Bear

Batman Ninja - I've been really looking forward to this, and daaaayum, this did not disappoint at all. Like Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, which up until this point is the best Batman film ever, this is set in an alternative universe so to speak. Batman goes anime, and Batman and friends (Alfred, Catwoman, The Joker, Gorilla Grodd, Bane, Harley Quinn, Nightwing, Robin, Red Robin, Red Hood, Deathstroke, Poison Ivy, Two-Face and Penguin) are all sent back in time to Japan during its Edo period.  Now unlike Gotham by Gaslight, this isn't driven by a deep, complex plot and characters with an immense depth or anything, it's driven by fun characters and over the top happenings. This is Batman, but it's so over the top, weird, crazy and super Japanese that it's hard not to be entertained.

It's anime alright, and it's got a classic anime feeling to it. It's got a lot of over the top and crazy moments, with clear kaiju influences and hell, dare I even say moments of Power Rangers tribute? I don't know, but there was a moment when I thought about Godzilla and similar films, in the next I was thinking about Power Rangers for quite an obvious reason. Another thing that I really liked was the character designs both for our classic heroes and villains, but also for the ninja and samurai that appears. Original, unique and interesting. 

The Howling - I realized I hadn't watched every Howling film yet so I decided it was time to do so. Started with the first one, a complete and utter masterpiece by Joe Dante. The Howling is, alongside An American Werewolf in London, the best werewolf film ever. There's nothing that isn't brilliant in this.

Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf - The first sequel came four years later and features Christopher Lee, Reb Brown, Marsha Hunt and Sybil Danning. This film is universally hated and Christopher Lee even apologized to Joe Dante some years later for being in it, but to tell you the truth I quite like it. It's not good, but has more than enough charm for me to enjoy it, and Christopher Lee is fantastic of course. Sybil Danning helps too. Was a real natural beauty back then, and showing her nude doesn't exactly make a film worse. That's for sure.

And while not directly connected or anything, it feels like it is actually a sequel to the first one. Unlike the next ones.

Howling III - Because this is so different that it feels like something completely different. The werewolves are seen very different, and they're basically the good guys here and provides a sympathetic view of the werewolves. This film is just crap. Nothing good here at all.

Howling IV: The Original Nightmare - Apparently this is based on the same book as The Howling, and in that way is more of a reboot than a sequel. And from what I've read, this is actually a more faithful adaption of the book. But that doesn't really help at all, because it's for most part a boring drama. I will admit that the last 20-25 minutes or so when the action and special effects broke loose that I did enjoy the hell out of it, but the first hour just drags and drags and drags. Could've been really good if done right. Shame.

Corbin Nash - Can't wrap my head around this. I was entertained, but I'm not sure if I did or not. It's a bit all over the place, seems unfocused and lazy, but at the same time it's visually stunning and interesting. But the characters and the plot is a bit meh. But I can see this go on a become quite a cult favourite with time, and I gotta admit that it has something to it.

8.15 and til the end are some of the best music ever written. Top 5 moments in metal history for sure. Especially with the bass solo around 9.25, before it breaks into what might be the very best guitar solo ever written.

Seen them several times and they always deliver one hell of a gig. Superb live band. A must-see for any fan of thrash and black metal, and filthy metal in general.

As far as heavy metal go, Black Sword Thunder Attack will be your best discovery of 2018. As epic as it gets. Released their first demo in 2002 and only released an additional two demos since then. Time to get your debut album/EP out. This is too good!

By far their best track since Terminal Spirit Disease. This is actually really, really good, and unlike At War with Reality and one of the two previous tracks, this doesn't sound anything like a Slaughter of the Soul light. Enjoying this! Album should be good.

Edit: The best alongside Blinded by Fear of course. I always forget about Blinded by Fear as it's so much better than the rest of SotS. It's on a whole different level.

As cool as that riff is, it could've been repeated for five minutes for all that I care. Would still liked the song hella much.

And kudos to Marduk for making a song that is splitting the fans, with the majority seemingly hating or strongly disliking it. Two thumbs up!

Cool track and a lot more punky than what we're used to from Marduk. Catchy and good.

Xtro - Panned when it first came in 1982, but over the years it's gotten a cult status for the sole reason of how fucking weird it is. It's all over the place, it's fucking surreal and bizarre. Maybe not as good as I remembered, but a fun film nonetheless.

Xtro II: The Second Encounter - A very different film than the first, and a film that has nothing to do with the first one. Poorly written, poorly acted, poorly directed and all that, but it's a lot of fun and by far my favourite of the Xtro flicks. It's half n half Alien and Aliens, and brings nothing new, original or even good to the table. But I really like this film. Very much recommended, despite all the hate it receives.

Xtro 3: Watch the Skies - A pretty fun film, but a let down after the second one. The thing that bothers me the most is the look of the alien. It's so bad and ugly, and not in a good way. But it's a fun film.

They Live - This ain't close to being John Carpenter's best film, but you just can't dislike this. It's really good and it's really fun, and it has a lot of depth to it. Lots of social commentary that's as relevant today as back in the late 80's. Roddy Piper is cooler than fucking ice!

Yes! That is so good.

I was really let down by the new Abigor tbh. Not a bad album, but with the press release hinting they would go more back to the roots and all that. Yeah, it's much rawer than their latest outputs, but the music is a bit too chaotic and dras too much from more technical black metal bands like Deathspell Omega. Not a bad album, but disappointing.

One of the most underrated bands in the genre btw. Everything up until, and including, Satanized (A Journey Through Cosmic Infinity) are excellent. 

And Mgla are one of the best bands of the genre in the 2000's, and with the exception of "With Hearts Towards None" (which wasn't quite as good as the underrated Groza) they just keep getting better and better, with "Exercises in Futility" being their magnum opus so far. Exercises in Futility so damn brilliantly written, produced and performed that it's absolutely insane. It also features the best drumming on a black metal album since Mayhem's "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas". Darkside is a man that just keeps getting better and better behind the kit. A very unique drummer.

And since Mgla is mentioned I just gotta name drop a few other great Polish acts from the 2000's:

Szron

An all over fantastic band that has done no wrong so far, but really stepped up their game with the masterpiece that is Zeal. Death Camp Earth are excellent as well. Musically they're a bit more rocking than Mgla.

Kriegsmaschine

Band that features M. and Darkside of Mgla. And lot more in your face and brutal than Mgla, but very good. The first EP and album are both excellent. Last album was also good, but overall a bit slower, more dissonant and grandiose and more progressive. Darkside's drumming are insane throughout the entire album.

Plaga

Started out ripping off Mgla in a very good way with their demo, but manage to find more of their own style with the EP, which I personally don't like. The album went a bit back and has more Mgla influences again, but not strictly ripping them off. Good shit.

Furia

Started out as a fairly regular black metal band with influences from Mgla, Szron and black metal in general, but has gotten more experimental with time, moving more and more away from traditional black metal. And it's not experimental black metal per se, it's more half-n-half black metal and experimental music. Prefer their later, more experimental music tbh.

Awesome! Did they keep it old school, or did they play anything off Recipe Ferrum! 777? Really want to see Tormentor live too.

Also, Cult of Fire is an immense live band. Their stage presence are among the best and most impressive I've ever witnessed, despite not doing much. But the costumes, backdrop, the set pieces they use and the massive amount of incense used just makes the atmosphere beyond anything else. Brilliant band!

Found the setlist:

Anno Domini from start to finish 
Branded the Satan 
Mephisto 
Live in Damnation 
Seventh Day of Doom

That is an insane setlist. God damn!

I'm currently sorting my music collection and started with my tapes today, which was kind of fun because I found plenty tapes I had kinda forgotten about and which I had not added on discogs. One of those tapes were Cobra Copter's "Ninja Mission". The album consists of seven tracks titled Ninja Intro, Ultimate Ninja, Ninja Mission, Ninja Destiny, Operation Ninja, Ninja Interlude and Ninja Force, and offers plenty variation. You got tracks for fighting, stealthing, climbing, and chillin' on the beach as you're relaxing, looking at sexy babes in tiny bikinis and drinking a cold beer, before getting geared up at night time, getting ready to go out and beat some villainous punk.

This shit will make you feel like you're Shô fucking Kosugi, and that's gonna be the best feeling you've ever felt in your whole god damned misrable life.

https://cobracopter.bandcamp.com/album/ninja-empire

4 hours ago, Bear said:

Immortal - Northern Chaos Gods

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On July 6th 2018, Norwegian black metal legends IMMORTAL will unleash their first studio album since »All Shall Fall«, released almost nine years ago. The legendary band has forged »Northern Chaos Gods«, an album which takes IMMORTAL back to its roots. The album features eight new tracks consisting of 45 minutes of merciless speed and icy darkness, all massive songs in the true IMMORTAL way.

I'm not gonna lie, that bold out does get me hyped as fuck.

Ripped to Shreds - 埋葬 (Máizàng)

Bolt Thrower meets Entombed, with lyrics inspired by China and Chinese history, something which the album title, as well as track titles such as "Talisman to Seal the Hopping Corpse Before It Steals Your Qi", "Yellow River Incident, 1938", "撿骨 (Bone Ritual)" and "罌粟花 (Black Seeds)" clearly lets you know.

I've only played it once, but it sounds like lots of fun so far.

Some black metal to look forward to:

Autarcie - Sequania

Skogen - Skuggorna kallar

Immortal - Northern Chaos Gods (single)

Nachash - Phantasmal Triunity

Body Bags - Overlooked and underrated horror anthology from 1993 directed by John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper. This was actually intended as a TV-series similar to Tales From the Crypt, but shortly after the filming began Showtime decided not to pursue it and it was made into a three segment horror anthology

The "film" that introduces the films consists of John Carpenter as a creepy looking coroner introducing the films with some black jokes and stuff. Very fun!

The Gas Station is the first proper film on the anthology and it's directed by John Carpenter, and it is, alongside Cigarette Burns and In the Mouth of Madness, the best film he's made since 1990. This reeks of classic Tales From the Crypt and it is so much fun. Great atmosphere and all around really good. Features camoes by the likes of Wes Craven, Sam Raimi and David Naughton.

Hair is the second film and is also directed by John Carpenter, but it's not nearly as good. It's fun and good, but a bit too silly. Stacy Keach however is excellent in the lead.

Eye is the last film and it's a huge step up again. Not quite as good as The Gas Station, but much better than Hair. Mark Hamill leads the film brilliantly with help from Twiggy, both excellent in their roles. Gotta appreciate the camoes by Roger Corman, John Agar, Charles Napier and Eddie Velez too.

All in all a really good film. It's fun, but it's got more than enough horror to creep some bitches out as well. Good stuff!

So Sleep just released a new album out of nowhere. No one seems to have heard anything  about the album until today, which is really weird as it dropped digitally today and physically tomorrow. Sounds really cool too.

Pyewacket - A slow-burning horror film about an angst-ridden teenage metal/emo girl and an emotional unstable mother. It does draw upon some interesting themes and I like the whole idea about the ritual and shit, but it's not very well-developed at all. The ritual is so half-done, the characters are flat and annoying and the dialogue is pure trash. Very disappointing.

Best thing about the film was Nicole Muñoz. What a beauty! Daaaaaamn!

https://blackmagickss.bandcamp.com/

New Black Magick SS album. I ain't gonna lie, Black Magick SS are one of the best and most interesting bands to spawn during this decade so I can't wait for this. Sounds brilliant as usual. Weird, wicked and catchy as fuck.

Much better than anything on Sunbather and New Bermuda.

Heavy Metal in Baghdad - Filmmakers Eddy Moretti and Suroosh Alvi travels to Iraq to find and meet Acrassicauda, the first and only metal band in Iraq at this time. It's an interesting documentary both when it takes a look at the band and their troubles, as well as when it looks at the situation in general during these times. Recommended.

Syrian Metal Is War - Unlike Heavy Metal in Baghdad this doesn't focus on one single band, but the entire Syrian metal scene in a war-torn Syria. Director Monzer Darwish isn't a very talented man and he more often than not struggles to get his camera in focus, but there's a sense of passion here that I feel is missing in Heavy Metal in Baghdad. A Stronger DIY-feeling that I really like.

Very interesting both when it looks at the scene itself, but also when it looks as Syria as a country and fucked up it has become. Good stuff this.

Heavy Metal Parking Lot - It only clocks in at 17 minutes, but Heavy Metal Parking Lot may be the greatest rock/metal documentary ever made. A very straight-forward documentary as some guys walk around a parking lot before a Judas Priest and Dokken concenrt in the mid 80's and talk to fans who are attending the concert later. The atmosphere is fantastic, the people are fantastic and there's no bullshit. 

One of those films you have to watch. A must-see for everyone in the entire fucking world.

https://www.nesimedia.com/Sigh_-_Imaginary_Sonicscape/p5522147_18514504.aspx

Nesi Media, a Chinese record company of some sorts, are releasing a vinyl version of Imaginary Sonicscape. I don't know anything about Nesi Media, nor do I know anything about this vinyl, but Sigh mentioned it on facebook so it's official at least.

Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape - Pre-Order
2LP, Ltd 300 White Vinyl with Orange & Green Splatter
Asian Exclusive Version.
Release Date: May-04-2018

Long time out of print album, first time released in Asia in Vinyl format.

I just placed an order and are really looking forward to it. I hope the quality is The Crypt-esque.

The Bourne Legacy - Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz acts their heart out throughout the entire film, but even their great efforts isn't enough to make this more than decent. The characters are paper thin and shallow as fuck and the plot is twisting and turning way too much for its own good. It never gets the time to do anything before it jumps to the next. Gets real tiring after a while. I do appreciate the dialogue though. It's concise.

I don't get the title of the film either. Yes, it is set in the same universe as the Bourne movies, and yes the actions of Jason Bourne is why everything happens in this film. But still, it got nothing to do with Jason Burne. Wish they'd think up a proper title for the film.

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Now Sigh's new album "Heir to Despair" has been mixed, mastered and delivered to the label. I am not sure about the release date yet though. It sure is a very Asian album, at least to my ears.

Sweet! Shouldn't be long until we get a new cover art then.