Bear

Wait. You don't like either You're Next or The Guest? That's a big "what the fucking fuck?" for me tbh.

I haven't kept up with music at all this year and I haven't heard many Japanese albums. Only one I can think of is Evil. But my favourites as far as I can remember would be these: Rude - Remnants... Rude formed in 2008 and released their debut album Soul Recall in 2014, an album that happens to be one of the very best death metal albums post-1995. So my expectations were extremely high for their new album Remnants... This time around they sound a bit less Pestilence-esque than on their debut, but there's still many touches of classic bands like Pestilence, Death, Autopsy, Morbid Angel and Possessed in their sound. It sounds old school and familiar, but at the same time they've really found their own sound with this album and added a few new twists. Superb album! Not sure if it's better than Soul Recall, but it's amazing nonetheless. Black Magick SS ‎– Kaleidoscope Dreams Black Magic SS gives us another taste of their unique brand of occult psychedelic rock, and once again it's almost too catchy. By far their best piece of music till now, and I'm one of those who couldn't stop praising any of their other releases. This band is as good as they are unique. Wampyrinacht - We Will Be Watching. Les cultes de Satan et les mystères de la mort I'm a huge fan of the 90's Hellenic black metal scene, and whenever a band comes along and release something that sound like it was written and released in 1993-94 alongside classic albums like Thy Mighty Contract, Crossing the Fiery Path, His Majesty at the Swamp and Eumenides I'm just totally into it. Now Wampyrinacht isn't a new band at all. They formed in 1995, but since them they only released a demo in 96 and an EP in 1998, and this album was actually written between 95-99 and recorded between 00-02. So it's not a new band at all, and not a new album in that sense. Riff-wise there's a lot of classic Hellenic black metal riffing similar to old Rotting Christ, Varathron and Necromantia, as well as nailing the atmosphere of those times. But it's not just rehashing or anything. It's new and it's unique, and most importantly it's absolutely brilliant. My three picks of the year I think.

Modern garde, Violet harenchi and Gekisei are Merry's masterpieces as far as I am concerned, with Modern garde being one of the very best VK albums of all time. I'm not too fond of cover albums and shit, but the two cover songs on the Gekisei single are stunning and ever since that release I've always wanted to hear a full album with Merry playing that type of music, either a cover album or something original in that vein. Edit: I actually forgot to add that I easily can recommend every single Merry album bar the last one which I haven't heard. I think all albums are fantastic, but Modern garde is just way, way ahead of theo thers. So there's that.

Another legend gone in form of Tobe Hooper. He was never the most consistent director around, but he's got plenty of great films to his name. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Eaten Alive Salem's Lot The Funhouse Poltergeist The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Tales from the Crypt episode Dead Wait Body Bags All these are amazing, with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Salem's Lot being my favourites, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 being one of the most underrated films in history of film. Such a great film, but as it's way different from the first one people simply writes it off as trash. Sad but true. It's a film everyone should give a fair chance. It's a great film and as a sequel it makes very much sense as well, one just have to open up a bit about the whole TCSM universe.

My Name Is Bruce - IO realized it had been 10 years since this gem came, and decided I had to re-watch it. My Name Is Bruce is cult hero and b-film legend Bruce Campbell's own tribute to himself tbh. He's embracing his status and using it for all it's worth in the film, and that's much of the reason why it's so damn good. It's got a strong 80's horror-comedy feeling to it, and it's campy as fuck. But that's all nothing but a pleasure to me, and the films is as smug and silly as it's fun and charming. Bruce Campbell should not only be a fucking president, he should be THE world ruler.

Epic metal band Holy Martys released a new album too, their first albun since 2011's Invincible. Their earlier outputs up until their second album was mostly about ancient Hellenic history, mythology and warfare, their third album was about the Japanese samurai and this new one is about The Lord of the Rings. I'm really digging the themes tey cover, and I like how the music has always changed to fit the lyrical themes. Their earlier outputs was very epic and majestic. Their third album about the samurai was faster, powerful and catchier. This, their fourth album is slower, darker and more epic again. The music fits their themes very well IMO. New album sounds cool too, but far from as catchy as their previous stuff. Will take much more time to get into this one than their previous albums.

https://irongriffin.bandcamp.com/ Totally into this EP at the moment. Epic heavy metal which sounds like it was written and recorded in 1983-84. Good-bad vocals and an overall majestic feeling. Brilliant! For fans of old Manilla Road, Omen, Legend, Brocas Helm, Heavy Load and bands like that.

Their demo is excellent, but I actually prefer this album to the demo. Along with Ranger these are the current speed metal masters, although Vulture is a bit more thrashy than Ranger and much closer to Razor. But both bands rule and both bands understand what made 80's speed metal so damn good.

High octane 80's speed metal at its finest, and the album totally rips. Killer stuff! Shouldn't come as a surprise as the band consists of members from Luzifer, Bulldozing Bastard, Quintessenz, Wifebeater and Hellhunt among others.

Adam Wingard, man. Only a few years ago he proved himself as one of the most interesting and promising directors in the world, and now it's come to this. Sad really. You're Next, The Guest and his segments for V/H/S, V/H/S 2 and The ABCs of Death are all top notch. Still very interested in his upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong, tho. I can imagine him doing something great with it for sure.

https://paysagedhiver.bandcamp.com/track/schnee-iv Paysage d'Hiver the great, and he still makes a fucking blizzard in form of music. Amazing as always.

Oh hell yeah! Damn that song is good.

That's so fucking good.

Formed in 1995 and released a demo in 95 and an EP in 98, but they were silent between 98 and 2017 and didn't release a single thing in that period of time. But their debut was released earlier this year and is one of the best releases of the year, if not the best. Original and unique, but without losing their classic Hellenic sound. They got the same, classic Hellenic feeling as old Necromantia, Rotting Christ, Varathron, Tatir, Kawir, and the newer band Ithaqua. Been spinning this album a lot lately and I absolutely love it. Must have for any fan of Hellenic black metal!!!

Saw these guys live last night. It was pouring rain, I was wet from top to bottom and ice cold after having been out in the rain for hours, but what a gig and what an experience. I'm actually glad it rained, because it really set the mood for the gig. Massive!

Oh yes! I think Carpenter Brut is a favourite of many fans of the genre in general, and along with Perturbator they kinda opened up the world of electronica to many a metalhead around the world. You have these artists playing at metal festivals, which is very, very cool. Gost at Maryland Deathfest, Perturbator at Beyond the Gates and Nidrosian Black Mass, Carpenter Brut and Perturbator at Roadburn and so on. But at the same time, it shouldn't come as a surprise because these darker synthwave artists have a lot in common with metal. Especially Carpenter Brut. Very metallic sounding in general. Should be noted that Nidrosian Black Mass is a black metal festival where very few bands are something else than black metal. So musically Perturbator should be very out of place, but he's been extremely well-recieved at all these gigs.

Blood Music got lots of Perturbator in. The prices might seem a bit high, but every Blood Music release I own are of extremely high quality. Totally worth it. Discogs is also a fine place to get these, as a lot are long sold out. As far as essential albums goes: Perturbator - The Uncanny Valley Gost ‎- Behemoth Gost - Non Paradisi Carpenter Brut ‎- Trilogy Hotline Miami OST Far Cry: Blood Dragon OST Trevor Something - Synthetic Love VHS Glitch - Evil Technology Magic Sword - Vol. 1 Both Perturbator and Gost have that futuristic, gritty, (neon-)noir feeling to them. The kind of music that would work as the soundtrack to films like Blade Runner,Ghost In The Shell and Terminator. But VHS Glitch and the Far Cry: Blood Dragon OST also has some of that feeling to it. Carpenter Brut is my favourite of them all. I used to mostly be into the more positive, summery NewRetroWave music, but as time has gone on I've been dragged more and more into the darker side of the genre.

I still like D'epsairsRay. I think everything before Mirror is great, and about half of Mirror is amazing as well. The rest is boring as fuck. However, after Mirror they only have one song I like and that is Love is Dead, a long I disliked, loathed, hated and so fucking on to begin with. But in time it's grown on me a lot.

In my younger days I often wore a backpack to concerts in Oslo, because I went to records shops before the gigs and always bought something at the gig. I've never had a single problem with it, nor my brother or any of my friends. When going to outdoors festivals I've always used to wear a backpack with clothes and such too. Never been a problem. For most gigs in Norway there's also a possiblity of buying merch before the gigs, unless the band stands in the merch stand themself. THen it's after the gig.

In what way? In many ways a typical Oscar-bait movie, but this really got me. Thought it was absolutely beautiful, and the way it was shot is a real pleasure to the eye. I would say it didn't live up the the hype, but fantastic nonetheless.

Episode 5, From Barcelona... to Tunbridge Wells From Barcelona... takes a look at Spanish director José Ramón Larraz, a man known best for his erotic horror films. It's a nice look at him and his work, and the interviews are very interesting. Some very funny moments too, where he and a friend and co-director can't seem to decide on who wanted the films to be bloody and who wanted them to be erotic. Kinda blame eachother. Check out the masterpiece that is Vampyres, and also Symptoms, Black Candles/Hot Fantasies and Edge of the Axe. Four very different type of films, all great of course.

Started watching the documentary series Eurotika! yesterday. Eurotika! is a 12 episode long documentary series about European exploitation cinema, with focus on horror, cult, sleaze, sex and trash. 3 episodes in, and this is no less than phenomenal. The episodes are less than 30 minutes long, but they di well in covering certain subject within the limited time they get, even though ever single episode so far could've been 1-2 hours longer. But so far it's been superb! Episode 1, Vampires and Virgins The first episode is dedicated to Jean Rollin, a French director known for his love for beautiful females, naked bodies and vampires. His films are often off-beat, poetic, slow-burning, erotic, dream-like and surreal, and more about imagery and atmosphere rather than anything the resembles a plot. It features interviews with Jean Rollin himself, Brigitte Lahaie, Catherine Castel and more. Jean Rollin comes off as really honest and down to earth. Check out Requiem For a Vampire, The Nude Vampire and Fascination to get a taste of his work. This stuff will bore most of you to tears, but it's an unique experience for sure and it should be experienced. Can't think of anything like these films at all. Episode 2, The Diabolical Mr. Franco The second episode is all about Spanish cult director Jesús Franco and some of his work. Features interviews with Jesús Franco himself, as well as Brigitte Lahaie, Michel Lemoine, Caroline Munro and more. You don't get to cover much about his films in less than 30 minutes as he's got more than 200 films to his name, and that is only as a director. He's also credited as an writer for over 170 films and composer of soundtrack for over 70 films. A busy man, in other words. But you'll find lots of nice info and stuff here. I recommend checking out Vampyros Lesbos, The Diabolical Dr. Z and The Awful Dr. Orloff to get a taste of his works. Low-budget, cheap films, but I love 'em. Especially Vampyros Lesbos is a complete cult classic with it's atmosphere and brilliant soundtrack. Episode 3, Blood and Black Lace: A Short History of the Italian Horror Film This one isn't about one specific director, but about the Italian horror films of the 60's through 80's, with its focus being mainly on Mario Bava, Dario Argento, and Lucio Fulci for obvious reasons. I think ther miss big time in the way they talk about Lucio Fulci as nothing but a shock director, but other than that it's a real nice one.

If you plan on checking out dungeon synth I would really recommend you checking out the classics first. It's a genre that's incredibly uneven and hit & miss. It's usually totally amazing or total dogshit. You rarely find something inbetween. But if you're into medieval atmospheres you'll do wise in checking out the genre. Early Mortiis, Thangorodrim, Lord Wolf, Erevos, *Silentium, Cedamus, Jim Kirkwood and so on are the perfect soundstacks for an evening with hours and hours of Dungeons and Dragons with your friends. The music actually sounds nerdy as fuck. Dark, medieval fantasy music. A lot of it is like Summoning without the metallic part. Silentium is a must for sure. At one point point in the middle of the medieval atmospheres of the demo The Ancients' Wisdom it breaks out in something closer to traditional SNES music like the osts of old Castlevania games. It's just absurd, but it works and it's a really nice tune. My favourite on the album. This was the side project of Munruthel,the drummer of Nokturnal Mortum from 1994-2003.

About Elffor, it depends on what you prefer: dungeon synth/ambient or black metal? But From the Throne of Hate (alternate version) and Frostbitten Pain are probably fine introductions to Elffor as they are heavy on both the dungeon synth and black metal, especially From the Throne of Hate.

Nice thread! Recently started checking for VK bands on Spotify, so this thread is helpful.