I must admit that I had absolutely no expectations from this one. I thought to myself, this is another teen horror slasher or something, just one in endless row of bad horror, like it is delivered in recent couple of years. But, fortunately I was wrong. The story evolves around group of friends who drive with their SUV somewhere in shithole back country and learn that some witches were hung there in the woods. Like it usually is in our beloved genre, instead of moving on, they decide to go there. And what happens? Their SUV breaks down. They are stranded in snow and all the psychological issues start to come out as something lurks for them in the darkness and cold. Is it witches or only their psyche? Well, this one had some spooky moments for me. There are almost no gore and bloody scenes, just a little, so you gore fiends skip this one. This is pure psychological mental break horror and I loved it. The ending could be better and it left some questions in the movie unanswered but I guess that is the way it must be in movies such as this one. The acting is not well, but decent and Jordan Barker directed this one okay and I have nothing against this movie. Not special, but decent.
October is a right time for many new horrorpunk releases that come out as Samhain is closing in, so it was time for me to have a listen to the new Blood Shift record.
These guys come from Cleveland and they play a mixture of horrorpunk and death rock. There are 11 songs on this one and as I started listening I was awed by musicianship and versatility of this record. Songs like Let It Live are more straightforward catchy horrorpunk songs, but This Dead World is aggressive death rock song with even some doom vibes thrown in for good measure. Infecting Madness starts as a ballad with lots of atmosphere and turns into bass pumping and upbeat horrorpunk song with lots of superb harmonies. Calling is a song with melancholic chorus and reminds me on some of the later era Blitzkid and Gools´ work and I mean that in every possible loving way. Bleeding Secret is one of my personal favorites, so sad, so atmospheric and so loving in any possible way, mid tempo punk song with haunting melody. Forgotten Land serves as acoustic and spooky intermezzo between the second part of the album. As for the second part of the album, my favorite songs there are Illuminate The Night and Fire Of One, being somehow most memorable. This one is a great record, so go listen and get it.
I must admit that this is my first encounter with Michigan´s ThePicassos.
This is their new e.p. containing three songs. Memento Mori is a heavy atmospheric song, slow like doom metal meets garage punk in a way, yet with awesome horrorpunk melodic on chorus and all the heaviness is equal to foggy atmospheric parts, just made for strolling around in these Autumn times listening to this fine band. Scarecrows Lament is somehow sad song that brings melancholy in the listener with sombre and sad main vocal melodies backed up with backing vocals and is that banjo sound or I am mistaken? Puts you in the corn field in the middle of the night, was it rustling of the leaves or voices? The real gem and my favorite on this record is Queste Cose Sono Del Diavolo or These Things Are Of The Devil, superb doo wop influenced horror ballad just made for cruising under full moon aching for the times when you were still alive. Good e.p.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 