My dream as a child was to own a Victorian Queen Anne. She sits now in my name and my children's in living trust, in the Historic district, on the registry. She is known.
Purchased in 2021, originally named D’Armand and owned by one of the first judges in Harriman, Judge Nottingham, she has been re-crowned The Witch House, and the neighbors knows her as such.
A Jewel in our neighborhood that needs loving restoration. The time it takes will add 1200+ feet to her living space, giving us a beautiful library with thousands of books, a couple of beds and chairs to lounge upon, a small pantry of snacks, a non-alcoholic bar for drinks, a powder room, so readers need not descend stairs for their needs as they research and read. My grandbaby bats can have sleepovers laying in fountains of wisdom and knowledge. All in due time.
The grounds will be less grass and more areas to picnic, more Giant Irises and Spider Lilies.
A fenced-in yard for my and my late parents’ dogs to run and get exercise and lay in the sun.
We have plans to get siding fixed and the house repainted in the same warm inviting Blue she is now. Accouterments will be different, I rather like brick red and gold? Sigh, I don't know, perhaps rose and parchment? That will be a while, maybe next Spring or Fall?
She comes bearing six bedrooms, two and half bathrooms, at the moment, two sun rooms, one of which is now my beloved Tea Room (I speak of often, despite its diminutive size), a parlor, two porches, one, a wrap around, a laundry room, an attic with 10, 12 and 15 plus foot ceilings. The attic will be the library.
The Carriage House, out behind the main home, will become a guest house for those with animal allergies who cannot nest with us and our cats and dogs.
I will go on about the Carriage House in future posts.
I hope you find yourself the home you never thought you would have, too.
When I was a kid I owned a punk rock comp. The comp in question is “Go Ahead Punk... Make My Day”—a short release by Nitro Records from back in the day. I recently found a few copies of it on Amazon for under four dollars plus shipping each (one for me and one for my daughter’s boyfriend) and after re-listening after all these years I can say it still stands firm as one of my all time favorite punk comps—even if mostly due to the nostalgia.
Featuring bands like The Offspring, AFI, Guttermouth, Jughead’s Revenge and The Vandals it is a solid testament to what punk rock should be. I don’t quite vibe with the last song on the album anymore (The Offspring’s “Beheaded”) but the rest of the comp still has things I can get in sync with.
As it is hard to write a review about individual tracks (or at the very least I don’t have the ambition) I will just leave my word vomit short and say that this is something fans of punk rock should be able to dig. If not—at the very least I do. -Devin J. Meaney
Once again Misanthropik Torment releases new material relevant to the times. It was pointed out in this discussion of the "Declaration of War" that more people are speaking out via social media about information not available on national television. As a result in some cases, it's become evident that wealth can shield you from justice over the long term; just ask Harvey Weinstein.
A greater emphasis is also being placed on the position of Native American culture in the United States. Given this in particular, it's apt for Misanthropik Torment to release the single "Indigenous Lands" which addresses the worldwide issue of indigenous cultures losing their homelands and traditions.
"Our thoughts and our anger are with you," says the blurb just above the lyrics. "Rise up and take back what is yours." "Declaration of War" was MT's most brutal full-length release, besides being the most well-produced, inflammatory, and extensive in terms of musical influence. Regardless of whether you like or dislike this level of heaviness, the bottom line is that bands such as this should emphasize their heaviness, as well as their experimentation, in order to demonstrate the importance of generating some form of positive change, no matter how small.
There is no doubt that MT doesn't give a shit about going against veiled bias for heavy music, especially given the significance of the events occurring around us today. Controversial in nature as always, the lyrics address not only oppression, but the indifference and denial of the general public, and the divisions that arise when people take sides on any given issue.
There is quite a graphic quality to the lyrics; nothing new to death metal and extreme metal in most of their variants. However they’re not offensive for the sake of being offensive but serve the purpose of driving the song’s point home. They’re meant to leave a sense of discomfort in you in the hope that you understand how many cultures have been treated. In other words, if this single offends you, the band is more than doing their job. Check it out and decide for yourself. –Dave Wolff
A while back I was browsing the cassettes provided by Death By Digital, and I realized both of the full length albums from Impetigo were available on cassette for 8.50 CAD each. I wanted these albums since I was a teenager, so I was quick to snag them. Earlier on the day of writing this “Ultimo Mondo Cannibale” arrived, and I was excited to plop it into my tape deck!
“Horror of the Zombies” is my favorite Impetigo release, only because it is very nostalgic for me. With that said, Ultimo Mondo Cannibale is entirely rad, and it helps show the early roots of what is now known as “goregrind”!
Simplistic riffs and feral drumming alongside chaotic vocals and well-chosen movie samples makes for a listen that is epic, splattery and genuinely disgusting (in the best way possible)!
The re-release I copped was put out by Hell’s Headbangers, though I can only assume there were quite a few different versions available over the years. Even if you just wanna check this out on YouTube (or wherever else it is available online) I would highly encourage it. The splatter is contagious, and I feel as if anyone who likes both extreme music and early horror could appreciate this!
Oh! And the tape itself is a really cool clear cassette with gold sparkles—so they really didn’t skimp on the “awesome” factor for this re-release! -Devin J. Meaney
I started listening to Repulsion Magnetica after Eidan Yoson emailed me from Ecuador inviting me to listen to artists signed to his experimental-industrial-harsh noise-low fi synth label Vias Negras. This band/project has been associated with Vias Negras at least a few years. It was difficult to find information about them online, so I checked out several EPs and split releases with other projects.
Those who prefer structured compositions without excess distortion would likely dismiss these recordings, but I found them compelling as each release sounds distinctly divergent and possesses a sideshow-like variety. Much of the material recorded for said releases feel like a disturbing dream evoking mental and emotional responses from anxiety to panic. In general, Repulsion Magnetica is the aural equivalents to Herk Harvey's "Carnival of Souls" and Kyle Edward Ball's "Skinamarink", or more so to José Mojica "Coffin Joe" Marins' surreal Brazilian horror ("At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul", "This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse").
In listening to the ideas offered here, it is as though you are entering a similar world, where everything is grotesque, and paths appear and disappear at random. I consider the work of this project the labor of a musician working with an assortment of synthesizers and other instruments, composing from any stimulation experienced at the time, preserving what’s constructed for anyone who wants to become immersed in it. Without guidelines or expectations, or regard for what someone may or may not find palatable or even tolerable about it.
The developmental free-form capacity of Repulsion Magnetica persists in becoming elaborate with “Taofago”. And in a manner that urges you to journey further into bedlam. From ambient-industrial-rap to droning experimental techno-noise, Repulsion Magnetica nourish unlimited range and dedication to bridging the wide spaces between musical genres, turning up the morbidity while intensifying its attraction to admirers of unconventional musical fusion. Support the label housing this project and check out their other bands. –Dave Wolff
Lineup:
RM: Vocals, music, lyrics, bass, keyboards, pedals, effects, mixing, production
Interview with Ernesto Paez of Modern Mimes by Dave Wolff
When Modern Mimes formed they put together different musical shades which you christened “future Goth”. Explain how the band incorporates your influences to make them stand out from most gothic rock? What common interests did you share when you started practicing together?
Ernesto Paez (guitar, bass): We basically just kind of got in a room and started experimenting with sounds at first. Adi and I didn't really have anything in particular in mind as far as what genre we wanted to do at first. That being said, we reached into our pool of influences and let things flow naturally. Once we were happy with a certain overall vibe and sound, we just went with it. We've always been fans of dark and haunting music and that played a big part in our writing in the beginning.
How does dark and haunting music speak to you and the band? While experimenting with different styles, how long did it take you to arrive at a style that you wanted to develop for the band? Do you strive to capture a particular sound or atmosphere?
For me personally, dark music just seemed to be an escape from the type of music that was around in my home when I was growing up! When I heard bands like Nine Inch Nails and Type O Negative, it almost brought me into a new dimension that I felt like I fit into. It took us a couple of years to find our overall sound. If you listen to our first album, you can almost hear that we were still kind of experimenting. I also think that we're still finding ourselves in our creations as we get older and more mature artistically. As far as striving for a particular sound at this point, we are well aware of what our strong points are. That being said, we do aim to fulfill those elements in our songwriting.
Did you listen to music as a means of escape during your formative years or as a method of expressing your unspoken thoughts? The experience of discovering a new band is like entering a whole new world. How would you describe this feeling you had?
It didn't start out as a means to escape, but it definitely is now. Back then, we were just drawn into something that gave us a sense of intrigue. Finding a new band or new sound just felt fresh. We seem to be drawn to bands and artists that have their own unique sound and artistry.
What mental images were intended to be evoked when the name Modern Mimes was first coined by the band?
One of the more common images would be picturing a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Also, images of dark figures or entities trying to take over our physical bodies.
About evoking images with the band's name, how would you describe the duality of light in the dark tunnel and dark figures seeking to take over physical bodies? Do you have any idea what the purpose of those entities might be? Typical possessions or something else entirely?
To us, the dark figures represent negativity within us. It’s our way of portraying certain struggles individually and within the band. We also like to sort of leave it up to the listener to interpret what it means for them personally.
In what ways do you view the balance between negativity and positivity that exists within each individual? Is there a reason why it has been depicted in underground music for so long?
I believe positive and negative emotions are the fuels that power the creative output in many, if not all artists. Seeing as underground artists have most creative control over their creations, the raw emotions don't seem to get watered down by outside perspectives.
You incorporate industrial and electronic sounds into your music as well as pop sensibilities. Do you find anything reminiscent of the early eighties in your gothic rock, or something more modern and contemporary? Have these been added in ways that haven’t been tried before?
We are highly influenced by a lot of early 80's type music. I'm not sure if we're really doing anything that hasn't been done, but we approach it with our own style.
What are the bands of the eighties with whom you have retained a personal connection, to the point that you drew inspiration from them while writing for Modern Mimes?
Definitely bands like Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, Joy Division and so on. Even 80's heavy metal bands like Van Halen, Slaughter and Pantera.
Based on your bio, the band would appeal to fans of Lacuna Coil, Sevendust, Motionless In White, Spiritbox, and Nine Inch Nails. It sounds that there is a balance between atmospheric music, guitar heavy music, and synthesized music. Are any goth bands, such as Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, and Christian Death for example, also reflected in your songwriting?
Not particularly, but some elements of goth music like the melancholic melodies, synth, and echo definitely inspire our writing. However goth metal and alt metal are the most prominent. I did listen to quite a bit of The Cure and Depeche Mode growing up.
Lacuna Coil particularly appeals to me as goth metal. Do Cristina Scabbia’s vocals resonate with the band in any way? How about other goth metal vocalists, female or male?
Lacuna Coil was one of my most influential bands growing up. I also really loved Kidney Thieves, and Type O Negative.
What is the level of experience that you and the other band members have as musicians? Which bands have you worked with before you formed Modern Mimes?
Ernesto was in various different projects before Modern Mimes. Another Black Day and Joan Red were a few bands he was in. Adi was primarily a solo singer songwriter and also sang with a band called Meridian Sky.
The vocals of the band are described as powerfully haunting, while your lyrics are described as subconscious and evocative. How do you apply this approach to your vocals and lyrics so that they contribute to the desired effect of your music?
We like to have our listeners dive into our lyrics from their own perspectives. Sometimes we feel like some of our lyrics are open to interpretation. Also, a lot of times the music itself will inspire certain feelings in which case the overall melodies and feel of the lyrics will tend to manifest as dark and haunting.
Up to this point, which bands have you performed live with, and what other public appearances have you made?
We've been fortunate enough to perform with bands such as Combichrist, Wayland, We Came as Romans, Memphis May Fire, Weezer, The Killers and so many more. We've also played many great festivals and appeared in many FM radio stations which we've performed acoustic versions of some of our songs.
Does Modern Mimes prefer to open for noteworthy bands, building a hardcore fanbase, or play larger festivals with more bands on the bill and reach a wider audience? Or does it depend primarily on the date?
It usually depends on the date, although we do honestly prefer full on tours. If a tour happens to include a festival or two, that's even better.
Describe the title and song list of your debut album, as well as how far the band had progressed by the time it was released? If you recorded any demos before finding the sound you wanted for the album, how many did you record?
Our debut “Wake Up” was a concept album that consisted of nine tracks. It was our awakening as a band. Our early demos were basically just small clips of ideas that we recorded on our phones and it was mainly guitar riffs and vocal melodies.
Did the band consider it a better idea to record with a producer or produce it independently to make a first impression?
Considering our first album was self-produced, we wanted the second to be a step up. At that point, we were lucky enough to meet Rick Lander and Chris Stanley. They were great to work with and brought a different perspective to our sound.
In order to promote your debut, you released a single entitled “Love Hate”. I read that you also released the song as a video and shopped it around quite a bit.
We had a few videos before “Love Hate”, but we definitely put a bigger budget into “Love Hate” which was self released and still very much grassroots.
How did you become involved with Carla Forte for the production of the “Love Hate” video? Have you seen previous examples of her work and/or do you believe she has the necessary experience to assist the band in achieving their vision?
We came across Carla's portfolio online and were impressed with her work. We were actually planning to do a video for a different song but we were convinced by our manager to do a more upbeat song. That’s where we got the idea to do “Love Hate”. We feel like she did a great job in executing our vision for it even though the vision was for a different song at first.
What did you find impressive about Carla's online portfolio? Would it be possible for bands to view it on the web and contact her?
Her ability to capture the message of an artist and portray it in a visual format is what impressed us. You can find her work at fortecarla.com.
Describe the video for “Love Hate” and what viewers can expect to see in terms of images and atmospheres. Is there any duality like the sort discussed earlier?
One image that comes to mind is Adi with the black balloons. Balloons usually represent some type of happiness but with the balloons being a dark color, it conjures up thoughts and feelings of duality within that.
Can you elaborate on the duality represented by the black balloons? In what song was this vision originally intended, and how close was Carla's vision to your own?
Carla was actually the one who suggested the black balloons. She understood what we were trying to say in a song like “Love Hate”. Her vision was spot on.
Describe the video release of your cover of Type O Negative's “I Don't Wanna Be Me” and how it paid homage to the original while adding your own touch. What motivated you to promote it before its official release?
It's funny how that worked out. Our manager at the time was good friends with Kenny Hickey, who is the guitar player for Type O Negative. Our manager sent Kenny our video just to get his opinion on the cover. Well that day, Kenny leaked the video on his Facebook page and it got a HUGE response and that’s what prompted us to release the song and video early.
Did you find it surprising that Kenny liked the video enough to leak it online? Was he disposed to express any thoughts on how it was made during the time he leaked it?
We were very surprised. We did not expect for him to share it on his Facebook page or even the official Type O Negative page. Needless to say, we were honored.
How did you improve your recording methods for your second album, “The Gray”?
It had a lot to do with who we worked with and where we went to record. We actually flew out to Louisiana and worked in a studio that had a lot more gear to work with. It was also the first time that we used a live drum kit, rather than electronic drums.
Why did the band choose to release your promotional video for “Portals” independently? Did you work with the same producer on all of your releases or do you work with different producers on each release?
For “Portals”, we worked with the same producers as in “The Gray”. We have tons of chemistry with them and will continue to work with them for future releases. We decided to release it independently because we were nearing the end of our contract with the label we were on at the time.
Before releasing “Portals”, what label was the band signed to? While you were with this label, did it help them reach new listeners in more than one country?
We were working with Curtain Call Records before releasing “Portals” and I think we actually were the ones that gained new listeners while working with them. They also own Rock Rage Radio, which helped us reach a wider audience.
What were the advantages of releasing independently to build your recording career from the ground up? How did it give you a push before you began to record for independent labels?
We didn't really plan on releasing anything with a label. It just happened. I guess you can say we learned a lot about releasing through labels, which in turn will help guide us when we release independently.
Which producers did you work with on “The Gray” and “Portals”? How did they assist you bringing their vision to life in the studio, and what additional pointers did they provide? Was your experience with them helpful in improving “Portals” from “The Gray”?
We worked with Rick Lander and Chris Stanley. They brought in new energy and fresh ideas. We felt that they had great chemistry and their chemistry rubbed off on us and gave us a new perspective on how to arrange and produce a lot of the demos that we had done.
Let the readers know about some of the subsequent promotional videos you have produced and the latest video you released, “Heavy Heart”. In what ways has Modern Mimes musically and lyrically improved with each video?
We actually had our photographer/videographer come out on a run with us, and he made us a little mini film which you can find on YouTube. It’s called “All For 30 Minutes”. It’s basically a rundown on tour life and a few interview questions with the band. We always push for our next video to be better than the last. Heavy Heart, we feel, definitely brought out the visuals and interpretation of the lyrics very well.
I read the band have more new developments planned for next year. Care to reveal some of these in this interview? Something about the Monster Hall Music Fest in Wisconsin for example?
Monster Hall was an event that we played when it first came to fruition. We were stoked when they invited us back. We've definitely got some more music and content coming out in 2024, starting with the release of our next single “Roses in Ruins”. We very much look forward to continuing our musical endeavors.
Urminnes Hävd (Remastered) by Månegarm, or “The Forest Sessions”! This is the first release by Månegarm that I’ve owned physically, aside from a few dubbed tracks on cassettes my friend Cernunnous gave me (In fact, it was Cernunnous who bought me this album as a present for Christmas 2023!).
My favorite release still is the untitled album (the one with the reddish backing and the wolf as the main image) but this EP is pretty nifty. It is very much a mellower side of Månegarm, with acoustic tracks throughout, featuring different instruments played to peak performance. With that said, there is as much talent on this cassette as there is within the realms of their heavier stuff—and the only negative thing crossing my mind after listening for the first time was this was not long enough! Featuring six songs, this is much shorter than their other albums. Either way, I’d still consider it a valiant winner!
To keep my word sloshing to a minimum I will just suggest that you give this a listen. Metal fans should appreciate this, but so should fans of folk/folklore and anyone that wishes to shine a light upon “heathen roots”.
The cassette is available through Black Lodge. Get it while you can, and may Odin bless you all! -Devin J. Meaney
Another side project I came across by chance, that is secure in their genre(s) while disregarding the perceived rules associated with them. Named after a demon of Japanese folklore with possible origins in Buddhist beliefs, Darko US’ album “Oni”, their third release since 2020, lives up to the depictions of those demons in traditional art and legend.
When Tom Barber (also of Chelsea Grin) and Josh Miller (also of Spite) pool their resources, you can bet its something memorable. Darko has a way of crafting their songwriting to give their material a theatrical sound that comes across as concept driven. Not quite like more well-known death core and math metal bands, but sometimes something will surface and trigger recognition of those artists you’re familiar with. Appealing to Meshuggah and Mastodon camps, Darko US multiplies the elements to imbue “Oni” with several distinct levels of ponderous motion, syncopation and ambience.
What’s more, they’ve managed to get attention in the industry without any advertising, label backing or even live exposure. While you may wonder how a band could shatter any and all methods of getting publicity, it might have something to do with their multi-instrumentalism and an instinctual sense of what many metal fans want to hear. Darko US sounds like an act that embarked upon a free form of evolution, without outside interference, and developed a sincerity that speaks to people.
The intro track and the beginning of the following track paints bone chilling environs where you don’t expect the band’s heavy factors to enter the picture. It’s more like what you’d expect from the soundtrack of “Blade Runner 2049” or “The Matrix”. Massive heaviness arrives as a counterpoint to what was previously established, making room for inklings of death metal, hip hop, EDM, industrial, nu metal and some jazz and prog rock, with themes including science fiction and existentialism. It doesn’t have the impact of a weight, but constant gravity pulling you inexorably into the ground.
Darko US is indiscriminate of what they write and, equally indiscriminate about how they write. Exploring as many opportunities as possible to test unheard of arrangements, they’re perfecting tight transitions for every time and mood change and injecting songs seemingly unrelated to the rest of this album, but fitting when you consider the big picture. They’re likewise perfecting an adeptness at arranging songs in a completely unpredictable manner, crammed with different sounds, and you won’t find their implementation tedious or monotonous in the slightest. –Dave Wolff
Lineup:
Tom Barber: Vocals
Josh ‘Baby J’ Miller: Guitars, drums
Track list:
1. Begin
2. Looking Glass
3. Hyperkill feat. Ryo Kinoshita of Crystal Lake
4. Dragon Chaser
5. Rosaria’s Fingers feat. Kyle Anderson of Brand of Sacrifice
While browsing Facebook I noticed that Matt Canova (the vocalist of Athymia, early Unbidden and various other local extreme music bands/projects from Cape Breton) posted his list of favorite albums for the year. Due to that post I realized that Dying Fetus (my favorite band when I was like 12) released a new album a few months back! The album is called “Make Them Beg for Death” and it is pretty friggin’ rad!
Sound wise it is very similar to their more recent albums (most notably Descend into Depravity and War of Attrition) but the snare sound at times reminds me of some of their earlier work. The same deep (arguably the deepest I’ve heard aside from bands using a pitch shifter) gutturals are featured, alongside their signature heavy groove oriented guitar work. After listening to the album in full I can state that this is entirely a solid album, but I still view the Grotesque Impalement EP as my favorite DF release. With that said, DF has never released an album I did not like, and now that they are 9 albums deep into their career it is obvious that they utterly refuse to pale their unique and signature sound.
Fans of grind, death metal and hardcore can all hold hands with this one. It is a culmination of various sub genres, and as always, it is something I’d happily add to my personal collection. -Devin J. Meaney
Lineup:
John Gallagher: Vocals, guitars, lyrics, songwriting
I often peruse the thrift stores in my town to check for books, CDs, and tape cassettes that I might like. Not too long ago I attained a handful of CDs, and one of the discs I landed was “The Very Best Of” Cypress Hill from the Playlist compilation series.
Now, hip-hop and rap are not forms of music that I know a lot about, but when the vibes are right and the mood strikes, I do like to indulge in tuneage of the hip and beat-tacular variety. With that in mind—I can state that while I never got into Cypress Hill as a teenager or even in my twenties, in my thirties it is something that I thoroughly enjoy.
I am not a super fan, in the sense that I don’t “fan girl” for them, but every song on this compilation is genuinely groovy (I haven’t used that word in a while, but I guess Bruce Campbell would be proud).
The song “Tequila Sunrise” would need to be one of my favorites. I’d suggest this one to fans of hip-hop—alongside anyone who has an appreciation for good creative output and a varied musical palate.
In conclusion, even though I have been let down by the Playlist series before (I own a KoRn CD with so many censored words it is almost as if the songs are skipping) I can say that this release is within the top tier, so I guess Playlist has some redeeming qualities.
Also, as a final note, hit up your local thrift stores. You never know what kind of treasures you may find. I got this disc for a dollar! -Devin J. Meaney
