The Black Angel Zine
Welcome to The Black Angel Zine, where Black Angel Promotions brings you the latest and greatest in rock, metal, and punk culture. Our zine is your go-to source for concert reviews, movie and documentary critiques, advice for aspiring musicians, retro music reviews, and the freshest news in the industry. Dive into each section and discover the raw, unfiltered content that makes Black Angel Promotions the voice of the underground.
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Black Angel news
Stay in the know with the latest happenings in the world of rock, metal, and punk. Our news section is your source for the updates that matter—band announcements, tour plans, album release dates, and the events shaking up the industry. Whether it's a long-awaited reunion, a shocking split, or a game-changing collaboration, we’ve got the info you need.
We don’t just report the news; we deliver it with the edge and attitude you expect from Black Angel Promotions. Our commitment is to keep you connected to the heartbeat of the music you love, cutting through the noise to bring you real stories that resonate. Check back regularly for updates that keep your finger on the pulse.
Black Angel Promotions is proud to announce the release of the CD press of The Unforgotten: The Rare and Unreleased from the legendary Hellbilly/Cow Punk Texas band, Ghoultown. This album features several deep cuts, a few live cuts and the long OOP “Killer in Texas” EP. This album has never been offered in physical format until now. This pressing will be limited to 100 pieces only. Each CD will be hand numbered. We won’t be offering a repress, no holds and no preorders will be available. No sales outside of the USA will be offered. The release date is February 25 th @ 5PM (EST) Prepare yourselves to DRINK WITH THE LIVING DEAD once more… https://blackangelpromotions.bigcartel.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiumPFYv058&list=PLKKv22G-G4CKRAmk1RB0KjyQu_xlx34g2
Welcome to Black Angel Promotions Top Ten Releases of 2024! We put a lot of thought into our lists and we wanted to celebrate these releases one more time publicly. TJ's Top Ten Releases of 2024~ 10. BAT - Under the Crooked Claw 9. Aborted - Vault of Horrors 8. The Crown - Crown of Thorns 7. Zombeast - Heart of Darkness 6. The Lurking Corpses - Lurking After Midnight 5. Alkaline Trio - Blood, Hair and Eyeballs 4. Spectral Wound - Songs of Blood and Mire 3. Unto Others - Never, Neverland 2. Tribulation - Sub Rosa In Æternum 1. Pøltergeist - Nachtmusik TJ's Honorable Mentions~ Catbreath - Slice 'em All Cavalera Conspiracy - Schizophrenia Kerry King - From Hell I Rise Wraith - Fueled by Fea r
Today, we’re humbled to announce that our first release will be the 20th Anniversary Edition of “Scourge of The South” from the Rockabilly band, The Tremors. Originally released in 2004, this is the band’s debut release, and it set the tone for what the band would go on to become – a hell raisin’ band of backwoods hillbilly boppers that dish out tons of Rockabilly Boogie that hearken back to the early days of Sun Records when the sounds of the 50’s were thought of as dangerous and profane. The Tremors also rip, romp and snort much like The Cramps did when they first burst onto the scene in the 70’s! One half hillbilly, one half punk, with a heaping helping of the King, Elvis Presley tossed in for good measure. To borrow a line from an old Cramps ad – they’ll ooze, you’ll throb, and nothing will ever be the same again! The Scourge of The South disc has been long out of print and unavailable outside of digital platforms. With this reissue, we’ve not only remastered the album, but we’ve gotten the fellas to unearth a RARE long-lost radio performance, also from 2004. Outside of the band and the lucky radio listeners who tuned in on that fateful evening, this performance has never been heard. If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the band live, you’re in for one hell of a treat. The radio performance has also been remastered for maximum playback enjoyment and let me tell you, the band jumps and shouts like a Baptist preacher who’s got a bad case of the runnin’ fits! With the addition of the Radio Performance, the album comes in at a whoppin’ 31 tracks! The press will be limited to 100 pieces, and they will be individually numbered. Aside from the band’s live shows, the only place you’ll be able to get the album will be from our bigcartel store. The CD will be available for purchase on October 11, 2024 . We will not be offering pre-orders, nor will we be offering holds or selling downloads. We here at Black Angel Promotions have had a long and wonderful relationship with the band that started years ago when we first reviewed their sophomore release “Invasion of The Saucermen”. Since then, we’ve reviewed all their releases and have taken every opportunity we could to lift them up and spread the band’s good name. The band still has four other releases currently available to be purchased from their website and we can’t recommend them enough – life without the music of The Tremors just isn’t living! Please join us in welcoming The Tremors to the B.A.P. family, we are sincerely grateful to offer the reissue of the band’s debut album “Scourge of The South”! https://thetremors1.bandcamp.com/merch https://blackangelpromotions.bandcamp.com/album/the-tremors-scourge-of-the-south-20th-anniversary-remastered-edition https://blackangelpromotions.bigcartel.com/
R.I.P. Jack Russell, the original and one true voice of the band, Great White. Captain Jack was more than just a voice on the radio, he was one of my favorite vocalists, period. I got into the band when I was a kid due to compilations and so forth, so Jack has been a part of my life for well over half of it & I’m not exactly a young buck anymore. I’ve had some tough moments in life with nothing to soothe me aside from a few choice albums – Great White was at the top of that heap. Hard Rock bands are a dime a dozen and often we don’t stop to think or appreciate the talent that it takes to perform this kind of music – we take it for granted. Those with a true penchant for music know after one listen to Great White/Jack Russell that the band WAS heaped with talent, but the most amazing part of the band was Jack Russell’s voice. His ability to perform at a high level was unmatched and even after years of substance abuse, he was able to stand and deliver a jaw dropping performance, be it live or in the studio.
Cryptopsy An Insatiable Violence Season of Mist Thirty years into their brutal tech death brilliance, we find ourselves once again white knuckling the rosary while Montreal Canada's own Cryptopsy bludgeons everything in their path with surgical precision on their latest release, An Insatiable Violence. Cryptopsy aren't just responsible for SEVERAL bands within the tech area of death metal, one could argue, quite strongly in fact, that they have perfected it. On this, their ninth album, however, Cryptopsy seem poised to go into another gear. These are some of the fastest tempos they've ever played, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention how flawless and tight the drum phenom Flo Mounier handles it all with relative ease. Arguably the most celebrated Canadian drummer that doesn't carry the last name of Peart, his abilities behind the kit are Olympian. He even adds the odd gravity blast here and there, something he has never done. Flo’s Herculean bashing notwithstanding, what strikes me most here is their nod to slower, groove laden passages as well as melodic passages that allow us to catch our breath before they go into the all gas approach. Again, on a dime. This approach is used to great effect on “Until There's Nothing Left” and the mammoth chug of the closer “Malicious Needs”. Vocalist Matt McGachy turns in his deepest gutturals yet, as guitarist Christian Donaldson and bassist Oli Pinard also showcase their most informed and tightest syncopated playing to boot. This album picks up where 2023’s When Gomorrah Burns left off but ups the ante exceedingly in a ten-ton brick of heavy and fury. The album's lyrical concepts are also steeped in real life scares, such as our toxic relationship of battling algorithms with social media while they continually divide us and tear individuals apart. We feed the machine, to make it run more effectively and long to be tortured better by it. Cryptopsy’s machine is firing on all cylinders here, and damned if it isn't a lovely feeling to be tortured by something so harnessed and brutally ugly. -TB
King Parrot A Young Person's Guide To King Parrot Housecore Records Australia’s King Parrot have been kicking in teeth, and probably more than a few heads with their auditory grind/death metal/crust/hardcore machinations for a while now. This new ten song platter is their first since 2022’s Holed Up in the Lair EP, and their first full length since 2007’s Ugly Produce, which received a ton of critical acclaim. To say their bar to follow up was high, is a bit of an understatement. But lest we fear they haven’t, we can rest easily with A Young Person’s Guide to King Parrot. A Guide… is their first album on Housecore Records (yes, Phil Anselmo of Pantera infamy’s label) and it was recorded by Luke Walton at Melbourne's Dangertone Studios. The band have commented that throughout the mixing process they really honed in on where each instrument and vocal sat, making sure they were all 100% satisfied with the end result. That's no easy feat given the chaotic nature of their material, but I can attest upon my listens that every instrument is audible, clear and never gets lost in the inherent noise of most albums of this ilk. King Parrot set themselves apart in that regard as well. There are the sensory destroying blastbeat moments of course, but there are also plenty breakdown chugs alongside some crusty hardcore punk soloing and riffing and the tremolo picked death and grind moments. What I find most interesting is that vocally, the approach varies from deathly gutturals, hardcore shouts and anguished unhinged screams not unlike Dwid Hellion of Integrity. Grindcore records are also typically short in their running time, and I feel that the band did themselves a great service in the track listing here. It really feels they boiled it down to their best and the album flows seamlessly from beginning to end at a sparse 22 minutes and 34 seconds! For the standouts, we have the hilariously titled “Fuck You and the Horse You Rode in on”, “Cunning as a Dunny Rat”, “I Got the Right” and weighty album closer “Pissing on the Fist of the Law’. King Parrot is staying true to their game here, and if you are into Integrity, Napalm Death, Blood Duster and Gadget then this nasty slab will have you grinning Chelsea style as you wonder how an album could effectively make you bang your head and so effortlessly and unsuspectingly slit your throat in the process. Dangerous lot these boys, but they are worthy and song-oriented entry into the annals of a genre that often has no structure to speak of. Strong come back indeed… ~TB
Chris Caffery 20 Years of the Music Man METALVILLE Records If you were to look at the career of power/traditional/symphonic metal guitar hero Chris Cafferty closely, one would assume he's given the world more than enough. From Savatage, Dr. Butcher, his solo work, Metalium, Spirits of Fire, Big Mouth and perennial holiday extravaganza theatrical band Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the man has literally done it all. With such an impressive resume, you'd think the guy wouldn't need to prove himself to a single soul. However, he does, continuously. His latest, 20 Years of the Music Man, is a further testament to his legacy and boasts the length of a double album to boot. Let's get into it! First, these are not new songs, but rather a career-spanning retrospective, a collection of choice cuts through Chris’s solo career and unreleased tracks from his many projects throughout the years. Cafferty has never been shy of being diverse, and these tunes are no exception. Disc one of two treats us to borderline thrash in “The Jester’s Court”, soulful balladry in “Music Man” and what would make for a fine outtake for Fight in “Pisses Me Off”. Next, unreleased song “Do You See What I See Now?” ramps up the tempo and brings us back to thrash territory not unlike Testament. I'm drawing a comparison here, to make those of you reading understand that the palette is diverse and catchy and memorable, even just four songs in! Other highlights here are the ethereal acoustic laments of “Forever We’ll Be” and CD1 closer “Glitter”. Moving on to disc 2, opener “Seasons Change” is a galloping power metal tour de force replete with massive vocal harmonies, gratuitous double bass and more than enough guitar shred to satisfy fans of Shrapnel Records releases of old. “My Light” follows with what is best described as melodic but gutsy pop metal. 90’s groove metal follows a couple tracks later in “Last Time” and the off-kilter time signatures of the drums and the busy guitar riffing are definitely hallmarks here, as is some impressive wah pedal abuse in the solo section. My absolute favorite track here is “Why”, which has a plod not dissimilar to prime Dio and the later Savatage albums Cafferty had a heavy hand in creating. The chorus is especially fist-pumpingly potent and anthemic. Cafferty’s vocals also deserve mention here, as they fall somewhere between Jon Oliva, Dio and a raspier Bruce Dickinson from the first song to the last. With the 22 songs in this collection, you not only get a glimpse into one of metal’s most endearing and enduring artists, but you begin to understand why words such as “underrated” or phrases like flying under the radar exist. If you're unfamiliar with Chris Cafferty (and shame on you if you are), this is a perfect place to start as there is literally something here for everyone to sink their teeth into. -TB
Once again, the gods of noise have cracked open my skull and shoved something in so violently filthy and oh so gloriously grotesque, that I nearly wept blood. I’m talking about a sonic sucker punch from a band that sounds like they crawled out of a toxic waste barrel behind a dive bar in Seattle, a three-headed, beer-swigging hellbeast called Rotgut. Never heard of ‘em, good. That makes you pure. Now go and ruin that purity. Their bio reads like it was written on a napkin soaked in absinthe and puke, probably during a bender involving cheap horror flicks and possibly minor arson. Imagine Troma directing a Blackened Thrash opera with a Crust Punk orgy as the intermission. That’s the vibe. The press photo - three masked warlords of filth staring down the lens like they’re about to either murder you or become your new favorite Tinder matches. I don’t know what they’re hiding behind those masks, but I’d bet money they’re either ugly as sin or way too handsome to not get offered sex behind the dumpsters after the show. Now let’s talk about the absolute maniacal masterpiece they’re about to vomit onto the world: “24 Oz Cantrip”, dropping June 20th, and destined to either destroy your speakers or summon a demon. This thing is a full-on RIOT. Crust Punk, Black Metal, and Thrash get tossed into a blender, spiked with battery acid and broken glass, and served in a gas can. It’s pure, filthy magic. The moment I hit play on “Return of the Dead Without Eyes,” I knew I was done. Cooked. Brain pudding. I said out loud to no one: “This sounds like Dani Filth got possessed by a biker and quit his symphonic bullshit.” No orchestra, no pretense, just guitar, bass, drums, and pure, fucking madness. This thing doesn’t “play,” it runs you over and hits reverse to make sure you’re dead. Black N’ Roll perfection. And the fact that these maniacs aren’t signed? Get the fuck out of here. That’s a crime. Somebody call the cops and then throw them fuckers in the pit and show them how we do it! “Under the Scarlet Cross” slows things down just enough to give you the illusion of safety before it crawls into your brain and shits all over your concept of melody. It’s moody, it’s mid-paced, it’s straight-up haunted. The riff is a zombie earworm straight outta 1986, and trust me, I was there. This track smells like old leather jackets, bullet belts, bad decisions, and the best night of your fucking life. The whole EP is five tracks of raw, raging glory. “Bonemelter” lives up to its name, it’s a full-frontal assault on everything you thought Metal was. If you think underground means underpowered, this is your rude, screaming, beer-sprayed wake-up call. These dudes could easily go toe-to-toe with the so-called “big names”, all they need is a stage, a spotlight, and maybe a few gallons of fake blood. And yeah, this will be on my year-end list. In ink, possibly blood. I want this on vinyl. I want this on CD. I want this carved into a tombstone and dropped on my grave. If you’ve ever had a hard on for bands like Midnight, Ghoul, Gwar, early Cradle of Filth, or even Venom, then this is your new religion. It’s loud, it’s rude, and it’s an open-handed mouth slap to every poser in a crop top singing over a laptop. Real Metalheads, real, degenerate, road-scarred riff-fiends, this is your call to arms. Everyone else can get fucked. Death to False Metal. Forever.
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A few days ago, it was announced that Jason McMaster, Paul Lidel, Jack Pyers, David Beeson, and Mark McLain would be releasing a new EP under the banner of HOT SHOT. If you're a little long in the tooth or just have an insatiable appetite for Rock N' Roll, you already know these guys are straight-up Rock royalty, having played major roles in bands like Dangerous Toys, Dirty Looks, Broken Teeth, and Sacred Reich. Naturally, The Rev. and I were all over it. We immediately reached out to cover the EP and lined up an interview with Jason himself. We wanted to keep the spotlight squarely on HOT SHOT so we and the rest of the world could get the full scoop. The Rev. took the reins on the interview. His questions were spot-on, so I didn’t mess with a thing. Sometimes you just let greatness speak for itself. So, grab yourself a strong drink and dig in, this is one you won’t want to miss.
I can’t lie, I swiped “Halfway to Halloween” idea from the Horror Music label, HorrorShock Records. The label was promoting their upcoming show of the same name, and I thought what a genius idea. It also didn’t hurt that the label had sent us a few of their releases to review for the site. So, I put it all together and turned it into a special little celebration for us, the label and all the fans of Horror! In doing so, I wanted to reach out and do an all-inclusive interview with the label owner, Rev. Chad Wells. The Rev. has been in the Horror scene for several years now and he’s responsible for one of my favorite Horror bands – The Jackalopes! Not only that, but Chad’s also the vocalist of a newer Horror band, The Creepy Crawlers. Wells is a staunch supporter of his scene and a real family man at heart. I have a great deal more respect after conducting this interview and from trading barbs back and forth. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a kinder gentleman in the Horror scene. Since you’re in charge of a Horror Label/Media group, can you share with us what first attracted you to the genre of Horror no matter whether it be music, movies or media? What planted the seed of Horror first that lead you to start this business up? That one’s kinda tricky. I was born to teen parents in the early 70’s and horror was sort of ever present in our world back then. Every TV show had a spooky Halloween episode. Scooby Doo was on every day and that’s definitely horror adjacent. The Universal Monsters were sort of everything at that point in time. My uncles had these floppy rubber action toys that were non-posable, sticky, ridiculous things, but they were Frankenstein’s Monster, Wolfman, Dracula and The Creature. But it was really the limited, non-cable TV we had back then. Lugosi’s Dracula was on TV one Sunday afternoon when I was probably 5 years old and seeing that imagery made me want more. Also, our local TV network had its own very cool and fun late night horror host, Dr. Creep. Dr. Creep was the host of “Shock Theater” and had white face paint with his orbitals blacked out with greasepaint. He had a jawline beard and semi long hair. He was a big heavy man in black - like an alternate universe Santa Claus. He was the biggest gateway drug. I think that KISS, Alice Cooper, The Misfits, King Diamond and Dark Throne all owe my fandom for them to this awesome old horror movie host. He used to MC the openings of businesses and stuff. You could go out to the new Burger King on Main Street and Dr. Creep would sign autographs there. I attended many events in my childhood just to shake his hand and have him sign a photocopied promo shot. Will you please share with us what all Horrorshock Media does, are you all just a music label or can we expect something else? We call it HorrorShock Media because we don’t want to limit ourselves. We’re all interested in music, video, movies, art, books, and events. Expect the unexpected. We get really bored with things fast. When the whole scene seems to be doing one thing, I’d rather go back the other way and maybe even take the long way around to discover something new that strikes my curiosity and then we’ll do what we want to do for the sake of pleasing ourselves and the people like us. We’ll work with certain acts forever and other acts get one shot, and it feels wrong, and they’re gone. We’re not here to make a bunch of fake friends or collect followers. We’re here to build platforms for our own art and the art of people we want to boost. So far, what obstacles have you faced as a label owner, aside from sales – those are always tricky, specifically today given that most folks have went digital. Sales are weird. If you want the business to pay its bills and grow, you need to see some way to accrue some financial gains. That’s not an easy game nowadays for all the reasons you mentioned and more. I think the hardest obstacle for me is the “peopling”. Every scene has busybodies who are friends with everybody just so they can float around and talk shit about everyone. I don’t do a lot of the interpersonal “friendly” stuff for that very reason. The bad news is that we’ve worked really hard to make a cool thing and certain people make it their business to try to tear it down. The good news is that those people have only been successful in looking foolish and being turd stirrers. Comparison is the thief of joy, so we don’t look at what anybody else is doing. We have our blinders on and are burning our own trail and that’s where we want to be. If you compare what we’re doing with what other labels or bands or scenes are doing, we look terrific from one angle and we look like we have no idea what we’re doing from another angle. I like not knowing what I’m doing. It’s always a surprise that way! Are you a physical media guy or have you moved over to digital, personally? I still have a ton of physical media, and I love creating and holding new media. I’ve got thousands of records, tapes and CD’s, VHS, DVD, Blu Ray’s, stuff on hard drives… I’ve even got old floppy discs. But for discovering new music I just really love the digital realm. Youtube especially, but I do use that evil corporate tyrant Spotify as well. I can find something, go down a rabbit hole, find more, playlist it, burn it out by overplaying it and see if I still like it in a month or three and then, maybe I’ll buy that insanely expensive $30 to $40 vinyl release or a couple T-Shirts at the show. I love the ease of digital. I wish that vinyl and CDs were as inexpensive as they once were. Some labels and distros that have huge rosters do it right and have $10 vinyl if you buy 5 or more. I think that’s a great way to go.
Tell us a little bit about the band. How did you come together and when did you start recording music and taking it on the road?
The path for this band has been a long and complicated one, going back as far as the first single. The history prior to the name change begins with the band officially forming in 2020. During that time, we released two full EPs—Something Dark and Eerie and Sinner’s Heart—before abruptly dissolving in 2022. While I would say the band plays primarily horror rock, there are definitely a plethora of other influences the band has, such as psychobilly (“Psychobilly (Gotta Die)”) and heavy metal (the guitar solo on “Hell Hounds”). How would you best describe the band’s sound? Who are some of your biggest influences?
T he group, especially with its current lineup, comes from a diverse collection of influences. So the sound you're hearing is really a blend of those. Everyone primarily writes their own parts and has full creative control over them, resulting in a fusion of many different styles. We're rooted in horror punk, and that will never change, but we’re adding elements from metal, pop-punk, and theater to both the music and the live show. The band was previously known as Casket Culture. What led to the name change, and will this have any effect on the band moving forward?
W e disbanded in 2022 due to some internal creative issues and returned to our other projects. Last year, discussions began about bringing the project back. Not all founding members returned—including the primary songwriter. After that reunion, it was decided that it would be unfair and inappropriate to continue using the same name. Since the writing process is now different, there will be a change in sound, but our goal remains to stay true to our roots while creating music that challenges us both technically and creatively. W ill the name change have any impact on the availability of Casket Culture merchandise such as CDs, t-shirts, etc.?
I t will. We're crafting new merch to go along with the name change, alongside a fresh aesthetic and branding. The music will begin to incorporate themes not just from contemporary horror, but also from fringe and classic sources—including Lovecraftian, psychological, and of course, cryptid-inspired horror. I’ve seen the band perform with the likes of Blitzkid and Cancerslug. Are there any other legendary horror rock bands you’ve performed with, or any you’d like to? What would your ideal show look like? So far, those have been the pinnacle—and if asked, we’d absolutely do it again. Right now, we’re aiming to appeal to a broader audience by bringing horror punk and its themes into the mainstream. If we could pick a dream opportunity, it would probably be to perform at larger festivals or conventions. W hat does your current tour schedule look like? Do you have any plans for the rest of 2025?
W e just wrapped up a long run of smaller, yet significant shows. The goal was to introduce the new lineup and sound—essentially an announcement that we’re not dead, but very much undead and evolved. The last time I saw the band, you played some new material. Are there any plans for a forthcoming album?
Y es! We’re currently working on it. The plan is to release a several-song EP with interconnected themes and storytelling. We’re beginning the groundwork this month, and it will include the three new songs we played on the last run: OnlyFangs, Attack! The Night the World Ended, and Cult. W hen the band isn’t recording or performing, what are you up to? What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of music? Josh does theater and has been in several productions, including Sweeney Todd. Billy is a gamer—mostly into open-world RPGs and anything where he can swing a sword. Reilley runs a promotions company called Not Your Mother’s Music Scene and is deeply connected to the local music scene. Matt’s a gamer too, but more into tabletop—D&D, World of Darkness, and other dice-rolling adventures. W ith a name like Cryptid Culture, I have to ask: What are some of your favorite cryptids and/or which do you find most fascinating? We all seem to have a soft spot for Mothman. In fact, there will be a song on the new album about him and how he terrorizes West Virginia. We’re also really into eldritch monsters—Cthulhu being a major one, naturally—as well as stories involving the Yellow King. D o you have any final parting words, or is there anything you’d like people to know about the band that we haven’t covered?
A ll we can say is that some projects come and go—but you cherish the time you get to work on them and the growth they bring. As far as the Cryptid guys go, we’re not done yet. We still have so much more to express, create, and share with all of you. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572514403477
A few days ago, the opportunity was presented to me to interview the founder and CEO of Cleopatra Records, Brian Perera. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to speak with Brian as Cleopatra Records has released several albums that I’m a big fan of through the years. I also appreciate the label becoming a home for wayward bands of the 80’s that have been cast aside. Most notably Jack Russell’s Great White, those last few albums are absolutely killer, and we might not have them if not for Cleopatra Records. Enough of my fandom, let’s get on with it! Hi Brian, it’s a pleasure to catch up with you today. I know you’ve done tons of interviews through the years, so we’ll try to avoid too many repeat offenders if possible. Cleopatra Records means a lot of different things to people – some people associate you with Goth, some people associate you with tributes and then there are folks like me who look at the label as a home to disregarded 80’s bands from the Hollywood scene & of course old school Punk Rock!
Believe the hype. This isn't just a great horror movie, it's a great movie, period. The film takes its time getting to the horror, but it holds your interest as it introduces the main characters: twin gangsters "Smoke" and "Stack" (Michael B. Jordan), their guitar prodigy cousin "Preacher Boy" (Miles Caton), Stack's ex Mary (Hailee Stanfield), and Smoke's wife Annie (Wummi Mosaku). It also establishes the premise that the twins have bought an old building to run as a juke joint. Opening night seems to be going well, but then the vampires show up and the film kicks into high gear. Every aspect of this movie is perfect. Writer/director Ryan Coogler manages to deliver an awful lot of background about his characters and setting without it ever feeling like dull exposition, and he's just as adept at crafting impactful action sequences. The film also just looks great courtesy of cinematographer Autumn Cheyenne Durald Arkapaw. And the blues influenced score by Ludwig Göransson sets just the right tone. Jordan has the showier performance in a dual role, and he's excellent. But it's newcomer Caton who is the heart and soul of the film. And Jack O'Connell as Remick, leader of the vampires, manages to be frightening while at the same time making a compelling case that the protagonists would be better off as bloodsuckers themselves. The film is undeniably entertaining, but it also has thematic heft in the way it deals with issues of race. Coogler handles this deftly, but no doubt some folks will complain that the movie is too "woke". Whatever. It's still early in the year but given my preference for films that balance entertainment with substance and how well 'Sinners' does just that, I expect this to at least make my top 10 for the year, and it won't surprise me if it's at the very top of my list.
I think we're at a point now where expecting something entirely new or groundbreaking from a horror movie is a bit unrealistic. The genre has been mined so thoroughly that even the most original concepts often end up entangled in familiar tropes or fall flat due to weak character development. Often, these attempts at innovation spiral into self-parody, losing the edge that might have made them stand out. That said, Feast is a wildly entertaining ride. While it's not exactly bursting with originality, it compensates with sheer audacity and a relentless pace. The film embraces its B-movie roots with gory enthusiasm, throwing buckets of blood, grotesquely horny monsters, and a cast of quirky characters into a single-location siege scenario. One of the standout elements is undoubtedly Henry Rollins—sporting pink sweatpants and a dead-serious attitude—bringing a layer of absurd charm that perfectly complements the film's tone. The genius of Feast lies in its willingness to subvert expectations. Characters introduced with grandiose backstories are unceremoniously dispatched, and the film constantly plays with genre conventions, keeping the audience guessing. The blend of horror and comedy is sharp, and despite the chaotic energy, the movie manages to stay on track and delivers a satisfyingly grotesque and hilarious experience. If you're in the mood for something that's self-aware, fast paced, and unapologetically over-the-top, Feast is absolutely worth your time.
This is one of those horror movies that gives the genre a bad name. Within the first five minutes, I knew exactly what kind of ride I was in for: our heroine bolts from home, lights up a joint, and dives headfirst into some clichéd, consequence-bound fornication. It's a checklist of tired tropes. The film is so painfully predictable that it becomes a test of patience rather than suspense. Just when I thought it couldn't be more obvious—bam, it hits every beat like it's following a script titled "Horror Movie 101." Maybe I've just seen too many of these films, or maybe this one is just that creatively bankrupt. Likely both. And if the lazy storytelling doesn't kill it for you, the acting will. The lead actress barely manages to emote beyond a vague sense of confusion, and let's be honest—Joey Lawrence has never exactly been the thespian of our time. When your big third-act twist is the arrival of Mr. "Whoa!" as the would-be savior, you're not just out of luck, you're out of hope. At that point, you're better off grabbing the nearest stick and fending off the crazed redneck yourself. This film doesn’t honor the horror genre; it desecrates it. It’s the cinematic equivalent of what you do at a rest stop—and yes, it’s that bad.
My first exposure to 80’s hard rock was Motörhead’s “Killed by Death” in 1984. Other tunes that followed were “I’ll Wait” by Van Halen, Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper,” Ozzy’s “Crazy Train,” and Quiet Riot’s cover of Slade’s “Cum on Feel the Noize.” I went from being a strait-laced, tie-wearing preppie, A-student, and quickly evolved into a full-fledged, tee shirt wearing sass-mouthed, metal head. But my grades remained up for the time being. After reading the book and viewing the Paramount+ adaptation Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion, I honestly believe I know the exact moment the cultural center of the music industry shifted from L.A. to Seattle. It was, predictably, MTV’s fault. Rikki Rachtman described it in the Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock penned book, claiming the powers that be at the network selected Alice in Chain’s “Man in the Box” for the Buzz Bin, over Thunder’s “Dirty Love.” I think that’s the tipping point. That, coupled with the third and fourth generation glam bands that flooded the airwaves, it ignited an onslaught of industry bloat that created a downward spiral. Too many bands, doing the same thing, cliché after cliché. Don’t tell the metal heads, they still blame Nirvana. But the book and three-part Paramount+ documentary that resulted from said book, however, is more concerned with the rise and popularity of the genre than its eventual downfall. From the rise of Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, W.A.S.P., Dokken and Ratt, to the second wave of bands such as Great White, and Poison, on through the successive generations, including the likes of White Lion, Jetboy, Trixter, and Tuff, most major bands are featured, at least in a cursory fashion, with very few exceptions. I noted specifically Cinderella, Europe and Slaughter’s absence from the Paramount+ documentary, but they are represented in the book. A surprising omission from the show was a discussion of Whitesnake’s defining “Here I Go Again,” what red-blooded American boy could resist drooling over Tawny Kitaen draped all over the hoods of a couple Jaguars in the music video? The video, however, makes a couple cameos without much real discussion. Starting with a look back at the late 70s when Van Halen was the final big rock act to be signed to a major label before New Wave broke, the first episode of the series focuses initially upon Quiet Riot and Randy Rhoads, then slips into a look at the birth of Mötley Crüe, W.A.S.P., and Dokken. Some of the most revealing comments from the series came from producer/manger/song writer Alan Niven, who worked with the likes of Guns N’ Roses and Great White, to name a few. He emphasized the title of the piece, Nöthin' But a Good Time, stating that wasn’t his experience. It was life and death on the road, who lives, who dies, but Niven proudly states his biggest accomplishment was not losing anybody on his watch. Other sobering scenes from the series come a bit later in the form of a look back at Penelope Spheeris’ Decline of Western Civilization part II: the Metal Years documentary. The tale of the Gazzarri’s house band fixture Odin comes to the forefront. In Spheeris’ film the lead singer confidently states he’d kill himself if he didn’t make it, well, aside from a small independent release of the seven-song e.p. The Gods Must Be Crazy (1987), the band and singer Randy “O” went nowhere. Fortunately, he had a change of heart and Randy “O” has not taken his own life, to date. Slipknot’s Corey Taylor penned the foreword to the book and appears frequently in the series, singing the praises of bands such as White Lion, Poison, Vain, and Life, Sex & Death. Taylor was first drawn into the genre upon catching the video for “Looks That Kill” on MTV, and he was hooked. Taylor is steeped and very knowledgeable about the 80s metal scene. Looking back from 40 years down the line at the 80s hard rock scene, I abhor the derogatory term hair metal, and have little love for the term glam metal, it was a different time, fueled by sex, drugs, strong drink and rock n roll. The misogyny is a little in your face from a 2025 perspective, but Spheeris interestingly notes, the women of the time were okay with it. She stood back as a documentarian and tried to objectively look at the scene, and found the ladies were complicit in their behavior. Deedee Keel, a booking agent for the Whiskey, stated in the show that working in a candy store, you were going to taste the sweets, and alludes to a hookup with Ratt’s Robin Crosby. Several key albums are examined in depth, including Shout at the Devil, Look What the Cat Dragged In, and Appetite for Destruction. Videos and live performances abound from the likes of Faster Pussycat, and there’s even shots of the infamous meat-throwing days of W.A.S.P. The PMRC is briefly mentioned, but oddly the song “Shelter Me” was not referenced, as we all know, “Tipper led the war against the record industry / she said she saw the Devil on her MTV.” All the key sites on the Sunset Strip make an appearance, The Troubadour, Cathouse, The Whiskey, The Rainbow, Gazzarri’s, and the rest. The series is more of a synopsis, a companion piece, to the Beaujour, Bienstock book. If you want to see how the times were from the perspective of artists, producers, groupies, roadies, hangers-on, etc., this is most certainly a series for you. And if you have a desire to dig deeper than the show goes, I highly recommend giving the book a read. A document that depicts the heyday of L.A.’s hard rock scene, Nöthin' But a Good Time is just that, a good time, a good read, a good binge worthy series.
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April 3, 2025 I’ve been a major Cancerslug fan for over 20 years and I was always disappointed that I never got to see them live. Now, I’ve seen them live twice in the past couple of years. I wouldn’t be upset if this trend continues. Please keep coming to this cesspool that is Florida!
This lineup could rival any other three death or thrash metal bands anyone could put together. Admittedly, I am not the biggest Possessed fan, but respect the hell out of them for their contributions to the genre and was really interested in seeing them perform. I had my earplugs in, but took those mother fuckers out when they took the stage to take in all the blasphemous hymns! Their set was short and sweet (about seven or eight songs) and when they played "Tribulation" I was amped because that's one of my favorite tracks from 'Beyond the Gates' and they killed it! My biggest issue with their performance is that while Jeff gave everything in his vocal performance, it came across as a little subdued. The instruments drowned his efforts a bit which is rather unfortunate. And I know this is super trivial, but their bassist did not move from his position on stage at all. It was almost like his feet were glued to the floor and it was a bit distracting. The fact that your lead singer moves around more and he's in a wheelchair speaks volumes.
This past Friday, (August 9 th) I took my girl to see L.A. Guns & Tom Keifer (Cinderella) in Peachtree City at The Fred Amphitheater. Unfortunately, I didn’t know about the show until a few days before. To be blunt, the PR for the show was trash, otherwise I would’ve had front row seats or a “table” as that was the thing at this venue. Nevertheless, we were able to land great seats and the way the Amphitheater is set up I knew we were going to be able to see the bands well. I was still a bit pissed about the lack of PR though, if I’d missed another chance to see L.A. Guns, I would’ve been MAD AS HELL!! The ride to the venue was highly amusing, we took the backroads and had an adventure, it also helped that my girl was half in the bag and feeling a strong wine buzz – she’s always hilarious, but when she’s on the “drank” and we’re traveling she’s even more fun! We got to see several old farmhouses, ranches and so forth. About 30 minutes outside of Peachtree City we rode through some small town where they had what I believe to be a hunting store with two large statues of Bigfoot standing outside which turned my girl’s tickle box on full tilt and she laughed herself into a stupor. Right then and there she decided we were going to ride back down that way on Vacation to see what's up with the Sasquatches. I’m sure that’s really going to happen, although we have no business in a Hunting Store whatsoever. After an hour or so of my wife loud talking, dranking and giggling we pulled into The Fred and were greeted with FREE PARKING – HELL YES! I’m not sure of the age of the venue but it’s the newer style of Amphitheaters that are starting to sprout up all over the place that tends to cater to the local folks who have plenty of money and are just looking to have a good time and drink themselves blind with their golfing buddies. It’s a bit on the high falutin’ side, if you will. The Amphitheater is nestled deep back in the woods a few miles off a main highway, but you don’t realize it, it feels like you’re a million miles from nowhere. Aside from the normies in khaki shorts and collared Polo shirts, it was a brilliant vibe and there was enough of our tattooed brothers and sisters around to make us feel at home or at least me – my girl was buzzed, she didn't care, she was just happy to be there with me and I with her... L.A. Guns hit the stage at 7:35PM it was still light outside, but that didn’t sway the band or the crowd. Those ole Hollywood Vamps came out guns a'blazing. (If you haven’t seen LAG, this is a standard, they don’t fuck around, they dig in and deliver the goods). We were treated with ten-mile-wide smiles, laughter and cheers from the band too, they were as happy to be there as we were. LAG, stuck to the standards - “Sex Action”, “Electric Gypsy”, “Over the Edge”, “I Wanna Be Your Man” were a few of the notables. The band also sprinkled in some of their newer tunes – the much loved “Speed” from The Missing Peace record. They also opened the show with one of my personal favorites “Cannonball” off the “Checkered Past” album, which I thought was a nice touch. Sadly, they only played one track off their new album, “Black Diamonds” and that was “Like A Drug”. Naturally, the band played their biggest hit “Ballad of Jayne” and while I still adore it, I’m cool if I never hear it or see them play it live again. I’ve been a fan since the debut album in 1988, so it’s a bit old hat to me, but I know all the cool kids in collared shirts had probably never seen the band play it live. Plus, my girl had never seen LAG live, so that was a moment for her too. The band was highly interactive with the crowd, but this is the LAG way, they’re all about the fans and being in the moment. There were a few of the ladies down front who were a bit too excited to see Phil Lewis & Tracii Guns so we were all treated to a little “Breast Wishes”, but it’s all in fun and hey it’s an L.A. Guns show, if you can’t be sleazy there where in the hell can you be sleazy?! If you’ve never seen L.A. Guns live, don’t miss the chance when they come to your town, the band is still as good as they were in 1988!!! I’d go see them again tomorrow if they were playing near me. To be fair, I try not to miss L.A. Guns when they come to town, they’re one of my all-time favorite bands. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I still miss and love Steve Riley (R.I.P.) on drums, but the new guy held it down well enough to get the job done. Now we come to the hard part of the night - Tom Keifer’s set. I haven’t seen or heard Tom live outside of his time in Cinderella and that was years ago when we were both still young and wild. It’s well documented that Tom has fought a long hard battle with vocal cord paralysis. Over the years several surgeries have been performed and he’s basically had to teach himself to sing again over and over. From the first note I knew something was wrong, someone was singing off-key, or something was happening somewhere. Much to my dismay, I soon realized it was Tom. I was hoping it was just the on-stage volume and they’d get it figured out after the first song, however when Keifer spoke I could hear that his voice was gone, it cracked instantly as he welcomed the crowd. I’m not slagging Keifer at all, just calling it down the middle. Honestly, I didn’t think this was an issue anymore, I’ve got a few friends who’ve seen Tom several times, they go out of their way to travel miles and miles to see him and not a word has been said. My mind immediately went to this thought - I could leave, be disappointed and turn my back on one of my childhood heroes. Or either I could stay, scream my ass off and raise my hands in the air and cheer the man on as he sang and played his heart out for us. You all know I stayed and screamed, looking for that sacred “Shot of Gasoline”!!! Tom got me in my feelings several times when I was least expecting it too. The 3 rd track of the set was “Heartbreak Station”, and the intro was so heartfelt I was tearing up before he sang the first line. I stood their awe struck and dumbfounded with tears in my eyes remembering how much the song has meant to me through the years and how much of a pleasure it was to hear it live for what could be my very last time. It also stung me deep that Jeff LaBar (R.I.P.) wasn’t up on-stage playing guitar. These feelings hit me even harder on “Coming Home”. Of all the songs Cinderella released, this track has always been my favorite, it’s a bio of my life, warts and all. All I’ve ever wanted was to be loved and to “come home”, it felt like forever to be able to achieve that feeling. A million thanks to my girl for giving me that home that I yearned for my entire life. “I took a ride in a world I'll be spinnin’ for the rest of my life” … Keifer went on to play all the hits, he hit us with “Hot and Bothered”, “The Last Mile”, “Nobody’s Fool” and I thought the crowd was going to full on riot when they played “Somebody Save Me” and “Nightsongs”. It was a fantastic scene. There were several other classics played throughout the evening. I’m sincerely glad I stayed for Keifer’s set, the young man that still haunts the halls in my memory needed it. Now my cup runneth over with love for all the things that I’ve experienced and all the places I’ve been. It’s not just Tom who’s gotten older, I’ve done fucked around and gotten old too. Thankfully, us old dogs can still get up there and fucking get it when it's time. If either of these bands roll through your town, get off your ass and go! While Tom isn’t the young man he once was, know this, the voice he had in the in the late 80’s was wrecked for us and all in the name of Rock N’ Roll. Keifer deserves to hear the crowds roar and every one reading this “NEEDS A SHOT OF GASOLINE”! And if you can’t get down with Keifer, them Hollywood Vampires, L.A. Guns still got that 100-dollar bill and a bottle of lotion – S.E.X. Who’s next?! ~Black Angel