Interview with FRANK GARCIA
I’ve
noticed the activity on your blog Metal Albums Review. What have you
been posting there and how many viewers are responding?
The Metal Albums Review blog began in 2013 as a way to keep track of the reviews I was doing for Coffinfeeder, Hard Rocker Magazine and Autoeroticasphxium Zine and to help promote those zines. I did not set out for it to become what it is now; it just evolved through the months and I am very active with it lately. I wanted to feature the reviews that were printed to those zines as a way to reach more people who do not have or care to have access to printed copies. After a few months I was contacted by a few promotional companies who needed reviews for their bands. A few came and went; some I just did not have enough time for. I have been sticking with Clawhammer PR, Transcending Obscurity, Future PR, and of course doing reviews for AEA. There's a few others but I simply run out of time. As far as followers there are only twelve that are subscribed. It is hit or miss; some posts get a lot of views while others really do not. Overall, I think it is good amount of traffic for a small blog with only a two year run. I try to keep it to mostly reviews and metal news. For a short time I was featuring underground models and doing interviews with a few of them but with the huge amount of albums coming in for reviews, I slowly steered back in that direction. This year I have decided to get back to doing interviews but keeping the focus on underground artists. So far, Glynford Cabarse (Grind Art) and Joe Ravager (Ravager Artworks) have participated. I asked one or two others but they did not have the time to do it. I’ll see how it goes. I take it one step at a time. Since I am still actively playing and recording music I can only devote so much time to the blog.
When did the blog develop into something bigger than you intended? Did you expect you would be this active with it?
I would say about a year into it. The original reviews got around and led to more. The interviews get the most attention as well as news. I did not think I would be adding as much time as I have but I like to stay committed to the bands that are sending me material. Being a musician, I know how frustrating it is to try to get your music out there. I write as much as I can; at the moment I am also producing albums and that takes priority over the blog.
What news posted on your blog received the most attention in the beginning?
The whole incident with Lamb Of God’s vocalist Randy Blythe got a lot of attention. ACDC’s drummer in trouble and the former Obituary guitarist Allen West on meth charges. Since I noticed the more mainstream magazines and blogs run that type of news I rarely focus on it anymore; I’d rather focus on the more obscure bands and what their news might be.
How long have you been in contact with Coffinfeeder and Hard Rocker? Are these zines based in the U.S. or elsewhere? How often were you reviewing for them, and were your reviews mostly of full lengths?
I’ve been in contact with the editor of Coffinfeeder since 2012, he no longer does the printed version or any version at all. Hard Rocker was a short lived time span; I think it was early 2013. I did about ten album reviews and that was about it. Coffinfeeder is based in Turkey and Hard Rocker is from Poland. I started the blog afterwards; I did not do anything else for them shortly after republishing the original reviews. I think I did two issues for Coffinfeeder; issues #5 and #6. As I recall in one of the issues he forgot to mention my name after a round of ten reviews; I am sure it was a mistake but anyhow we still kept in good contact. I think Hard Rocker is still around but I have not done anything for it since 2013. Mostly full albums and a few EPs.
Did you choose what you reviewed for Coffinfeeder and Hard Rocker or were promos forwarded to you for review? What bands have you reviewed for them?
Coffinfeeder and Hard Rocker sent me several; I did not pick any particular ones. I actually wrote for all the material they sent me. The Cofinfeeder reviews included Destruction, Enthrench, 13 Wars, Bombs Of Hadez and a couple of others. Hard Rocker included Thermit, Mad Maze, Deceptor and others.
Do you personally prefer webzines or print zines? I’ve always said both are valuable to the metal underground network for their respective reasons. I made an effort to make the print releases of AEA unique, and since it went online I’ve reached more readers in less time. How many readers are you reaching on a regular basis online?
I like both actually; it is nice to hold a hard copy but it’s also cool to get an instant version on the computer. I think both are helpful to the metal and underground world as a source of information and a way to help bands. As far as readers, I get about 20 to 30 on the first post and then depending how well the bands promote it, the post can reach close to 100 to 200 by the end of the week. I try to use all the internet tools like Youtube, Twitter and Google Plus to maximize the views. Keeping all the posts current and relevant helps to reach more people. I recently did an interview with the band Edenkaiser two days before the release of their new album. I got 100 within the first day due to the way they promoted the post and it’s still gaining views.
In what country is Edenkaiser based? How well known were they before their latest recording?
Edenkaiser are from Spain; they are popular around their area and have played several festivals. They started in 2009 and seemingly have a decent internet presence. As far as how big the audience draw is, I am not sure exactly.
How consistent are Clawhammer PR, Transcending Obscurity and Future PR at releasing material? How many promos do you receive from them in one sitting? List some “standout albums” from the promos they have sent you.
Well, Clawhammer is consistent; I get at least three to five albums from them every week. Transcending Obscurity is just as good. Future PR does well too but not as consistent. Standouts… that would be an article unto itself. If I have to find some I would say Clawhammer sends me the most memorable stuff. Honestly it is difficult to choose; I have an open mind to a lot of the music but Ingurgitating Oblivion, Heaving Earth and Lecherous Nocturne are favorites.
Before social media, many reviewers got word around through band bios. How much has social media helped independent reviewers?
I would say probably the wider outreach to different parts of the world. I did not do reviews of any sort before the internet. I was mainly a fan and depended on print zines to get word on new underground bands. The fact that with the internet there are more outlets, like video and instant information delivery, it makes it easier to get attention, but with so many e-zines/blogs, it is difficult to dig through the clutter. I think to be better known you have to get really involved in the bands and artist you are reviewing and be able to get your thoughts expressed to the readers in a comprehensive way. I have seen a few reviews where you can tell the person writing them did not even take the time to listen or explore the music deeper or they were just too lazy to come up with a better summary or description. I feel that if you are too lazy or not writing from your thoughts, than don't bother writing it at all.
I have an idea what you are saying since there is as much simplistic feedback on social media as informative reviews. I have seen feedback consisting of only a few words; particularly the same words repeated over and over. This doesn’t give as much insight into where a band is coming from. Would you like to see more reviews resulting from intensive research?
I would like to see articles and reviews such as the ones I used to read from Metal Maniacs, Pit magazine, Sound Of Death magazine and Rip magazine. I remember how well all those articles were constructed and it made the reading interesting and engaging. I think it’s far too easy these days to find info on bands and not ask deeper questions so it falls back to the lazy aspect I spoke about earlier. That's not to say every writer is lazy; just a few that are part of the clutter in today’s internet arena.
Do you remember the prominent underground magazines from the 80s like Metal Forces and Kerrang? If so, did you get anything from reading those publications?
Metal Forces and Kerrang, ah yes, I do remember those. Lots of concert photos and interviews. Metal Forces I did not read as much as Kerrang. I would visit Tower Records and read a few articles, I might have bought a copy or two. Kerrang was UK based if I remember correctly. I really got into Metal Maniacs; I actually had a subscription to it for a long time. I still have those copies. Metal Maniacs at that time (in the 1990s) had articles on some of the bands I was starting to get into, Death, Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, At The Gates, Sinister and many others.
Were you reading locally published fanzines back in the day? Which of them, if any, are still around?
Subculture zine and Illinois Entertainer are the only ones that come to mind, I know that there were probably a few more but I can't for the life of me remember any except Subculture and IE. Subculture was a half size printed zine and featured a lot of the heavier bands which really interested me. IE, I would not call a zine, more like an all-around musicians’ publication focusing on the entire scope of the music in Illinois. Subculture is no longer around as far as I know. IE is still around but I personally have not bothered to go and get a copy in many years.
Are there still local mom-and-pop record stores near you? Were there more when you got into underground bands?
Nightfall Records and Metal Haven were a few that I used to visit from time to time and are no longer around. Reckless Records is still around and actually my brother played a live set in one of their locations back when he was doing the band Gigan.
Who are the models you interviewed for your blog? Which of these provided the most memorable interviews?
I did twenty-five interviews: Martha Palacios, Darkyrie, Frankie Canibal, Serafina Fiero, Rayne De-Vine, Melle Noir, Ash Jones, Steph BabyGoth, Ciwana, Psychara, Nocturnium, Jenza Louis, Monica Zamora, Princess Chaos, Ira Vampira, Miserere, Amanda Denton, Macabre Lilly, Miss Morgue, Ashtrayheart and Nox Misery. Amethyst Wynter was the first and she had some interesting responses. Straight, to the point answers, not overstating anything. I like her honesty. Saphir Noir was a good interview. She explained what style of photo shoots she is into as well as the kind of music she enjoys the most. Mistabys was a good interview as well, she provided lots of pictures.
What set Amethyst Wynter and Mistabys apart from the alternative models you have interviewed? What did you find most intriguing about their answers?
Amethyst Wynter was the first model interview so she would always be memorable. She gives honest answers and you get a sense of a straightforward attitude; no exaggerations and full support for the underground. Mistabys sent some great pictures and they flow well with the interview. Although her answers were short, they were straight and to the point. If I have to separate the two, I would say Amethyst is on the edge of metal and heavy metal and Mistabys is on the industrial, goth and black metal realm; if that makes sense that would be my best description.
What sort of photo shoots did Saphir Noir express interest in when you interviewed her?
Psycho nurse and kitty cat themed photo shoots are her favorite. She enjoys industrial locations and stairways. Besides the fact that she is very beautiful. She has a natural look to her modeling. Looking at her pictures, her poses are not forced, they look natural and comfortable. Although she has industrial themes in the background and outfits she can probably bring radiance to any theme.
Amethyst Wynter often models gear for metal bands. Has she done any promotional work for your bands?
Besides Nekropsy’s promo video and a few Waking Chaos photos, we really have not done much. I did some art for her. I did an anime character of her and she actually did an art page for me on her site.
Talk about Nekropsy’s promotional video featuring Amethyst Wynter and the anime artwork you designed for her.
After corresponding on Facebook, I mailed her several shirts of Nekropsy, a few stickers and CDs. She took several photos with the shirts and made it possible for me to add the song Nosferatu along with a slide show using her photo shoot and it worked out perfectly. The anime came shortly after. She knew I was doing artwork for your zine and had even made a spot on her website for a few of my art pieces. She asked me to draw an anime in her likeness. I ended up doing three designs and she used all three.
Alternative models are sometimes reported for posting their work on social media while mainstream models and pop artists are praised for similar work. Would you prefer seeing alt models receiving more equal treatment?
Fair treatment would be great. I think money plays a big part in all of that. The mainstream seems to have mass media behind it and the money to eliminate bad publicity; on the other hand alternative models who are just starting out probably have a hard time fending off negative publicity and have a huge amount of competition with other models. Not sure if it would ever be an equal playing field as far as that subject.
I’ve heard of Lady Gaga stealing ideas from alt models and the mainstream starting to milk burlesque when it was looked down upon a decade earlier. The same thing happened when the mainstream tried to make punk and metal a fashion. To me this is rather hypocritical; many models view it similarly. Social media has provided artists whose work was ripped off a forum to call attention to the issue.
I think as long as people speak up and make others know, then they will always call out the bullshitters and fakes. I think for the most part the underground people are well aware of it but it is the younger generation that the media works hard to attract, so let the next generation know where it all began instead of having them follow the trends.
What is your own definition of an alternative model? Is there a need for aesthetics that differing from mainstream norm?
I would say imagery that differs from what I see on the news racks. Something different than the standard super thin stick figures we are so used to viewing. It would seem like the industry creates these thin stick figure drawings and models have to make themselves fit that particular drawing. I like to see something dark, nightmarish, with some gore, I have old issues of Draculina magazine that features horror movie scream queens. I guess that's what I look for at times for an alternative.
Draculina always supported models and actresses outside popular standards. The adage that you can’t fool all the people all the time applies, and not everyone prefers the stick figure or Pamela Anderson aesthetic. What scream queens do you most remember reading about? In what ways do they inspire you? When did you begin to do artwork and what were the connections to your bands?
Linnea Quigley, Michelle Bauer, Brink Stevens, Monique Gabrielle, Darian Caine, Sybil Danning and Julie Strain. Some of the gore scenes such as the one in The Return Of The Living Dead where the zombies are attacking Linnea at the start of the film was inspiring to some degree. Julie Strain had a film were she played a sci-fi warrior queen which inspired a few pieces. Early in my teenage years around thirteen and fourteen I started to do more elaborate pieces. I did band logos at first: Theocracy, Dark Oasis, Waking Chaos and Nekropsy were about the extent of it. We mainly used pictures for the majority of the releases except the Waking Chaos first demo where I actually drew the entire cover which was the Grim Reaper.
We began corresponding through Jillanna Babb of Corpsewax Dollies, when you designed artwork based on her likeness.
I did a piece for Jillanna from a performance picture she had posted on Myspace. My motivation for doing it was to practice on drawing people. The majority of my drawings usually contain skulls and gore, so, I wanted to do something different. I also did a few photo manipulations that featured her. It was fun, but I still need much more practice on drawing people.
How well known are Glynford Cabarse and Joe Ravager as artists? Did you meet them through bands you were writing or while seeking fellow artists to correspond with?
Glynford is known in the Philippines; he does shirts as well as a few CD covers. Natal Cleft, Erehes, Sagrado and a few others. Joe does a couple of zines’ Reborn From Ashes, Aquelarre Zine and Hellish Propaganda; and shirts for bands; Ghoulgotha, Mortuous, Hellcannon, Grave Ritual and Drowning In The Platte. They are a growing group of artists and their art is also continuously growing. I met Glynford when he designed a shirt for my band Waking Chaos. I met Joe while looking through Reborn From Ashes Zine.
Did you recently conduct an interview with Glynford? If so, what did you and he discuss?
I wanted to start featuring more artists this year; he happened to be available and willing to answer some questions. I asked him how the creation of a separate art page helped get his work out to people; he replied that it has gained him a few more customers. Also asked him about his future endeavors and latest shirt designs. Overall he is doing well and progressing in his art.
You have released instrumental CDs you produced and distribute independently. Describe them to the readers?
Having been around metal my entire musical career, I had all these other ideas and riffs that could not be used with the bands and projects I worked with. Eventually, through my writing process, several melodic songs had developed and I wanted to have some sort of outlet to make these compositions available to the public. Artemortifica Music was the answer. I began by releasing the first installment of tracks called Logarithmic Spirals. All were digital releases posted to Youtube and Reverbnation in 2012. Ten songs in total. At the end of that first installment I wanted to do a follow up with a more thought out process, rather than just left over music and random thoughts of melodies. I began a more focused and dedicated effort which became Logarithmic Spirals 2. I even brought in two other musicians to play on two tracks. Lukasz Kij was kind enough to add his keyboards on the track Resilience and my old friend Steven Smiewec to play acoustic for the song The Fantasist. It all came together at towards the end of 2013 and I released the album on July 5, 2014.
Logarithmic Spirals 1 and 2 are far removed from Waking Chaos and Nekropsy. How have they been received by the death metal community, in print zines and on the internet?
Well, there was very little response from the DM people which I expect but surprisingly a few metalheads did offer positive feedback. By far, there has been a good response from new friends on the internet who are prone to melodic and softer music. I still need to get it out to more people but at this time I am working on the latest project Asphyxiator. So until that's complete I can't do much promoting for the Melodic project. It is all still brand new so who knows how much further it will reach.
What inspired the title Logarithmic Spirals? Describe the tracks on the CDs and what inspired your composing them.
Logarithmic Spirals is found in mathematics and almost everything we see around us contains a growth spiral. Even in the universe itself you can see this spiral from the smallest to the largest forms of matter; it is found. It is really intriguing to me. It’s like a universal code for almost everything we perceive. I wanted a title that represented Earth’s nature, and a title that would allow me the freedom to compose whatever came to mind without being labeled something or put into some imaginary box. It works great for what I intend to write. With my melodies. Inspiration for the music comes from my hiking that I do when the weather is better and I visit the forest preserves or State Parks and do long hikes. Some of it comes from my interest in paranormal phenomena. I like the old creepy scores from the old horror films from Dario Argento’s Goblin and the score from The Thing.
Reading about your inspiration of your solo project I am reminded of the independent movie Pi in which the lead character finds the same pattern in all of nature. Did you see this movie? Or if not, would you be interested in checking it out?
I have never heard of that movie. I would most certainly want to check it out.
Dario Argento’s Goblin are well known for composing scores to Dawn Of The Dead and Suspiria. Are there scores to other movies Goblin composed that you are familiar with? What most intrigues you about their compositions?
Buio Omega by Joe D'Amato, Tenebre and Phenomena are among the other soundtracks I enjoy from Goblin. The intrigue lies in the eerie, dark atmospheres the music presents. The fact that I grew up watching and listening to these soundtracks also plays a bigger role, since it is nostalgic to me.
When it comes to horror movies, do you prefer a movie with physical effects or CGI? Originals or remakes? Please explain your answer.
Physical effects are my personal favorite. I have viewed a couple of CGI horror films and it just does not fit well in my opinion. The movie The Thing is a good example. The original used physical effects and allowed the viewer to fill the rest in from the vague imagery much like old Hitchcock movies. The remake used a lot of digital effects and in my eyes just did not capture the essence of the original. Everything was too bright and detailed; it just did not allow your imagination to work, and was way too polished for my taste. Not a fan of remakes whatsoever. I will watch one from time to time. Take the Evil Dead remake; that was okay although it could have very easily been just another horror film without using the same name. I think the way technology is these days, we are bound to keep seeing more and more. I have to say that I watched the sci-fi film Interstellar recently; that one was shot on 77MM film and the IMAX projectors had to be re-installed when it first opened. I happened to be at the first screening as they showed it and I must say it looked amazing. So there are other producers still holding their ground doing films the old fashioned way.
What has been happening lately with Nekropsy and Waking Chaos? You are also in the process of recording with your new band Asphyxiator. When was this band founded and how much material have you written with them?
As far as Waking Chaos, we are not doing much at all. The guys in that project are pursuing other musical endeavors which I think is great, as I am doing the same. We did not break up or do anything that was an official closer. I think the group has always been an open book that we continue to add to as the years wear on. It happened in the past and we eventually got back to doing it. I think we did a lot more things with this last lineup and I am pleased. The future remains wide open. As far as Nekropsy, I am planning on writing new material beginning this year, so be on the lookout for that. Now, to my current project Asphyxiator. The group founder Miguel Goregrinder has had several musicians through the past decades and attempted to release material but the people he worked with previously did not make it that far. I was asked to help fill in for a sold out show in 2014 (Chicago Domination Festival 2014). It all fell into place and shortly thereafter I was asked to record the album (Inhaling Fluids Of Thoracentesis). We worked on all the material at the end of October 2014 and we are now set to release this monster to the masses hopefully by May 2015. The album will consist of eleven songs. All the artwork for the cover and back cover are completed and we only have a few minor steps before we complete the album.
Describe your appearance with Asphyxiator at the Chicago Domination Festival and how the attendees responded to your performance.
The place was packed. Two hundred people inside a small lounge. It was my first performance with the band as well as the bass player’s first show. Good response. We opened the show and were received with an enthusiastic welcome from the people who were there early. The whole thing was excellent. I was happy with the sound we got and the end results were well worth the few months of practice.
What is the lyrical stance of Asphyxiator and what messages about the world around us does the band communicate?
I can not elaborate on all the lyrics because they are dominated by the vocalist and he wrote all the lyrics before I joined the project. They lean towards brutal death metal topics. Torture, pain, beatings, death and suffering. Gruesome stuff, not for the general public or for those who take offense to those matters. Think of a sadistic horror film like Hostel or Saw and that would be 90% of the subject matter. To be honest, I don't particularly pay that much attention to the lyrics on this project since I am not the vocalist. Besides, the project had all the lyrics and basic music rhythms before I got involved. My main job is to play the guitar and write the string compositions.
Extreme metal has progressed and grown in many ways since the early 1990s. Where do you see it going in the years to come?
Much like art, its roots create thousands of branches and those branches extend and multiply every year. It amazes me to see how many genres have spawned since its early years and yet it continues to grow. It is really endless when you think about it. The music can go wherever the entire conscious unity wants it to go. We have heard technical, classical, melodic, old school and grind. Then you have all the other genres, folk, Viking, djent, power, industrial and gothic. I feel the future will forever be an open canvas. With new comers making their own spin and interpretations. I feel that it is all still at the very beginning in its short life span. Some may disagree but when you stand back and realize the amount of time metal has existed it is really a small increment. The only thing that saddens me is not to be around to see how far it will evolve past my lifetime.
Tell the readers about your published collection of artwork, Mecha Birth. What messages did you intend to convey with it?
The late H.R. Giger was the inspiration for the majority of the drawings. The combination of man and machine as we as a human race evolves into new technology. A portrayal of this ongoing process can be ugly and horrific to some while others view it as a step in the evolution process. I wanted to depict the ugly side of it with my mangled visions of robots with human limbs and at times worms and insects thrown in the mix. Some of the drawings were a lot older and just needed to be included in my book since I always enjoyed having them; I wanted to make those available to the public. The older drawings were close to the concept I had in mind; they fit perfectly with the more recent renderings. Since it was my very first publication Mecha Birth or Mechanical Birth was the most conclusive title in my opinion.
Are there specific points you were making about new technology with the pieces you published in Mecha Birth? How have reviewers interpreted this work since it was made available?
The transmutaion of human flesh into metal and alloys, as well as circuity. The nightmares of the 70s sci fi films are becoming real each and every day. It is that which I made an attempt to portray in the book Mecha Birth. The reviews have been good and I think, for the most part, the viewers understand it and interpret it in different ways. Some think it is just plain horror and others see it for the abstract sci fi mechanical transformation. Overall, I am happy with the results. Eventually, I will get back to more drawing. All the music and production is taking up a large chunk of my time at the moment.
What science fiction movies from the 70s and 80s fit the visions you thought up for Mecha Birth? The late 60s and early 70s produced many dystopian sci fi movies. Which dystopian movies do you get the most out of?
Close Encounters, The Black Hole, Star Child, Death Race 2000, The Fly, Predator and Alien are among some of my favorites. Subconsciously there are bits and pieces drawn on paper that somehow were put there when I was watching these films. The legendary film Metropolis had a huge impact on me. If I had a choice of which film gave me the most inspiration, it would be that film.
You have posted your photography on your Facebook profiles with, time lapse videos of the locations you visit to take pictures. How long have you been interested in expressing yourself through these mediums?
Photography became a big interest to me in the late nineties. At first it was just a way to capture my bands’ live performances and then I got interested in not only capturing my group but other bands as well. It all became more involved as the years went by. It has been a slow process and I still am learning a lot. The time lapses require a large amount of time and require lots of hard disk space in order to process a small amount of video. I have to balance my time between writing, music, drawing and photography.
Which of your time lapse videos do you consider your finest undertakings up to now? Some of these were filmed in the city if I recall. Which locations do you most often go to shoot photos and videos?
At the start of 2012 I was just getting a feel for it. The process of capturing a sequence is one of patience. I did a few downtown, filming the main attractions and lake views. I did a few in the forest preserves for practice purposes. The one that turned out to be my favorite thus far was taken from my back porch area. It only last for about a minute, maybe less. It is four hundred pictures taken over a twenty minute period. In a video titled Midnight Sky you see a cloud formation followed by the rotation of star clusters. The video turned out very smooth and the fact the stars appeared shortly after the cloud cover went by was the moment that I enjoyed the most. It has been a long time since I did one but I plan on getting a few more for the summertime.
How do you intend to improve upon your time lapse work when the summer arrives?
With time-lapse photography, I plan on shooting more star formations. Although it requires a lot more time and effort, I like the results I get from it. I would also add more nighttime landscapes with a lot of movement. I recently acquired better lenses so I am looking to see how all those are going to work out for me.
You have shared an interest in paranormal subjects and have visited reputedly haunted locations. Share some of these?
The Robinson Woods began my interest. I had gone on my usual hike and ran into a couple who claimed they had captured a mist-like figure on their phone camera. Intrigued by this short meeting, I made a decision to investigate the area and found a lot of backstory regarding the location. Many travesties occurred including Indian massacres and family tragedies and a child killer once dropped off a few bodies. I went at night and really did not experience much. I took a few photos and a couple of short video segments but it did not yield much. However the documentary was made and that led to another location nearby. Schiller Woods down the road was suggested to me by a friend who happened to watch my original video of the Robinson Woods. He had a picture where he and several friends were having a bonfire and you can clearly see a female ghost figure sitting on an empty chair nearby. I did a short documentary on his experience and that video is also available on Youtube.
What other local legends have you heard about that you would like to do some more research on?
Bachelors Grove in Midlothian, Illinois would be a fun experience. It has a big reputation for being haunted. From what i have seen online many people visit that area and the cops are frequently throwing people out who are there past the daylight. Mobsters were said to have dropped bodies in those woods. I would be a good adventure. There's a lighthouse near Navy Pier that looks creepy and old; unfortunately there is no public access to it.
Speaking of Youtube, you watch a few internet TV programs including UFO TV of which you have showed me some videos. What does internet TV offer that is missing on national and cable TV?
I would say that there are more underground producers and filmmakers as well as no commercial music from upcoming artists and unknown acts. In my opinion that is what I enjoy the most online, the one on one connectivity that TV or cable completely lacks. Online you can narrow down exactly what you like to hear and watch and filter out the rest.
Are there any projects you have planned for the immediate future you would like to mention in this interview?
Besides writing new Nekropsy material, just looking forward to playing at CDF2 with Necrophagia and Putrid Pile amongst other incredible acts. That's going to be a really good time. You never know what tomorrow will bring. The current projects might lead to others, we will find out as the days go.
Provide links where people can view your artwork and watch your videos on the internet.
My main channel is where you can find nearly every current project I am on.
-Dave Wolff
The Metal Albums Review blog began in 2013 as a way to keep track of the reviews I was doing for Coffinfeeder, Hard Rocker Magazine and Autoeroticasphxium Zine and to help promote those zines. I did not set out for it to become what it is now; it just evolved through the months and I am very active with it lately. I wanted to feature the reviews that were printed to those zines as a way to reach more people who do not have or care to have access to printed copies. After a few months I was contacted by a few promotional companies who needed reviews for their bands. A few came and went; some I just did not have enough time for. I have been sticking with Clawhammer PR, Transcending Obscurity, Future PR, and of course doing reviews for AEA. There's a few others but I simply run out of time. As far as followers there are only twelve that are subscribed. It is hit or miss; some posts get a lot of views while others really do not. Overall, I think it is good amount of traffic for a small blog with only a two year run. I try to keep it to mostly reviews and metal news. For a short time I was featuring underground models and doing interviews with a few of them but with the huge amount of albums coming in for reviews, I slowly steered back in that direction. This year I have decided to get back to doing interviews but keeping the focus on underground artists. So far, Glynford Cabarse (Grind Art) and Joe Ravager (Ravager Artworks) have participated. I asked one or two others but they did not have the time to do it. I’ll see how it goes. I take it one step at a time. Since I am still actively playing and recording music I can only devote so much time to the blog.
When did the blog develop into something bigger than you intended? Did you expect you would be this active with it?
I would say about a year into it. The original reviews got around and led to more. The interviews get the most attention as well as news. I did not think I would be adding as much time as I have but I like to stay committed to the bands that are sending me material. Being a musician, I know how frustrating it is to try to get your music out there. I write as much as I can; at the moment I am also producing albums and that takes priority over the blog.
What news posted on your blog received the most attention in the beginning?
The whole incident with Lamb Of God’s vocalist Randy Blythe got a lot of attention. ACDC’s drummer in trouble and the former Obituary guitarist Allen West on meth charges. Since I noticed the more mainstream magazines and blogs run that type of news I rarely focus on it anymore; I’d rather focus on the more obscure bands and what their news might be.
How long have you been in contact with Coffinfeeder and Hard Rocker? Are these zines based in the U.S. or elsewhere? How often were you reviewing for them, and were your reviews mostly of full lengths?
I’ve been in contact with the editor of Coffinfeeder since 2012, he no longer does the printed version or any version at all. Hard Rocker was a short lived time span; I think it was early 2013. I did about ten album reviews and that was about it. Coffinfeeder is based in Turkey and Hard Rocker is from Poland. I started the blog afterwards; I did not do anything else for them shortly after republishing the original reviews. I think I did two issues for Coffinfeeder; issues #5 and #6. As I recall in one of the issues he forgot to mention my name after a round of ten reviews; I am sure it was a mistake but anyhow we still kept in good contact. I think Hard Rocker is still around but I have not done anything for it since 2013. Mostly full albums and a few EPs.
Did you choose what you reviewed for Coffinfeeder and Hard Rocker or were promos forwarded to you for review? What bands have you reviewed for them?
Coffinfeeder and Hard Rocker sent me several; I did not pick any particular ones. I actually wrote for all the material they sent me. The Cofinfeeder reviews included Destruction, Enthrench, 13 Wars, Bombs Of Hadez and a couple of others. Hard Rocker included Thermit, Mad Maze, Deceptor and others.
Do you personally prefer webzines or print zines? I’ve always said both are valuable to the metal underground network for their respective reasons. I made an effort to make the print releases of AEA unique, and since it went online I’ve reached more readers in less time. How many readers are you reaching on a regular basis online?
I like both actually; it is nice to hold a hard copy but it’s also cool to get an instant version on the computer. I think both are helpful to the metal and underground world as a source of information and a way to help bands. As far as readers, I get about 20 to 30 on the first post and then depending how well the bands promote it, the post can reach close to 100 to 200 by the end of the week. I try to use all the internet tools like Youtube, Twitter and Google Plus to maximize the views. Keeping all the posts current and relevant helps to reach more people. I recently did an interview with the band Edenkaiser two days before the release of their new album. I got 100 within the first day due to the way they promoted the post and it’s still gaining views.
In what country is Edenkaiser based? How well known were they before their latest recording?
Edenkaiser are from Spain; they are popular around their area and have played several festivals. They started in 2009 and seemingly have a decent internet presence. As far as how big the audience draw is, I am not sure exactly.
How consistent are Clawhammer PR, Transcending Obscurity and Future PR at releasing material? How many promos do you receive from them in one sitting? List some “standout albums” from the promos they have sent you.
Well, Clawhammer is consistent; I get at least three to five albums from them every week. Transcending Obscurity is just as good. Future PR does well too but not as consistent. Standouts… that would be an article unto itself. If I have to find some I would say Clawhammer sends me the most memorable stuff. Honestly it is difficult to choose; I have an open mind to a lot of the music but Ingurgitating Oblivion, Heaving Earth and Lecherous Nocturne are favorites.
Before social media, many reviewers got word around through band bios. How much has social media helped independent reviewers?
I would say probably the wider outreach to different parts of the world. I did not do reviews of any sort before the internet. I was mainly a fan and depended on print zines to get word on new underground bands. The fact that with the internet there are more outlets, like video and instant information delivery, it makes it easier to get attention, but with so many e-zines/blogs, it is difficult to dig through the clutter. I think to be better known you have to get really involved in the bands and artist you are reviewing and be able to get your thoughts expressed to the readers in a comprehensive way. I have seen a few reviews where you can tell the person writing them did not even take the time to listen or explore the music deeper or they were just too lazy to come up with a better summary or description. I feel that if you are too lazy or not writing from your thoughts, than don't bother writing it at all.
I have an idea what you are saying since there is as much simplistic feedback on social media as informative reviews. I have seen feedback consisting of only a few words; particularly the same words repeated over and over. This doesn’t give as much insight into where a band is coming from. Would you like to see more reviews resulting from intensive research?
I would like to see articles and reviews such as the ones I used to read from Metal Maniacs, Pit magazine, Sound Of Death magazine and Rip magazine. I remember how well all those articles were constructed and it made the reading interesting and engaging. I think it’s far too easy these days to find info on bands and not ask deeper questions so it falls back to the lazy aspect I spoke about earlier. That's not to say every writer is lazy; just a few that are part of the clutter in today’s internet arena.
Do you remember the prominent underground magazines from the 80s like Metal Forces and Kerrang? If so, did you get anything from reading those publications?
Metal Forces and Kerrang, ah yes, I do remember those. Lots of concert photos and interviews. Metal Forces I did not read as much as Kerrang. I would visit Tower Records and read a few articles, I might have bought a copy or two. Kerrang was UK based if I remember correctly. I really got into Metal Maniacs; I actually had a subscription to it for a long time. I still have those copies. Metal Maniacs at that time (in the 1990s) had articles on some of the bands I was starting to get into, Death, Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, At The Gates, Sinister and many others.
Were you reading locally published fanzines back in the day? Which of them, if any, are still around?
Subculture zine and Illinois Entertainer are the only ones that come to mind, I know that there were probably a few more but I can't for the life of me remember any except Subculture and IE. Subculture was a half size printed zine and featured a lot of the heavier bands which really interested me. IE, I would not call a zine, more like an all-around musicians’ publication focusing on the entire scope of the music in Illinois. Subculture is no longer around as far as I know. IE is still around but I personally have not bothered to go and get a copy in many years.
Are there still local mom-and-pop record stores near you? Were there more when you got into underground bands?
Nightfall Records and Metal Haven were a few that I used to visit from time to time and are no longer around. Reckless Records is still around and actually my brother played a live set in one of their locations back when he was doing the band Gigan.
Who are the models you interviewed for your blog? Which of these provided the most memorable interviews?
I did twenty-five interviews: Martha Palacios, Darkyrie, Frankie Canibal, Serafina Fiero, Rayne De-Vine, Melle Noir, Ash Jones, Steph BabyGoth, Ciwana, Psychara, Nocturnium, Jenza Louis, Monica Zamora, Princess Chaos, Ira Vampira, Miserere, Amanda Denton, Macabre Lilly, Miss Morgue, Ashtrayheart and Nox Misery. Amethyst Wynter was the first and she had some interesting responses. Straight, to the point answers, not overstating anything. I like her honesty. Saphir Noir was a good interview. She explained what style of photo shoots she is into as well as the kind of music she enjoys the most. Mistabys was a good interview as well, she provided lots of pictures.
What set Amethyst Wynter and Mistabys apart from the alternative models you have interviewed? What did you find most intriguing about their answers?
Amethyst Wynter was the first model interview so she would always be memorable. She gives honest answers and you get a sense of a straightforward attitude; no exaggerations and full support for the underground. Mistabys sent some great pictures and they flow well with the interview. Although her answers were short, they were straight and to the point. If I have to separate the two, I would say Amethyst is on the edge of metal and heavy metal and Mistabys is on the industrial, goth and black metal realm; if that makes sense that would be my best description.
What sort of photo shoots did Saphir Noir express interest in when you interviewed her?
Psycho nurse and kitty cat themed photo shoots are her favorite. She enjoys industrial locations and stairways. Besides the fact that she is very beautiful. She has a natural look to her modeling. Looking at her pictures, her poses are not forced, they look natural and comfortable. Although she has industrial themes in the background and outfits she can probably bring radiance to any theme.
Amethyst Wynter often models gear for metal bands. Has she done any promotional work for your bands?
Besides Nekropsy’s promo video and a few Waking Chaos photos, we really have not done much. I did some art for her. I did an anime character of her and she actually did an art page for me on her site.
Talk about Nekropsy’s promotional video featuring Amethyst Wynter and the anime artwork you designed for her.
After corresponding on Facebook, I mailed her several shirts of Nekropsy, a few stickers and CDs. She took several photos with the shirts and made it possible for me to add the song Nosferatu along with a slide show using her photo shoot and it worked out perfectly. The anime came shortly after. She knew I was doing artwork for your zine and had even made a spot on her website for a few of my art pieces. She asked me to draw an anime in her likeness. I ended up doing three designs and she used all three.
Alternative models are sometimes reported for posting their work on social media while mainstream models and pop artists are praised for similar work. Would you prefer seeing alt models receiving more equal treatment?
Fair treatment would be great. I think money plays a big part in all of that. The mainstream seems to have mass media behind it and the money to eliminate bad publicity; on the other hand alternative models who are just starting out probably have a hard time fending off negative publicity and have a huge amount of competition with other models. Not sure if it would ever be an equal playing field as far as that subject.
I’ve heard of Lady Gaga stealing ideas from alt models and the mainstream starting to milk burlesque when it was looked down upon a decade earlier. The same thing happened when the mainstream tried to make punk and metal a fashion. To me this is rather hypocritical; many models view it similarly. Social media has provided artists whose work was ripped off a forum to call attention to the issue.
I think as long as people speak up and make others know, then they will always call out the bullshitters and fakes. I think for the most part the underground people are well aware of it but it is the younger generation that the media works hard to attract, so let the next generation know where it all began instead of having them follow the trends.
What is your own definition of an alternative model? Is there a need for aesthetics that differing from mainstream norm?
I would say imagery that differs from what I see on the news racks. Something different than the standard super thin stick figures we are so used to viewing. It would seem like the industry creates these thin stick figure drawings and models have to make themselves fit that particular drawing. I like to see something dark, nightmarish, with some gore, I have old issues of Draculina magazine that features horror movie scream queens. I guess that's what I look for at times for an alternative.
Draculina always supported models and actresses outside popular standards. The adage that you can’t fool all the people all the time applies, and not everyone prefers the stick figure or Pamela Anderson aesthetic. What scream queens do you most remember reading about? In what ways do they inspire you? When did you begin to do artwork and what were the connections to your bands?
Linnea Quigley, Michelle Bauer, Brink Stevens, Monique Gabrielle, Darian Caine, Sybil Danning and Julie Strain. Some of the gore scenes such as the one in The Return Of The Living Dead where the zombies are attacking Linnea at the start of the film was inspiring to some degree. Julie Strain had a film were she played a sci-fi warrior queen which inspired a few pieces. Early in my teenage years around thirteen and fourteen I started to do more elaborate pieces. I did band logos at first: Theocracy, Dark Oasis, Waking Chaos and Nekropsy were about the extent of it. We mainly used pictures for the majority of the releases except the Waking Chaos first demo where I actually drew the entire cover which was the Grim Reaper.
We began corresponding through Jillanna Babb of Corpsewax Dollies, when you designed artwork based on her likeness.
I did a piece for Jillanna from a performance picture she had posted on Myspace. My motivation for doing it was to practice on drawing people. The majority of my drawings usually contain skulls and gore, so, I wanted to do something different. I also did a few photo manipulations that featured her. It was fun, but I still need much more practice on drawing people.
How well known are Glynford Cabarse and Joe Ravager as artists? Did you meet them through bands you were writing or while seeking fellow artists to correspond with?
Glynford is known in the Philippines; he does shirts as well as a few CD covers. Natal Cleft, Erehes, Sagrado and a few others. Joe does a couple of zines’ Reborn From Ashes, Aquelarre Zine and Hellish Propaganda; and shirts for bands; Ghoulgotha, Mortuous, Hellcannon, Grave Ritual and Drowning In The Platte. They are a growing group of artists and their art is also continuously growing. I met Glynford when he designed a shirt for my band Waking Chaos. I met Joe while looking through Reborn From Ashes Zine.
Did you recently conduct an interview with Glynford? If so, what did you and he discuss?
I wanted to start featuring more artists this year; he happened to be available and willing to answer some questions. I asked him how the creation of a separate art page helped get his work out to people; he replied that it has gained him a few more customers. Also asked him about his future endeavors and latest shirt designs. Overall he is doing well and progressing in his art.
You have released instrumental CDs you produced and distribute independently. Describe them to the readers?
Having been around metal my entire musical career, I had all these other ideas and riffs that could not be used with the bands and projects I worked with. Eventually, through my writing process, several melodic songs had developed and I wanted to have some sort of outlet to make these compositions available to the public. Artemortifica Music was the answer. I began by releasing the first installment of tracks called Logarithmic Spirals. All were digital releases posted to Youtube and Reverbnation in 2012. Ten songs in total. At the end of that first installment I wanted to do a follow up with a more thought out process, rather than just left over music and random thoughts of melodies. I began a more focused and dedicated effort which became Logarithmic Spirals 2. I even brought in two other musicians to play on two tracks. Lukasz Kij was kind enough to add his keyboards on the track Resilience and my old friend Steven Smiewec to play acoustic for the song The Fantasist. It all came together at towards the end of 2013 and I released the album on July 5, 2014.
Logarithmic Spirals 1 and 2 are far removed from Waking Chaos and Nekropsy. How have they been received by the death metal community, in print zines and on the internet?
Well, there was very little response from the DM people which I expect but surprisingly a few metalheads did offer positive feedback. By far, there has been a good response from new friends on the internet who are prone to melodic and softer music. I still need to get it out to more people but at this time I am working on the latest project Asphyxiator. So until that's complete I can't do much promoting for the Melodic project. It is all still brand new so who knows how much further it will reach.
What inspired the title Logarithmic Spirals? Describe the tracks on the CDs and what inspired your composing them.
Logarithmic Spirals is found in mathematics and almost everything we see around us contains a growth spiral. Even in the universe itself you can see this spiral from the smallest to the largest forms of matter; it is found. It is really intriguing to me. It’s like a universal code for almost everything we perceive. I wanted a title that represented Earth’s nature, and a title that would allow me the freedom to compose whatever came to mind without being labeled something or put into some imaginary box. It works great for what I intend to write. With my melodies. Inspiration for the music comes from my hiking that I do when the weather is better and I visit the forest preserves or State Parks and do long hikes. Some of it comes from my interest in paranormal phenomena. I like the old creepy scores from the old horror films from Dario Argento’s Goblin and the score from The Thing.
Reading about your inspiration of your solo project I am reminded of the independent movie Pi in which the lead character finds the same pattern in all of nature. Did you see this movie? Or if not, would you be interested in checking it out?
I have never heard of that movie. I would most certainly want to check it out.
Dario Argento’s Goblin are well known for composing scores to Dawn Of The Dead and Suspiria. Are there scores to other movies Goblin composed that you are familiar with? What most intrigues you about their compositions?
Buio Omega by Joe D'Amato, Tenebre and Phenomena are among the other soundtracks I enjoy from Goblin. The intrigue lies in the eerie, dark atmospheres the music presents. The fact that I grew up watching and listening to these soundtracks also plays a bigger role, since it is nostalgic to me.
When it comes to horror movies, do you prefer a movie with physical effects or CGI? Originals or remakes? Please explain your answer.
Physical effects are my personal favorite. I have viewed a couple of CGI horror films and it just does not fit well in my opinion. The movie The Thing is a good example. The original used physical effects and allowed the viewer to fill the rest in from the vague imagery much like old Hitchcock movies. The remake used a lot of digital effects and in my eyes just did not capture the essence of the original. Everything was too bright and detailed; it just did not allow your imagination to work, and was way too polished for my taste. Not a fan of remakes whatsoever. I will watch one from time to time. Take the Evil Dead remake; that was okay although it could have very easily been just another horror film without using the same name. I think the way technology is these days, we are bound to keep seeing more and more. I have to say that I watched the sci-fi film Interstellar recently; that one was shot on 77MM film and the IMAX projectors had to be re-installed when it first opened. I happened to be at the first screening as they showed it and I must say it looked amazing. So there are other producers still holding their ground doing films the old fashioned way.
What has been happening lately with Nekropsy and Waking Chaos? You are also in the process of recording with your new band Asphyxiator. When was this band founded and how much material have you written with them?
As far as Waking Chaos, we are not doing much at all. The guys in that project are pursuing other musical endeavors which I think is great, as I am doing the same. We did not break up or do anything that was an official closer. I think the group has always been an open book that we continue to add to as the years wear on. It happened in the past and we eventually got back to doing it. I think we did a lot more things with this last lineup and I am pleased. The future remains wide open. As far as Nekropsy, I am planning on writing new material beginning this year, so be on the lookout for that. Now, to my current project Asphyxiator. The group founder Miguel Goregrinder has had several musicians through the past decades and attempted to release material but the people he worked with previously did not make it that far. I was asked to help fill in for a sold out show in 2014 (Chicago Domination Festival 2014). It all fell into place and shortly thereafter I was asked to record the album (Inhaling Fluids Of Thoracentesis). We worked on all the material at the end of October 2014 and we are now set to release this monster to the masses hopefully by May 2015. The album will consist of eleven songs. All the artwork for the cover and back cover are completed and we only have a few minor steps before we complete the album.
Describe your appearance with Asphyxiator at the Chicago Domination Festival and how the attendees responded to your performance.
The place was packed. Two hundred people inside a small lounge. It was my first performance with the band as well as the bass player’s first show. Good response. We opened the show and were received with an enthusiastic welcome from the people who were there early. The whole thing was excellent. I was happy with the sound we got and the end results were well worth the few months of practice.
What is the lyrical stance of Asphyxiator and what messages about the world around us does the band communicate?
I can not elaborate on all the lyrics because they are dominated by the vocalist and he wrote all the lyrics before I joined the project. They lean towards brutal death metal topics. Torture, pain, beatings, death and suffering. Gruesome stuff, not for the general public or for those who take offense to those matters. Think of a sadistic horror film like Hostel or Saw and that would be 90% of the subject matter. To be honest, I don't particularly pay that much attention to the lyrics on this project since I am not the vocalist. Besides, the project had all the lyrics and basic music rhythms before I got involved. My main job is to play the guitar and write the string compositions.
Extreme metal has progressed and grown in many ways since the early 1990s. Where do you see it going in the years to come?
Much like art, its roots create thousands of branches and those branches extend and multiply every year. It amazes me to see how many genres have spawned since its early years and yet it continues to grow. It is really endless when you think about it. The music can go wherever the entire conscious unity wants it to go. We have heard technical, classical, melodic, old school and grind. Then you have all the other genres, folk, Viking, djent, power, industrial and gothic. I feel the future will forever be an open canvas. With new comers making their own spin and interpretations. I feel that it is all still at the very beginning in its short life span. Some may disagree but when you stand back and realize the amount of time metal has existed it is really a small increment. The only thing that saddens me is not to be around to see how far it will evolve past my lifetime.
Tell the readers about your published collection of artwork, Mecha Birth. What messages did you intend to convey with it?
The late H.R. Giger was the inspiration for the majority of the drawings. The combination of man and machine as we as a human race evolves into new technology. A portrayal of this ongoing process can be ugly and horrific to some while others view it as a step in the evolution process. I wanted to depict the ugly side of it with my mangled visions of robots with human limbs and at times worms and insects thrown in the mix. Some of the drawings were a lot older and just needed to be included in my book since I always enjoyed having them; I wanted to make those available to the public. The older drawings were close to the concept I had in mind; they fit perfectly with the more recent renderings. Since it was my very first publication Mecha Birth or Mechanical Birth was the most conclusive title in my opinion.
Are there specific points you were making about new technology with the pieces you published in Mecha Birth? How have reviewers interpreted this work since it was made available?
The transmutaion of human flesh into metal and alloys, as well as circuity. The nightmares of the 70s sci fi films are becoming real each and every day. It is that which I made an attempt to portray in the book Mecha Birth. The reviews have been good and I think, for the most part, the viewers understand it and interpret it in different ways. Some think it is just plain horror and others see it for the abstract sci fi mechanical transformation. Overall, I am happy with the results. Eventually, I will get back to more drawing. All the music and production is taking up a large chunk of my time at the moment.
What science fiction movies from the 70s and 80s fit the visions you thought up for Mecha Birth? The late 60s and early 70s produced many dystopian sci fi movies. Which dystopian movies do you get the most out of?
Close Encounters, The Black Hole, Star Child, Death Race 2000, The Fly, Predator and Alien are among some of my favorites. Subconsciously there are bits and pieces drawn on paper that somehow were put there when I was watching these films. The legendary film Metropolis had a huge impact on me. If I had a choice of which film gave me the most inspiration, it would be that film.
You have posted your photography on your Facebook profiles with, time lapse videos of the locations you visit to take pictures. How long have you been interested in expressing yourself through these mediums?
Photography became a big interest to me in the late nineties. At first it was just a way to capture my bands’ live performances and then I got interested in not only capturing my group but other bands as well. It all became more involved as the years went by. It has been a slow process and I still am learning a lot. The time lapses require a large amount of time and require lots of hard disk space in order to process a small amount of video. I have to balance my time between writing, music, drawing and photography.
Which of your time lapse videos do you consider your finest undertakings up to now? Some of these were filmed in the city if I recall. Which locations do you most often go to shoot photos and videos?
At the start of 2012 I was just getting a feel for it. The process of capturing a sequence is one of patience. I did a few downtown, filming the main attractions and lake views. I did a few in the forest preserves for practice purposes. The one that turned out to be my favorite thus far was taken from my back porch area. It only last for about a minute, maybe less. It is four hundred pictures taken over a twenty minute period. In a video titled Midnight Sky you see a cloud formation followed by the rotation of star clusters. The video turned out very smooth and the fact the stars appeared shortly after the cloud cover went by was the moment that I enjoyed the most. It has been a long time since I did one but I plan on getting a few more for the summertime.
How do you intend to improve upon your time lapse work when the summer arrives?
With time-lapse photography, I plan on shooting more star formations. Although it requires a lot more time and effort, I like the results I get from it. I would also add more nighttime landscapes with a lot of movement. I recently acquired better lenses so I am looking to see how all those are going to work out for me.
You have shared an interest in paranormal subjects and have visited reputedly haunted locations. Share some of these?
The Robinson Woods began my interest. I had gone on my usual hike and ran into a couple who claimed they had captured a mist-like figure on their phone camera. Intrigued by this short meeting, I made a decision to investigate the area and found a lot of backstory regarding the location. Many travesties occurred including Indian massacres and family tragedies and a child killer once dropped off a few bodies. I went at night and really did not experience much. I took a few photos and a couple of short video segments but it did not yield much. However the documentary was made and that led to another location nearby. Schiller Woods down the road was suggested to me by a friend who happened to watch my original video of the Robinson Woods. He had a picture where he and several friends were having a bonfire and you can clearly see a female ghost figure sitting on an empty chair nearby. I did a short documentary on his experience and that video is also available on Youtube.
What other local legends have you heard about that you would like to do some more research on?
Bachelors Grove in Midlothian, Illinois would be a fun experience. It has a big reputation for being haunted. From what i have seen online many people visit that area and the cops are frequently throwing people out who are there past the daylight. Mobsters were said to have dropped bodies in those woods. I would be a good adventure. There's a lighthouse near Navy Pier that looks creepy and old; unfortunately there is no public access to it.
Speaking of Youtube, you watch a few internet TV programs including UFO TV of which you have showed me some videos. What does internet TV offer that is missing on national and cable TV?
I would say that there are more underground producers and filmmakers as well as no commercial music from upcoming artists and unknown acts. In my opinion that is what I enjoy the most online, the one on one connectivity that TV or cable completely lacks. Online you can narrow down exactly what you like to hear and watch and filter out the rest.
Are there any projects you have planned for the immediate future you would like to mention in this interview?
Besides writing new Nekropsy material, just looking forward to playing at CDF2 with Necrophagia and Putrid Pile amongst other incredible acts. That's going to be a really good time. You never know what tomorrow will bring. The current projects might lead to others, we will find out as the days go.
Provide links where people can view your artwork and watch your videos on the internet.
My main channel is where you can find nearly every current project I am on.
-Dave Wolff
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