Bear

Well, it's a torture porn with the most important ingredients, but it's a lot different from Saw, Hostel, A Serbian Film and so on. It's frustratingly dark and bleak, and desite all its violence it is not the violence itself that makes it a disturbing film. Unlike Saw, which is fun with all of its creative kills and blood, this isn't fun in that way. It's not silly in the same way as most other tortue porns. It's just deeply disturbing in a great way.
 
 
i was let down by The Collector. Not bad, just not very good either. Gave it a 5/10 and never bothered with The Collection.

To those who don't know, the SIGH "Gallows Gallery" Special Edition double-disc is available at Name Your Own Price on our Bandcamp. This was remastered from the original mixes by us - and many people consider this the definitive release of this album.
 
https://blood-music.bandcamp.com/album/gallows-gallery-special-edition
 
 
This one sounds very different from the muddy original mix and the overproduced James Murphy mix. Recommended for fans of the band.
 
I will add that I do prefer the muddy original mix to this, though. But this one sounds excellent nonetheless.

To those who don't know, the SIGH "Gallows Gallery" Special Edition double-disc is available at Name Your Own Price on our Bandcamp. This was remastered from the original mixes by us - and many people consider this the definitive release of this album.
 
https://blood-music.bandcamp.com/album/gallows-gallery-special-edition
 
 
This one sounds very different from the muddy original mix and the overproduced James Murphy mix. Recommended for fans of the band.
 
I will add that I do prefer the muddy original mix to this, though. But this one sounds excellent nonetheless.

You should try the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I love it and can't stand any of the new remakes. It's got a pretty different feeling to it.
 
"Fun" fact: I used to hate The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and thought it was just screaming without any real substance. This was something like 12-13 years ago. That changed with time though, and now I adore the film.
 
 
And both Scream and ESPECIALLY The Exorcist are fantastic films. The Exorcist does pretty much everything right. Brilliant film! Even the original, banned trailer is beyond cool. Had I seen this trailer at the cinema when I was around 13-16 years old I would seriously have shat my pants and left right away. It's that awesome:
 

After being totally disappointed by their latest effort (skipping button was a trustworthy friend~), I decided to give "The Mantle" a try
 
Totally worth it.

Everything basically. Fuzz is a decent and catchy pop song, but other than that there's nothing of value on Shion in my ear. The songs suck, the production is boring and Tatsurou sounds unspired.
 
 
I'm not a big fan of Kuchiki no To either, but it's got a few decent songs and Tatsurou doesn't sound as boring as on Shion, but even on this album I think he'd lost most of his punch, which might seem a bit weird as I think he was amazing and at his very best just one year earlier. But I just think he'd lost much of that desperation, hurt and honesty that made his vocals so enjoyable on Zekuu, as well as his vocals sounding kinda out of place on Kuchiki no To. The production is pretty bad, though.
 
So Kuchiki no To at least has something for me to enjoy, something which Shion doesn't with the exception of one decent song. But neither is something I'd listen to ever again from my own will. That's for sure.

It's more a term than an actual genre, but if you talk to someone who's into horror, they'l know what torture porn is and they'll be able to mention a few films within that "genre". And yes, there's people out there who love watching violence, blood and gore, and I am one of them. But I don't like everything just because it's got blood and gore. I really like some of the Saw films, really dislike a few of them. Hate the Hostel films, DESPISE A Serbian Film and so on. But I can mention more sick films I enjoy, than dislike. I'm a sucker for it, both the realistic stuff as well as unrealistic stuff.
 
 
I love brutally bloody violence, gore and whatnot on the screen, and I love MMA (fighting) and such as well. But when it comes to real life violence (aka violence where there's no doctors to take the call, no ref to tell them what's OK and what's wrong and so on) I'm not a fan at all. Can't stand that. Seeing people fight when going out a saturday night properly disgusts me. But when it comes to film it really can't get gory or bloody enough for me.

I've been recommending some albums in the past, and now I thought I'd go in a slightly different direction and recommend several albums by one band. Or, just recommend the band. This is a band that it has taken me years and years to get into, but a few moths ago I tried for the X-th time and suddenly I realised how brilliant this band is. Or, was. Along with Summoning, Abigor is one of the big black metal bands from Austria, Summoning-member Silenus was a part of the band in the period 94-98 as their vocalist. Since their formation in 93 the band has released 5 demos, 1 split (with Summoning and a few other bands), 5 EPs, 1 single and 10 fullenghts, where one is a new interpretation of an old album.
 
Their three first albums are absolutely brilliant IMO. Original and unlike every other band in the genre. One of those bands you'll recognize during a few seconds of the first song. With the release of Supreme Immortal Art they went in a more complex and symphonic direction more inspired by the likes of Emperor and geting more and more experimental with each album. I really like Supreme Immortal Art and Channeling the Quintessence of Satan with their chaotic avant-garde touch, but with Satanized (A Journey Through Cosmic Infinity) they started losing me and with the next album, Fractal Possession, I was actually completely lost. I haven't really tried the albums after, but I plan too.
 
Fractal Possession was the first album I checked out by the band back in 2007, and I disliked it then. I don't dislike it as much in 2014, but I am still no fan of it. Tried it again only a couple of days ago actually. With this they went in a direction that sounds inspired by newer Dødheimsgard and Deathspell Omega. While there's plenty of great riffs and melodies and awesome structures and whatnot, it just seem as if they created and album that was too straightforward for their liking and just added weird parts here and there to make it seem more avant-garde and unique. It just doesn't work for me.
 
But if you're a fan of black metal, this band is highly recommended, both old and new. But especially their three first albums which are all 10/10 IMO. Unique band! Perfect mix of semi-symphonic, melodic and raw black metal.
 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fORKhwNqo3o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBclUtEb8M8

There's nothing wrong with it, but there's a HUGE difference between only being into hip hop/metal/punk/classical music/whatever and only VK as I see and have experienced it: people who listen to VK tends to be into a SHITLOAD of genres (nu metal, metalcore, progressive metal, rock, pop, electronica, goth, punk), so it obviously have nothing to do with being close-minded as far as the music goes, because they're usualy very open-minded and tend to enjoy plenty of genres. So this quite obviously have nothing to do with the music itself, but something else. The image? Or maybe they feel unique listening to VK? I wouldn't know. If they, like the hip hop, classical music or metal fan only are only into one genre it would've been something else, but they're not. They're simply not into just one genre, they're into a scene and enjoy plenty of different genres, unlike the one that exclusively listens to hip hop, which is one genre.
 
 
 
As far as image goes, it's quite important to look good/cool/whatever to gain attention to themself and make people check you out, and this goes for all genres. I check out band because of their image, and I check out albums because of their cover art. But I don't judge the music itself because of either things, that's when it gets stupid IMO, when someone "choose" to continue listen to band A because they look better, despite liking the music of band B way better.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is seriously good, and seriously underrated. Shame so many write it off because it's something different than the first, which is really is, but still fantastic.

New Marduk song as well: https://soundcloud.com/centurymedia/marduk-rope-of-regret
 
 
As for Varathron, I'm a massive fan myself and thought this new one was the best since their 1995 classic Walpurgisnacht. But they've got a long way before they reach the magnificence of His Majesty at the Swamp and Walpurgisnacht which is not only among the best greek black metal albums ever, which in all honestly says hella lot, but two of the best black metal albums EVER. The compilation Genesis of the Unaltered Evil are also worth a purchase. Fantastic comp with demos, and EP and the split with Necromantia. But the whole split is recommended. The Necromantia side is fantastic as well.
 
 
And I can never talk bout Varathron without mentioning Hail, which sounds like a mix of Varathron's His Majesty at the Swamp and Beherit's Drawing Down the Moon. Such a great album.

I just watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 last night and maaan was it gooood.
It was a lot more goofy than the first one ,making it sort of a black comedy, but it still had the crazy psycho atmosphere of the first one.
I mostly laughed through most of it.

It's more a term than an actual genre, but if you talk to someone who's into horror, they'l know what torture porn is and they'll be able to mention a few films within that "genre". And yes, there's people out there who love watching violence, blood and gore, and I am one of them. But I don't like everything just because it's got blood and gore. I really like some of the Saw films, really dislike a few of them. Hate the Hostel films, DESPISE A Serbian Film and so on. But I can mention more sick films I enjoy, than dislike. I'm a sucker for it, both the realistic stuff as well as unrealistic stuff.
 
 
I love brutally bloody violence, gore and whatnot on the screen, and I love MMA (fighting) and such as well. But when it comes to real life violence (aka violence where there's no doctors to take the call, no ref to tell them what's OK and what's wrong and so on) I'm not a fan at all. Can't stand that. Seeing people fight when going out a saturday night properly disgusts me. But when it comes to film it really can't get gory or bloody enough for me.

There's nothing wrong with it, but there's a HUGE difference between only being into hip hop/metal/punk/classical music/whatever and only VK as I see and have experienced it: people who listen to VK tends to be into a SHITLOAD of genres (nu metal, metalcore, progressive metal, rock, pop, electronica, goth, punk), so it obviously have nothing to do with being close-minded as far as the music goes, because they're usualy very open-minded and tend to enjoy plenty of genres. So this quite obviously have nothing to do with the music itself, but something else. The image? Or maybe they feel unique listening to VK? I wouldn't know. If they, like the hip hop, classical music or metal fan only are only into one genre it would've been something else, but they're not. They're simply not into just one genre, they're into a scene and enjoy plenty of different genres, unlike the one that exclusively listens to hip hop, which is one genre.
 
 
 
As far as image goes, it's quite important to look good/cool/whatever to gain attention to themself and make people check you out, and this goes for all genres. I check out band because of their image, and I check out albums because of their cover art. But I don't judge the music itself because of either things, that's when it gets stupid IMO, when someone "choose" to continue listen to band A because they look better, despite liking the music of band B way better.

There's nothing wrong with it, but there's a HUGE difference between only being into hip hop/metal/punk/classical music/whatever and only VK as I see and have experienced it: people who listen to VK tends to be into a SHITLOAD of genres (nu metal, metalcore, progressive metal, rock, pop, electronica, goth, punk), so it obviously have nothing to do with being close-minded as far as the music goes, because they're usualy very open-minded and tend to enjoy plenty of genres. So this quite obviously have nothing to do with the music itself, but something else. The image? Or maybe they feel unique listening to VK? I wouldn't know. If they, like the hip hop, classical music or metal fan only are only into one genre it would've been something else, but they're not. They're simply not into just one genre, they're into a scene and enjoy plenty of different genres, unlike the one that exclusively listens to hip hop, which is one genre.
 
 
 
As far as image goes, it's quite important to look good/cool/whatever to gain attention to themself and make people check you out, and this goes for all genres. I check out band because of their image, and I check out albums because of their cover art. But I don't judge the music itself because of either things, that's when it gets stupid IMO, when someone "choose" to continue listen to band A because they look better, despite liking the music of band B way better.

There's nothing wrong with it, but there's a HUGE difference between only being into hip hop/metal/punk/classical music/whatever and only VK as I see and have experienced it: people who listen to VK tends to be into a SHITLOAD of genres (nu metal, metalcore, progressive metal, rock, pop, electronica, goth, punk), so it obviously have nothing to do with being close-minded as far as the music goes, because they're usualy very open-minded and tend to enjoy plenty of genres. So this quite obviously have nothing to do with the music itself, but something else. The image? Or maybe they feel unique listening to VK? I wouldn't know. If they, like the hip hop, classical music or metal fan only are only into one genre it would've been something else, but they're not. They're simply not into just one genre, they're into a scene and enjoy plenty of different genres, unlike the one that exclusively listens to hip hop, which is one genre.
 
 
 
As far as image goes, it's quite important to look good/cool/whatever to gain attention to themself and make people check you out, and this goes for all genres. I check out band because of their image, and I check out albums because of their cover art. But I don't judge the music itself because of either things, that's when it gets stupid IMO, when someone "choose" to continue listen to band A because they look better, despite liking the music of band B way better.

xD I was merely joking on that one hon. Should have used those GIFS if my smaller remark didn't express it was just a joke haha. So, my mistake then. To each his own I say on this. You were waiting for a 'butthurt fan?' xD

There's nothing wrong with it, but there's a HUGE difference between only being into hip hop/metal/punk/classical music/whatever and only VK as I see and have experienced it: people who listen to VK tends to be into a SHITLOAD of genres (nu metal, metalcore, progressive metal, rock, pop, electronica, goth, punk), so it obviously have nothing to do with being close-minded as far as the music goes, because they're usualy very open-minded and tend to enjoy plenty of genres. So this quite obviously have nothing to do with the music itself, but something else. The image? Or maybe they feel unique listening to VK? I wouldn't know. If they, like the hip hop, classical music or metal fan only are only into one genre it would've been something else, but they're not. They're simply not into just one genre, they're into a scene and enjoy plenty of different genres, unlike the one that exclusively listens to hip hop, which is one genre.
 
 
 
As far as image goes, it's quite important to look good/cool/whatever to gain attention to themself and make people check you out, and this goes for all genres. I check out band because of their image, and I check out albums because of their cover art. But I don't judge the music itself because of either things, that's when it gets stupid IMO, when someone "choose" to continue listen to band A because they look better, despite liking the music of band B way better.

A very old photo with Stevo from Impetigo.  It was taken at Stevo's house in around 1990. I was probably 20 or so. We went to the vinyl hunting and I remember getting Mercyful Fate's fist 12"EP just for $4.


A very personal fire breathing practice scene. It says 1992. Yasuyuki from Abigail and I were often practicing breathing fire with a cigarette lighter, I mean without a grandiose torch. Thus you can breathe fire almost all of sudden on stage.
 

This one is from 1992, the second gig with this line-up. Pre-Scorn-Defeat day. One of the guys we knew back then was claiming "Playing cover songs is very amateurish. If you want to be a professional musician, you should play your own songs." So we did all-Venom setlist.
 
 
Mirai and Stevo.

Also, Sigh are back in Studio Moopies and are now recording the upcoming album.
 
 
 
And for all P lovers: Blood Music will re-release Gallows Gallery in a standard version now. Will be up for pre-sale from next week. The original is a beauty beyond words, so I am looking forward to this. Will grab one meself, two if there's two different colours as I expect it to be.
 
This is what the first press looked like:
 

 
Was limited to 200 copies, with a black one limited to 100. So 300 in all.

To be fair, you're absolutely on point in that they did come up with a pretty much unique sound. And that Sakevi was/is a crazy motherfucker 
 
It's a matter of taste of course, but apart from a few songs ("Endless Blockades...", "Nih Nightmare" ...maybe their tracks from the "Great Punk Hits" comp as well), I just don't think GISM songs really hold up that well. I've yet to make it through either the whole of "Detestation" or "M.A.N" since I just find myself bored halfway through.
 
And were they really so influential? Apart from Sakevis gruff vocals later bands adopted (FREEDOM, HEADLESS etc. comes to mind), I'm just not hearing much of their sound otherwise in bands of the time. I'd say most took their influence from THE STALIN and THE EXCECUTE and stuff like that. I have to confess that I'm pretty much only knowledgeable about 80:s japanese HC/punk stuff, so maybe bands of the 90:s and 00:s were more influenced?
 
Bottom line is that I just don't think that GISM is the end all be all zenith of japanese HC as they're sometimes made out to be. 

1. People have different taste, ad therefore there will always be people complaining about the newest release. This isn't unique for Dir en grey, this happens for every single band out there.
 
2. People want music they enjoy, and what they enjoy are different from individual to individual. Simple as that.
 
3. No, people don't just want him to screech and scream on every album. Again, people want something they enjoy. Some people want something hard or brutal, while others want something soft and catchy. Again, this differ from individual to individual. Someone, or most actually, don't care as long as it's good.
 
4. Why should people give a band respect, if the band doesn't do anything to satisfy them? I can respect Dir en grey for Missa, Gauze, Macabre, Uroboros and most of their other release, but there's no chance in hell I'll respect them for the abominations that is The Marrow of a Bone, Dum Spiro Spero, the awful re-recordings or their live performances. Why not you ask? Because I think they're fucking shit, and there's no way I am gonna pay any respect for what I consider shit.
 
 
 
Anyway, everything will always come down to personal taste. I don't give a fuck if the upcoming album is hard, heavy, soft, catchy or whatever as long as it's actually good. And that's what everyone wants; something THEY consider good.

Also, Sigh are back in Studio Moopies and are now recording the upcoming album.
 
 
 
And for all P lovers: Blood Music will re-release Gallows Gallery in a standard version now. Will be up for pre-sale from next week. The original is a beauty beyond words, so I am looking forward to this. Will grab one meself, two if there's two different colours as I expect it to be.
 
This is what the first press looked like:
 

 
Was limited to 200 copies, with a black one limited to 100. So 300 in all.

Thanks.