work I lifted the neologism ‘gorgeosity’. Stay tuned.
Destini Beard is a dark lyrical soprano in the Gothic and Horror soundtrack genre. She debuted as the first vocalist for the Horror Soundtrack group, Midnight Syndicate. Her two albums, “The Dark Masquerade,” and, “A Time Forgotten,” have been enjoyed by fans for over a decade. Performing across the US and abroad, she continues to add a dark twist to all her musical creations. Her song “Farewell Forever” was featured in the award-winning Horror/Soundtrack album from the 10th annual Rondo Hatton Awards. Her albums were featured on Rue Morgue radio, Dark Beauty Magazine, and are played nationwide on the award-winning Rock/Metal radio show “Rock Solid Pressure Show”.Continue reading →
On the weekend of November 8, 2020, the legendary Foo Fighters took the stage on Saturday Night Live and played a song from their upcoming album, Medicine at Midnight, called “Shame Shame.” It was different and brilliant and a little bit dark, including lyrics like:
“If you want to
I’ll be the one
Be the tongue that will swallow you”
and
“Another splinter under the skin
Another season of loneliness
I found a reason and buried it
Beneath a mountain of emptiness.”
The song was definitely a departure for the band and I was anxious to read all I could about the production. Grohl has always been very open about his recording process. He boldly created the documentary Sound City, which I highly recommend, as well as taking the journey on the Sonic Highways, where the band visited some of the biggest cities in rock music history and wrote songs based on their experiences and interviews they had there. In an article with Rolling Stone dated March 23, 2020, Dave Grohl revealed that the house they recorded the album in was haunted and that totally piqued my interest. (https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/foo-fighters-new-album-ghosts-971615/)
What is it with amazing things coming from supernatural experiences? Some of my favorite albums have been recorded under haunting situations including Black Sabbath’s debut, Blood Sugar Sex Magic from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hypnotize/Mesmerize by System of A Down, and Slipknot’s Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, the latter three being recorded at Rick Rubin’s Mansion in Southern California. How did being in a haunted space contribute to the artists’ creative process? (https://www.kerrang.com/features/10-rock-and-metal-albums-recorded-in-haunted-places/)
Corey Taylor discussed his experiences in The Mansion in his book A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven, which is full of incredible stories and Taylor’s philosophy about the afterlife and things that go bump, well, at all times of the day. From his perspective, it seems that the hauntings kept him on edge, which may or may not have contributed to his manic performance on Slipknot’s Subliminal Verses. He said in an interview with Kerrang! Magazine in 2019, “Only recently have I noticed the ethereal feel to the album,” Corey said on the eve of Vol. 3’s release. “And that’s definitely come from making it in that house. That house was so fucking haunted.” (https://www.kerrang.com/features/slipknot-the-inside-story-of-vol-3-the-subliminal-verses/)
Over the past several years, I’ve had the fortune to attend writing retreats with my fellow San Francisco Bay Area authors. The first one was at the Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley, California, and I immediately fell in love with the grand old building which boasted that it housed the longest continuously-open saloon west of the Mississippi (which it likely can’t say anymore since the hotel has been closed the past two years for renovations). It’s a place with an incredible amount of energy, mostly positive, and during the retreats we held there, I was inspired to write some of my favorite stories. “A Piece of Him,” which was featured in the Gone with the Dead anthology back in 2016 is still one of my favorite short stories I’ve written and was my first traditionally published story. I wrote some of my Banes of Lake’s Crossing stories there and the hotel has even been a setting in my writing. I love working in old buildings. The Weller House in Fort Bragg is another favorite as well as the Jupiter in Berkeley and a friend’s turn-of-the-century house outside Portland, Oregon. There’s something about working in a place that has held within its walls all walks of life that causes its very fabric to hold onto that energy, both positive and negative, that gives me a supercharge of creativity like nothing else. I so look forward to being able to travel to my favorite haunts when this pandemic is over.
So if you’re missing that feeling of someone looking over your shoulder as you work, or want to listen to music closely for any signs of ghostly hijinks, check out the albums listed above, and if you’re like me and love a good “behind the music” type of story, be sure to watch those docs listed above as well as read Corey Taylor’s book.
How about you? Does a good haunted spot bring out the creativity in you? I’d love to hear about your favorite places and projects you’ve been inspired to work on there. Definitely check out the albums listed above as well as the two Foo Fighters documentaries. And as always, stay tuned for more Ro’s Recs and Merrill’s Musical Musings…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor.
This month we’re listening to the metal band Union Kain. Hailing from Florida, the band put out a heavy album in 2020 titled Black Dawn. Lead singer Glazergirl is commanding as a Dilana-Esque vocalist and she’s backed by a talented group of musicians. The band’s sound is a combination of 80s era hard rock/heavy metal like early Motley Crue with a touch of Black Sabbath on tunes like “Black Dawn.” Glazergirl’s vocals would make Ronnie James Dio proud. There’s a theatricality to their sound that adds appeal. “Persistence” has a Pantera vibe and is a stand out track. The guitars on songs like “Your Own Kind” are impressive and would appeal to the more established members of the metal community.
Lyrically the band attempts to create somewhat of a concept album on Black Dawn, covering all of the wrongs in the world from Cain and Abel to today’s internet meme fascination. There are some production inconsistencies that can distract from the overall enjoyment of the album, but perhaps with personnel changes that were announced on the band’s website their next album will be even better.
Overall, Union Kain has a sound that will appeal to old school metal fans and hard rockers alike. I wish them luck with their future endeavors. If you are in those categories, I encourage you to check them out.
That’s it for this month’s review. Stay Tuned for Ro’s Recs…
R.L. Merrill writes inclusive romance with quirky, relatable characters full of love, hope, and rock ‘n’ roll. You can find her at https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com and on the socials as @rlmerrillauthor.
Hello music lovers and greetings from sunny California. At least that’s one perk about living here during this crazy time when the only option I have for entertainment is my own backyard. I’ve been looking out my window at my car longingly for the past 18 days as our country experiences pandemic panic and potty paper paranoia. These are dark times, for sure, but one of the most important ways we survive the challenges life throws our way is through music and art. The music community has stepped up tremendously to meet the needs of their fans, and in return, their fans are giving back in new ways such as virtual tip jars on Venmo. As tours are canceled or postponed, artists are looking for new ways to raise funds for themselves and their crews as well as supporting efforts to combat the COVID19 virus. Livestreaming “living room concerts” has become the norm. Each day there seems to be a new artist participating. I enjoyed watching the Luck Reunion show on Twitch the first week we were home and I’ve even been participating in an online songwriting experiment with former Sick Puppies singer/songwriter Shimon Moore. Hear the fruits of our group’s labor here and support Shim’s page on Facebook. We gotta do whatever we can to stay sane during this unprecedented event.
“Here’s the chance to raise merry hell.” This month I’m reviewing industrial/electro darkwave artist Spank The Nun whose self-deprecating sense of humor is appreciated as we head into a new month of sheltering-in-place. The artist describes their music as “uneasy listening,” and when listing band members on their Facebook page responds with “Does it really matter?” You’re not getting uplifting tunes with this band, but the steady beat and the doom-filled lyrics are perfect for those days you need some dark background music to complete your, well, dark tasks. Hearing samples from favorites like the film Misery makes listening to their latest album, Initial Decay Control, a treat. I’m betting the artist was like that kid in high school I used to like sitting next to in the back of the room because they always had an odd and inappropriate commentary running for my twisted enjoyment. The sinister whisperings on tracks like “Rotting Meat” are creepy enough to make you look behind you while working alone in your home office. The song “Swallow” contains this quote, which I feel describes our current situation: “We all know when this ends, there will be no winners, only survivors.” Spankthenun is an entertaining listen well suited for our peculiar predicament.
What better way to spend our time on lockdown but by discovering new music? Artists all over the world have been doing live streams, living room concerts, and performing special acoustic tunes. I’ve found some amazing new artists like Tami Neilson, Devon Gilfillian, and Ida Mae as well as hearing some of my old favorites playing some incredible music like this collab between Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker covering Paramore’s Misery’s Business and Tyler Glenn from Neon Trees (http://www.instagram.com/tylerinacoma) doing his regular Songs from the Red Chair performances on his Instagram Live. Metallica is even streaming concert performances on YouTube and Facebook Monday nights. Let some good music into your lives and I promise it will make you feel better.
Releasing a new piece of art during this unprecedented time is a scary proposition. I released a new book Friday, March 13th, just before most of California went into a mandatory shelter-in-place. Thankfully, my family is doing okay, but for musicians who have lost revenue from touring, releasing an album could be the only way for them to stay financially afloat. As artists, many of us are giving away our creations for free or at a discounted rate to keep shut-in folks entertained, but for musicians, losing money from canceled or postponed tours means taking a huge hit. SiriusXM is streaming FREE for this month, which is a HUGE opportunity for you to discover new music and I encourage you to get out there and support your favorite musicians however you can! Recommend their music, stream their albums on a platform like Spotify or Apple, and buy merch from their websites including CDs and vinyl if you have machines with which to play them.
In This Moment, a phenomenal female-fronted metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada released their latest album Mother at the end of March and it is a deliciously decadent mix of original and cover songs. You’ve never heard “Fly Like An Eagle” performed quite so sensually as when Maria Brink stretches out those lyrics. Their last album, 2017’s Ritual, was filled with ruminations on witchcraft and dark elements, and that theme continues on the new record. Mother promises to be just as addictive as their previous material. Already I’m repeat-playing “Holy Man,” “God is She,” “Hunting Ground,” and the title track. So listen to the album, several times if you will, and then make sure you add a notification through Bandsintown or whatever source you get your live music recommendations from because you will NEED to see Maria Brink and Co. the next time they come through your town. They are one of the most exciting live acts on the road today. I’ve seen them at least three times and the theatrics Brink and her maidens bring to the stage, as well as the power and excellent musicianship the band exudes will provide a show like you’ve never seen before. Don’t believe me? Check out this live clip from the Loudwire Music Awards. HorrorAddicts, you will fall under the spell of In This Moment, I guarantee.
That’s it for now, but I promise to bring you more of Ro’s Recs and reviews to keep your soul satisfied. Stay Tuned for more of Merrill’s Musical Musings…
The Prince of Darkness—Ozzy Osbourne himself—released a phenomenal album at the end of February. Ordinary Man is Ozzy’s twelfth studio album since he left Black Sabbath in 1979 and embarked on a colorful solo career. Super producer Andrew Watt (Post Malone) helped Ozzy create a beautiful piece of music that has echoes of 70s glam rock, Sabbath-inspired metal, and even a Beatles-esque tune with legend Sir Elton John. Friends Slash, Duff McKagan (Guns ‘n’ Roses) and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) as well as Post Malone, Travis Scott, Charlie Puth, and Tom Morello all make appearances on the heavy album that takes a lot of chances and yet still sounds like Ozzy perfection. Actor Jason Momoa even did a teaser video for release day. Ozzy has definitely been to hell and back, and with his recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, he’s still got stories to tell. I listened to an album release party on SiriusXM-Ozzy’s Boneyard with his pal Billy Morrison and Ozzy admitted that working with Andrew Watt saved his life as he went through the most difficult health crisis of his life. Let’s hope he’s well enough to gift us with more music in the coming years. Check out Ordinary Man, streaming on Spotify and other vendors.
That’s it for this month. Stay tuned for more Merrill’s Musical Musings…
Many great albums were released in 2019, and while I’m not a big list maker, I thought I’d share a few of them here. Some bands have been with us for decades like Slipknot and Korn and others were new to me. Bands like Papa Roach, Sleeping with Sirens, Volbeat, and Bring Me The Horizon took big risks on a new sound that paid off well. We lost Vinnie Paul from Hellyeah, but the band gave him a beautiful sendoff with Welcome Home. Motionless in White and New Year’s Day put out powerful albums that cemented their status in the rock community as artists that have fought long and hard to be there. Baroness returned from a harrowing tragedy to put out a strong album. I Prevail had a fairytale beginning with a cover of Taylor Swift and this year they’ve been nominated for a Grammy! And lastly, The Hu, Fever333 and Bad Wolves were all new bands to me that I am glad I took a chance on. I hope you will too.
There’s a wide variety on this list, a little something for everyone, so as we prepare for a new year of music, give some of these a listen.
What are you looking forward to in 2020? Leave a comment and let me know what music I should be looking out for in 2020. And with that, Stay Tuned for more of Merrill’s Musical Musings…
Greetings HorrorAddicts! This year has already been chock-a-block full of great music, but today we’re going to revisit a highlight from 2019. The Lords of October were the reigning champs in the HorrorAddicts.net Best Band competition from Season 13 and we have a quick interview with them to catch you up on all the latest news.
How has winning Best Band of HorrorAddicts.net Season 13 changed your life? At the very least, how does this impact you as a band?
We are terrified by and excited for this news! It’s an honor to be recognized for this and to be held in regard by Horror Addicts.net. We feel as though we are on the right track with such a vote and we look forward to making more monster music that will be —hopefully—loved by those who are our brothers and sisters in horror! This, in our opinion, gives us further horror cred and is exactly the type of award we would strive for. We thank you all!
-Uncle Salem
What’s your latest news? Any new adventures? When can fans expect new material?-
The latest music is going on a record inspired by tales of cryptozoology. You know, like hidden creatures and wild mythos and stuff. We have some tunes that are inspired by the Mothman, Loch Ness, the Mongolian death worm and other such things. I have always loved monsters and consider myself a bit of a cryptozoologist, but I was truly inspired after attending the Mothman festival in West Virginia this past summer. It was a lot of fun, but also where the tragic deaths occurred.
We are always working hard at new ideas and music, always bringing new stuff to the table. For this new one, we are attempting a more collaborative songwriting effort. We shall have a little more of all of us in the entire creative process. So far, I have written 5 songs for it and Aleister has come up with a couple. We will mix and match and see what happens.
We will probably have it out around fall of 2020. It all depends on the daily goings-on of everyone and what we are able to do. We are always looking to play some great shows and make some new videos. Taking it all a day at a time!
-Lucifer Fulci
Best Horror Movie/TV Show/Book of 2019 in your humble opinion?
I saw It Chapter 2 this year and I thought it was fantastic. Best horror movie of the year in my opinion. The acting was great and Bill Skarsgård’s performance as Pennywise creeped me to the bone.
-October Phoenix
What title would you most like to earn/award you’d most like to win moving forward in your career?
Best KISSfits band ever.
-Aleister Kane
Anything to add?
Lords of October is a hell of a great band and I love to play with these guys. There is a very eclectic influence that plays into some of the styles that you can hear in the music. I enjoy writing music and seeing how these guys interpret it and make it their own. I also like when they bring stuff to me and allow me to add something to it. I have been making music a long time-a lot on my very own and I enjoy the solitude. (I will have a new solo record out in 2020, also- www.LuciferFulci.com) But to play with Lords, its very special. Like, literally and figuratively, I get to come out and play!
-Lucifer Fulci
Congratulations to Lords of October and we can’t WAIT for more creepily delicious music!
That’s it for today. Stay Tuned for More Merrill’s Musical Musings…
Greetings and salutations. Welcome to March! It’s nearly Spring, Daylight Savings Time is just around the corner, and in California, the trees are blooming, the sun is shining, and the primary election is happening soon.
Many things are afoot in Ro’s world and things are about to get hectic. I’ve got a new supernatural suspense novel—Healer—releasing on Friday, March 13th, and then I’m off to Nashville for the Book Lovers Con March 18-22.
I plan to do some music-related visits such as Third Man Records—Jack White’s record label and vinyl factory—and southern songwriter and alternative rapper Yelawolf’s Slumerican made flagship vintage clothing store and barbershop. I’m also going on a bus tour with a bunch of drunken friends where we’re supposedly getting some history of the town, but if you have suggestions of can’t-miss music locations—bonus points if they’re haunted—please leave them in the comments or hit me up at rlmerrillauthor@gmail.com or www.facebook.com/rlmerrillauthor. I’ll be posting pics on my author page as well as my Instagram @rlmerrillauthor and I’ll tag you if you leave me a suggestion.
This month’s review is of EDM/Trance/Trip-Hop artist Cellmod’s new album The Dissident. According to his bio, “Cellmod was born to display an adaptation to his surrounding environment. The name itself signifies a desire to unify with the very roots of one’s physical being, or in simpler terms, Cellmod is taking it back to the vibe and pulse of the music.” I can definitely feel that vibe as I listen to standout tracks such as “Ransacked” and the naughty, old school sci-fi tinged “Harder Serum.” I can picture a woman with dark hair perched atop dramatic stilettos in a fitted pencil skirt and blazer as she walks with purpose down a stark white hallway, passing unmarked doors. The clack-clack of her heels is drowned out by the ominous sound of “The Machine” as she enters a laboratory where classified experiments are being done on unsuspecting young male subjects. Oh…did my imagination carry me away there for a minute? Fine. I will say that the track “Let Them Sleep” gives me a very Nine Inch Nails groove that I dig very much. If electronic music is your jam and you like to have some well-produced, good quality background music to do your…experiments to, Cellmod is your guy. Check out The Dissidents today!
Greetings and Salutations for a brand new year and decade that I am confident will be filled with amazing music. I’m Ro, your musical tour guide, and today I want to introduce you to a Goth rock outfit from the UK called Her Despair. Their music will take you right back to those 80s afternoons sitting in your bedroom listening to cassettes—or perhaps your vinyl collection—waiting for the night to fall and bring with it the creepy darkness where anything can happen and life is just a little more interesting.
Her Despair melds together sounds of Peter Murphy and Sisters of Mercy as well as current artists like Nightwish and HIM. Their latest release, Exorcisms of Eroticism, was released in summer 2019 and contains melodic jams like “Pandaemonium” and “The Exorcism,” which has an appropriately dark music video to go along with it. “In That Moment” is my favorite track on the EP. The haunting, romantic vocals dance over the dichotomy of the synthesizers and guitars, giving it a nostalgic sound, but you could also expect to hear it on a modern-day alternative rock station. “Like a Crucifixion” is another excellent example of their sound. A steady rock beat with powerful lyrics make for an enjoyable combination and will have you slipping into Her Despair like a comfortable pair of black fishnets…or a worn pair of Doc Martens.
For more on Her Despair, check them out at the links below.
Greetings and Salutations for a brand new year and decade that I am confident will be filled with amazing music. I’m Ro, your musical tour guide, and today I want to share with you some of my favorites from the past year and introduce you to a Goth rock outfit from the UK called Her Despair. Their music will take you right back to those 80s afternoons sitting in your bedroom listening to cassettes—or perhaps your vinyl collection—waiting for the night to fall and bring with it the creepy darkness where anything can happen and life is just a little more interesting.
Her Despair melds together sounds of Peter Murphy and Sisters of Mercy as well as current artists like Nightwish and HIM. Their latest release, Exorcisms of Eroticism, was released in summer 2019 and contains melodic jams like “Pandaemonium” and “The Exorcism,” which has an appropriately dark music video to go along with it. “In That Moment” is my favorite track on the EP. The haunting, romantic vocals dance over the dichotomy of the synthesizers and guitars, giving it a nostalgic sound, but you could also expect to hear it on a modern-day alternative rock station. “Like a Crucifixion” is another excellent example of their sound. A steady rock beat with powerful lyrics make for an enjoyable combination and will have you slipping into Her Despair like a comfortable pair of black fishnets…or a worn pair of Doc Martens.
For more on Her Despair, check them out at the links below.
Many great albums were released in 2019, and while I’m not a big list maker, I thought I’d share a few of them here. Some bands have been with us for decades like Slipknot and Korn and others were new to me. Bands like Papa Roach, Sleeping with Sirens, Volbeat, and Bring Me The Horizon took big risks on a new sound that paid off well. We lost Vinnie Paul from Hellyeah, but the band gave him a beautiful sendoff with Welcome Home. Motionless in White and New Year’s Day put out powerful albums that cemented their status in the rock community as artists that have fought long and hard to be there. Baroness returned from a harrowing tragedy to put out a strong album. I Prevail had a fairytale beginning with a cover of Taylor Swift and this year they’ve been nominated for a Grammy! And lastly, The Hu, Fever333 and Bad Wolves were all new bands to me that I am glad I took a chance on. I hope you will too.
Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind
Bring Me The Horizon – Amo
Papa Roach – Who Do You Trust?
Hellyeah – Welcome Home
Motionless in White – Disguise
New Year’s Day – Unbreakable
Volbeat – Rewind, Replay, Rebound
Korn – The Nothing
The Hu – Gereg
Baroness – Gold and Grey
Bad Wolves – N.A.T.I.O.N.
Fever333 – Strength in Numb333rs
Sleeping With Sirens – How It Feels To Be Lost
I Prevail – Trauma
There’s a wide variety on this list, a little something for everyone, so as we prepare for a new year of music, give some of these a listen.
What are you looking forward to in 2020? Leave a comment and let me know what music I should be looking out for in 2020. And with that, Stay Tuned for more of Merrill’s Musical Musings…
Hello Addicts,
Electro/Industrial Artist I YA TOYAH Unleashes New Single & Video, “Out Of Order”
HorrorAddicts.net 