Jan 24 2013

Second Grave, SECOND GRAVE

Second Grave
Official Site
Second Grave, Second Grave Recordings 2012

Behind the Red Door

The story of Second Grave begins with a simple conversation. Chuck Ferreira was speaking with fellow musician Krista Van Guilder and offered his skills as a drummer if she ever wanted to team up for a future project. Although it took awhile for that time to come, she did take him up on his offer. Since their vision required more than just a drummer and a frontwoman/guitarist could provide, both guitarist Chris Drzal (who previously worked with Krista in Obsidian Halo) and bassist Dave Gein were also recruited and Second Grave was born. Despite the band being fairly new (They made their first appearance in August 2012), they’re far from inexperienced. Krista Van Guilder also performed with Warhorse and Lucubro, Chuck Ferreira played in Nodscene, Chris Drzal was part of Suckapunch and Dave Gein put the “Gein” in “Gein and the Graverobbers” in addition to his current work in Black Pyramid!

“Great opening” best describes “Through the Red Door,” both in terms of starting the album and the song’s actual opening. The whispering wind effect at the beginning (and end) is very atmospheric and works extremely well with the echoing guitar work. But although that track is great, it’s actually “Covet” that acts as an introduction to the group’s style. After a moody soft opening and instrumental buildup, everything revs up as a prelude to Van Guilder’s effective vocals. “Mountains of Madness” is one of my favorite tracks, thanks to it being both catchy and apocalyptic. Everything is perfect in this-the drums, the guitars and the vocals (throaty growls thrown in for good measure towards the end). I especially appreciate how it manages to capture the feel of Lovecraft’s work without resorting to Mythos name-dropping.

Soft guitars get the spotlight in the instrumental track “Salvation,” which starts off “folksy” and then takes on a medieval ballad feel. Its calm and soothing nature makes it both short but sweet and a musical palate cleanser. “Soul Extinction” is another favorite of mine. As you can hear for yourself above, everything is just right (at least by my standards) and there’s an amazing vocal performance to boot. In “Divide and Conquer,” the percussion seems to be star of the opening. Although some might find the low key guitar work during the song’s midway slowdown to at odds with the rest of the track’s heavy tone, I think that the contrast not only works, but also adds some distinctive flavor the the track. In other words, it’s the perfect closing to the album.

My experience with metal is admittedly limited; I’m only familiar with Thor, Dethklok and a handful of other bands. As you can expect, the seemingly endless amount of subgenres of metal are largely a mystery to me. But if Second Grave represents what doom metal is like, then sign me up for more!

Second Grave has made one hell of a first impression in their self-titled debut album. As an EP, this “only” has
six tracks and runs a little over a half hour. But believe me, you’re getting more than your money’s worth here. The majority of the tracks are rather lengthy (but never overstay their welcome) and you’re sure to find something you’ll like. What else can I say? It good. Me like. You buy. NOW.

But Second Grave isn’t going to rest on their laurels and has lots of plans for 2013. They are going to play with bands like Pilgrim, Lord Fowl, Gozu and Black Thai, in addition to opening for Castle when they tour through New England. They’ve also scheduled to play at the Stoner Hand of Doom festival and have plans for both a vinyl LP release and a follow-up album later in the year. So keep on eye on this band; I see great things in their future.

Special thanks to Second Grave for use of the image!

Jan 14 2013

H.P. Brickcraft Strikes Back!

It’s been quite awhile since I last looked at the world of H.P. Lovecraft-inspired Lego creations and boy, has the amount of material gone up since then! I was first clued in on the matter while browsing on Facebook, where I found an awesome Lego house with tentacles bursting out of it. It wasn’t too long before I found some Lego versions of Cthulhu as well. Here’s an alternate look at that last version of the dread sleeper of R’lyeh.

But the fun doesn’t end there! In addition to captainsmog’s “LegOVECRAFT” Flickr gallery devoted to recreating scenes from Lovecraft’s works, the LovecraftianLEGO YouTube channel offers numerous stop motion animated Lego films inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Here’s one such example:

If you have any Lovecraftian Lego creations, please feel free to send them in. I’d love to showcase them in a future article!

Jan 11 2013

6’+ Episode 48 is Up!

To quote the description given at the new listing:

“Here we are again. Another year, another false promise of doom. Wipe away your disappointment with music by Thirteen Shots, Los Lobos Locos, Doctor Caligari, Tombstone Brawlers, The Monsters, and more. Monstermatt Patterson appears with the Monstermatt Minute, but it’s not the end of the world.”

Remember to email 6′+ (contact at 6ftplus.com) or leave a comment below about the show, whether you liked it or not. Tell your friends, leave a review on iTunes, but above all – enjoy.

You can find all episodes of 6′+ over at the official site as well as on iTunes and Stitcher . We’re also on Facebook and Twitter.

Jan 06 2013

Traveling through Vermont? Watch out for King Kong!

While driving down US Highway 7 between Brandon and Leicester, you’re bound to come across King Kong. Okay, technically the giant gorilla statue holding a VW bug is called “Queen Connie,” but I know Kong when I see him!

Whatever you want to call it, the statue was created by one T.J. Neil in 1987 as an advertisement for Pioneer Auto Sales. The concrete statue stands 16 feet tall (19 feet if you factor in the length of the arm holding the car aloft) and weighs a whopping 16 tons! With the closure of Dinosaur World and its 40 foot tall King Kong statue no longer available for public viewing, “Queen Connie” is now seemingly unopposed as the biggest Kong statue in the United States. If you stop by to have your picture taken there, please feel free to share your photographs with us here at Gravedigger’s Local 16. If we get enough, I might even post a photo gallery.

For those of you not satisfied with the picture illustrating this article, you can find a full body color image of the statue here. Oddly enough, RKO Radio Pictures (the company that made the original King Kong) used to have its West Coast archives located on Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles. Life’s just full of funny little coincidences.

Special thanks to James Walsh for making the above image available under a Creative Commons License!

Jan 01 2013

Dino New Year!

Auld Lang Syne

Happy 2013! To celebrate, I thought I’d share this special New Years’ card. However, I didn’t choose this card simply because it depicted dinosaurs. I chose it because it was created by none other than Charles R. Knight. Even if you don’t recognize his name, it’s virtually guaranteed that you’re already familiar with his work (if not had your childhood ideas about dinosaurs shaped by his work).

Charles R. Knight had a deep and lifelong appreciation for artwork depicting animals. His early days of copying book illustrations as a small child led to him attending art school and sketching animals at the Central Park Zoo. This in turn led to him visiting the American Museum of Natural History’s taxidermy department in order to study muscular structures, where one Dr. Jacob Wortman tapped him to aid in the reconstruction of an Elotherium based on fossils. Using a combination of what the fossils looked like, modern pig anatomy and some speculation, the end result so impressed Dr. Wortman that Knight was hired to create more paintings of prehistoric animals. His work was a hit and eventually he was creating more paintings for other institutions. But he wasn’t “just” an artist. He was even asked to both write and lecture about prehistoric life.

When it came time to bring The Lost World to the big screen, the model of the Agathaumas was based on Knight’s restoration. Similarly, the stop-motion dinosaurs in King Kong were based on his paintings. His work has even influenced legends of the science fiction genre like Ray Harryhausen and Ray Bradbury! On top of that, he even appeared as a character in the 1998 IMAX film T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous

Naturally, his beautiful artwork found its way into numerous books (both scholarly and those aimed at children). I know what some of you are thinking. “So Charles R. Knight must have been the guy who did the illustrations in the book about dinosaurs that was used in the American version of King Kong vs. Godzilla, right?” Actually, that’s not the case. The illustrations in Darlene Geis’ Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals were created by R.F. Peterson. Getting back on topic, the popularity of his work helped further popularize the then-popular, inaccurate idea that dinosaurs were lumbering brutes and this undoubtedly influenced countless film depictions over the decades. This is not a slight against the man, as he was only able to create his works using the scientific information of the day. Not only that, but he actually championed some ideas that while considered inaccurate in his day, turned out to be correct years later! Besides, I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks back fondly on the way dinosaurs used to be portrayed…

Happy New Year!

Dec 30 2012

Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories Volume 2

Again with the statue!

Those of you who have read my review of Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories Volume 1 should remember the basics of this series. For those who haven’t, I’ll explain: AudioGo and Fangoria have teamed up to offer CDs and digital downloads of the streaming web series that plays on Fangoria’s website. However, these releases have extended versions featuring scenes that weren’t heard in the streaming versions!

Our first terror tale is “A Heated Premonition,” which details the unusual events that bring together two strangers during a scorching heat wave. If that plot sounds familiar to you, that’s because it’s an adaptation of William Fryer Harvey’s famous short story “August Heat.” Fans of old time radio will remember it as one of the most popular stories that appeared on classic radio series Suspense, having received numerous performances on the program. In “The Dark Enforcer,” the titular comic book character comes to life to aid a troubled comic book store owner. But this particular comic book character is not a spandex clad do-gooder and dealing with him has consequences…dark consequences. A conspiracy theorist gets more than he bargained for when he infiltrates the influential Lorrimer family’s annual private gathering in “Table Scraps,” while “Mercy” tells the story of a promiscuous bad girl turned born again Christian after she accidentally causes the death of her high school football team’s star players. However, her interpretation of her new found faith convinces her that she should convert people and kill them before they can sin again in order to “save” them. “Talking in the Dark” finds a lonely man in a small town receiving a surprise visit from his favorite horror author, and learns the shocking reason for why his stories have more of an edge than the competition. Finally, “The Final Battlefield” deals with a soldier who has returned home from Vietnam…only to find himself tormented by visions of the vicious torturer from the POW he spent over a year in. But as he eventually finds out, these aren’t your standard war flashbacks…

Although I enjoyed Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories Volume 2, I would have enjoyed the collection a lot more if most of the stories didn’t blatantly telegraph the ending. Sometimes there’s admittedly a little mystery about the exact way the ending will come about, but the ending is spoiled all the same. This wouldn’t be nearly as obnoxious if it was only a single obvious hint, but Dreadtime Stories seems hellbent on hammering home how the story will end by constantly repeating the same line over and OVER again. Thankfully, “Table Scraps” and “Mercy” avoid this issue entirely. “Mercy” admittedly telegraphs the titular character’s eventual murderous conclusion in regard to soul-saving, but it’s hardly an issue to complain about since the listener is told that in the episode’s plot description. It’s also worth noting how “Talking in the Dark” manages to avoid this issue until the final leg of the story. Getting back to “Table Scraps,” the story is an absolutely must-listen if you’ve ever dealt with crazy conspiracy theories. In addition to the hilarious, but not over the top, characterization of the protagonist, I love how his pet theory turns out not to be the case (which tends to happen in this sort of tale).

While the constant hints about the ending hampered my enjoyment of “The Final Battlefield” somewhat, I did find it interesting how it plays out more like a psychological drama dealing with a soldier’s post-traumatic stress rather than a horror story. That’s not a complaint, mind you. I thought it was quite fascinating and it reminded me of the sort of non-horror story that would play on classic radio shows like Suspense (despite the horror stories usually being the more remembered ones).

As always, Malcolm McDowell is a pleasure to listen to and the music and effects are all top notch. The acting here is much better than the hit and miss mix of Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories Volume 1 and only those who dislike hearing familiar voices in multiple stories (which is always the case in audio productions using a small stable of performers) will find any issues with the acting. Maybe it’s just me, but I swear they’ve changed the credits since Volume 1. Jim McCance’s role as the narrator for the credits seems to be more prominent this time around (which is well deserved, I might add) and there’s also a plug for how episode scripts can be downloaded for free at the series’ official website.

Given that the entire collection clocks in at a little over 4 and a half hours, it should come as no surprise that the stories are spread over 4 discs packaged in unfolding cardboard slipcover. As was the case with the last volume, the slipcase is held in a cardboard box rather than a plastic jewel case. Unlike the last time, there’s a very generous coupon code for orders at AudioGo.com printed on the lid’s inner tab! Here’s hoping that future volumes include more such changes like these (and less obvious foreshadowing of the stories’ endings).

Special thanks to AudioGo LTD for the review copy!

Dec 28 2012

6’+ Episode 47 is Up!

To quote the description given at the new listing:

“If you’re reading this, the Mayan Doom didn’t fall upon us. Bummer. In an episode recorded before the End of the World, Strange Jason celebrates the End of the Year with music from Skeletal Life, The Creeping Ivies, 45 Grave, The Vivisectors, Los Straitjackets and more.”

Remember to email 6′+ (contact at 6ftplus.com) or leave a comment below about the show, whether you liked it or not. Tell your friends, leave a review on iTunes, but above all – enjoy.

You can find all episodes of 6′+ over at the official site as well as on iTunes and Stitcher . We’re also on Facebook and Twitter.

Dec 25 2012

Merry Fishmas!

Another year, another fan-made music video of a holiday song by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society. This year’s selection is “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fishmen,” as filmed and uploaded by one haakor:

That said, you shouldn’t watch it if you want to avoid any spoilers for The Shadow Over Innsmouth…

Merry Christmas!

Dec 24 2012

Even More Christma(dnes)s

The Man in the Moon disapproves of your antics, goblins!

Here’s a rare holiday treat, the pressbook for the original version of Black Christmas. Even if you aren’t a fan of the film, you’re sure to love the promotional gimmicks.

Fans of our yearly Free RPG Day posts are sure to love this fan-made, Christmas-themed Dungeons and Dragons adventure.

If you need a quick and easy way to add a macabre touch to your Christmas tree, than RavensBlight has just the type of ornaments for you! If you don’t need any more ornaments, then perhaps this floating candelabra will be of more interest to you (especially if you color the white candles green and mix them with the red candles).

Are you one of the many people who were creeped out by the CGI characters in The Polar Express (the movie, not the book)? Some blame the “uncanny valley” effect, but this site has a more sinister explanation.

Longtime readers of the site know that telling ghost stories is a time-honored British tradition. So I’m getting in on the action by not only sharing an unusual ghost story involving (but not written by) Charles Dickens, buth also sharing scary stories like a zombie-themed take on “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and a short Christmas tale by Mike Arnzen.

I don’t care what the listing says, this is not a Krampus. Now the creatures depicted in these holiday wall clings are. The mock-ups of those clings in use kill me, though.

Speaking of the Krampus, Google Books has a NSFW preview of Krampus: The Yule Lord available. Those seeking other online Krampus resources will definitely find these links handy.

Those in need of some last minute Christmas cards are sure to appreciate these free zombie Christmas cards.

Speaking of zombies, zombie ornaments and zombie nutcrackers are growing in popularity. For those of us who feel zombies are overexposed, hanging up a picture of a Yule Squid is a great way to celebrate the horrordays without being too cliché. UPDATE: The original SYFY Wire links I had used in this segment no longer work. So in addition to the replacement links I used to show you other zombie ornaments and zombie nutcrackers, here’s a link to SYFY Wire’s Christmas category as an added bonus.

Speaking of cephalopods, the band Supreme Fiction is offering free downloads of “All I Want for Christmas is Cthulhu” and “Christmas for Failures.” Those with a taste for steampunk will love these takes on “Ebenezor’s Carol” by The Men Who Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing and sci-fi fans are sure to enjoy Gulag Picture Radio’s “Xmas On The Moon.” And let’s not forget Tribal Gothic’s “Winter Solstice” is available for free as well! In addition to his free regular Christmas song downloads, Kevin MacLeod also has tracks like a dark take on “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and “Ice Demon” available. Don’t forget that Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica has their streaming version of “Arab Dance” from The Nutcracker available as well! If that somehow isn’t enough for you, 6’+ has several Christmas episodes available.

Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for the content on or anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of visiting any links on the above sites, downloading from them or constructing a project that’s detailed on them. This also applies to any suggestions made here. Attempt at your own discretion.

Dec 23 2012

Winter’s Majesty

Nox Arcana
Official Site
Winter’s Majesty, Monolith Graphics 2012

Oh Gunter, I can't wait to show Finn and Jake my new look. The princesses are going to be all up ons once they see my sweet abs!

Back when I reviewed Winter’s Eve, I teased the upcoming release of the third (and final) installment of Nox Arcana’s “Winter” series. I’m happy to report that both Jeff Endemann and the Gregorian Shadow Choir have returned for this album. Those fond of the wordless female vocals that have shown up in past Nox Arcana albums will be happy to hear how practically every song on the album uses them.

While most Nox Arcana albums have the spoken word introduction and opening song presented as two separate tracks, Winter’s Majesty bucks tradition by combining both! In “Aquilon’s Wish,” the Gregorian Shadow Choir backs the opening poem of the Winter King’s wish for peace on earth, which gives way beautiful snowflake-like chiming and piano work. It takes a somewhat darker tone later on, but is still beautiful. Interestingly enough, there’s a seemingly alternate version of the introduction performed by John Rossi available online. “Tranquility” definitely lives up to its name, with the medieval ballad-style instrumental segment and the backing strings being great touches. Personally, the music makes me think of snow quickly falling. “White Woodlands” masterfully combines piano work and chiming tones that remind the listener of snow, while “Secret Sanctuary” has an overall ballad feel. Both the wordless female vocals and tambourine add to the feel of the dark beauty of a winter’s night, while the piano ushers in a somewhat darker feel and unisex choir work. The organ and tolling bells of “Summon the Wind” give the track a Dracula-style feel, while “Snow in the Shire” has a wonderful ballad feel thanks to its use of a minstrel guitar and touches of tolling bells and a tambourine. Despite the name, the latter has no connection to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The word “shire” is actually a traditional English term for what would now be referred to as a “county.” “Crystal Kingdom” combines excellent soft piano work with some tolling bells while “Solstice Spirits” gives the listener as sense of falling snow thanks to its chime-like tones and piano work. “Shelter from the Cold” is much more energetic than previous tracks, although it does have a ballad-like feel to it at times. “Angels in the Snow” slows things back down in a good way.

“Scarborough Fair” is a new take on classic song. Despite being commonly associated with Simon & Garfunkel, it’s actually an ancient folk ballad that has numerous alternate versions with different lyrics. For this new version, Vargo has replaced most of the lyrics (including the famous “Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme” refrain) so that the song now tells the tale of a spirit telling the listener to seek out his lover from when he was alive so she can visit his grave. Jeff Endemann gives an amazing vocal performance, with the opening ballad feel and tambourine work adding to overall feel. In addition to its connection to an earlier track by mentioning a shire, the online music video suggests a connection to Winter’s Knight. “Ivory Steeds” offers speedy and varied piano work with touches of bells while “Winter Haven” combines gentle snow chimes soft and piano notes with the strums of a minstrel guitar. In “Forest Lullaby,” gentle notes are joined by “chimes” to create a soothing, music box-like feel. The piano work of “Days of Olde” is noticeably different in tone than that of the past tracks. The unisex choir and snow-like chiming add to it overall feeling of long ago. “Saturnalia” refers to the festival that celebrated the winter solstice in ancient Rome. In fact, Christmas as we know it today has some of its roots in Saturnalia! The track has a definite celebratory feel thanks to its clapping hands and flutes, along with some tambourine and violin work. “The Coming of the King” uses a unisex choir backed by an organ and tolling bells to provide a sense of dark regality. Pounding drums also add to the effect. Although “Winter’s Majesty” uses soft piano work and bells, the piano is the real star here. There’s also lots of great musical variations. “We Three Kings” is an instrumental take on the Christmas classic, realized with soft piano and minstrel guitar (along with touches of bells). “Polaris” uses a different way of conveying falling snow via piano and soft vocals. “Final Peace” has a peaceful but somewhat mournful tone thanks its use of a violin and unisex vocals. Those who wait for the secret track will also hear the sounds of wind and soft piano work.

As with all Nox Arcana releases, the liner notes contain the lyrics and amazing artwork (along with a hidden puzzle). In fact, some of the pages are styled not unlike the illuminated manuscript look used for the liner notes for Winter’s Knight. All in all, Winter’s Majesty offers a return to the dark feel of Winter’s Knight, while still retaining the lighter elements of Winter’s Eve. Although I’m sad to see the series end, I’m glad it got to close out with an album like this.

Special thanks to Monolith Graphics for the review copy!

Dec 22 2012

Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis

King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis
Official Site
Luau In December, Friki Tiki Records 2008
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Hey, you on the right. Show some class. I know the hula girls are gorgeous, but come on...

Even if you’ve never heard one of their albums before, chances are that you’re already aware of King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis. Although active for quite some time on the West Coast, King Kukulele officially made his presence known to the rest of the country at the Hukilau in 2002. The following year, his Tiki Palace made quite a splash online and has been hosting the Tiki Tot Tour at Tiki Oasis in recent years. But who are they? The members of King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis consist of:

King Kukulele (Denny Moynahan): Lead vocals and ukelele
Riki Kontiki (Richard Fultineer ): Drum kit, percussion and backup vocals
Malahini Marc (Marc Doten): Double bass, guitarron, glockenspiel and backup vocals
Waikiki Wakefield (Jeremy Wakefield): Lap steel guitar and backup vocals
Bora Bora Bonebrake (DJ Bonebrake): Marimba and vibraphone

Although their self-titled 2004 release was their first CD, 2008’s Luau in December is (as of this writing) their most widely available album. Although the concept may seem kind of odd at first, it actually makes perfect sense. Exotica music takes its listeners on relaxing journeys to faraway places, which is perfect for combating holiday stress and the cold weather blues. In addition to original songs, there are also several exotica versions of Christmas classics. From what I can tell, this album seems to be the first exotica Christmas album of the modern era!

“Luau In December” tells us to trade our eggnog for Mai Tais in this lively, but somehow mellow, tune. King Kukulele’s pleasant voice is well-teamed with the marimba, percussion and steel guitar percussion. A child singing about a greedy young boy’s Christmas expectations in “Brand New Ukulele,” but Kukulele takes over to tell us of the one special gift that changed the lad’s attitude as the extremely catchy backing music picks up. I’m not kidding about it being catchy, either. I can practically guarantee that you’ll catch yourself singing this for days after hearing it. “Santa’s Menehune” deals with a legendary Hawaiian creature that is claimed to have amazing building skills. Naturally, this comes into play when he goes to visit his elven cousin at the North Pole. It’s a cute song thanks to its Chimpmunk-style voices and amusing appearance by “Elf-vis.” The late, great “Duke of Uke” himself, Bill “Tappy” Tapia takes over the singing and ukelele duties for “Tappy Claus.” Backed by a steel guitar, Tappy denies being Santa Claus and recounts his constant bad luck with gifts over the years. It’s a real treat to hear the legend in action and although the song’s reference to over 100 years of bad gifts might seem like a joke, he actually had reached that age at the time the song was recorded! In “Christmas Luau,” the ukelele and steel guitar nicely back this musical tale of a Hawaiian Christmas (which also foreshadows the next track). Those learning about various Hawaiian terms will find this song especially invaluable in their studies. Just don’t listen to it while you’re hungry. Trust me on this.

“The Night Before Christmas” combines sleigh bells and vibraphone work as special guest Laura Thatcher joins King Kukulele in singing this holiday classic while the heavy introduction of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” leads to the marimba getting quite a workout with some great ukelele and steel guitar work. “I Work for Santa Claus” has a surprisingly Latin-esque feel thanks to its use of a guitarrón. In it, an elf sings about his job duties and the incredibly chain of mishaps that occurred the night Blitzen lost one of his hors…er…reindeer shoes. There’s also a very welcome reference to the Krampus. What’s not to love? While many traditional exotica songs combine music and animal noises, “Santa’s Workshop” couples vibes and percussion with the sounds of toys being made. This gives the song about toy building an appropriately soft and magic feel. The Friki Tikis’ take on the Yule standard “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” features incredible drum work here, along with a wonderful instrumental interlude with a steel guitar and marimba. “Reindeer Holiday” is a charming ukelele tune about Santa’s reindeer and their unscheduled Hawaiian vacation, which has a closing vocal harmony segment that is not to be missed. The Tiki rock take on “Hooray for Santa Claus” is simply amazing and is easily one of my most favorite tracks from the album. If you’ve ever cringed whenever the original version of this song played in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, you need to hear this version. Yesterday. “Thirty-Two Feet and Eight Little Tails” is a peppy musical tribute to the eight tiny reindeer pulling ol’ St. Nick’s sleigh, complete with a great vibraphone lead out. “Mele Kalikimaka” is Hawaiian for “Merry Christmas.” It’s also the name of the album’s final track, which is both faithful to the original version while providing enough of its own distinctive touches to make it feel like more than “just a cover.” Like any good holiday special, this track features plenty of guest performers. Joe Moe (who previously appeared on the album as the lead vocals for “Christmas Luau”) provides the harmony vocals while Ali Lexa handles the lead ukelele duties.

Luau In December will be enjoyed by people of all ages (especially fans of SpongeBob SquarePants) and is a highly recommended purchase. It’s also proof positive how something that’s “family friendly” doesn’t necessarily have be sappy or talk down to its listeners. I, for one, am eagerly awaiting what King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis have to bring us in the future. If it’s anything like this album, then we’re all in for a real treat.

Special thanks to Friki Tiki Records for the review copy!

Dec 21 2012

6’+ Episode 46 is up!

To quote the description given at the new listing:

“Happy Holidays. We mean it! In fact, here’s a whole lot of happy, positive holiday music from Mojo Nixon, Dead Rose Symphony, Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica and more to prove it! Even Monstermatt gets into the spirit. I wish he didn’t but HAPPY HOLIDAYS!”

Remember to email 6′+ (contact at 6ftplus.com) or leave a comment below about the show, whether you liked it or not. Tell your friends, leave a review on iTunes, but above all – enjoy.

You can find all episodes of 6′+ over at the official site as well as on iTunes and Stitcher . We’re also on Facebook and Twitter.

Dec 17 2012

Bradley Tatum, PUNK ETERNAL

PunkEternal

Bradley Tatum
Punk Eternal

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Bradley Tatutm’s prior release, It’s A Beautiful World, featured many styles, so a follow-up album putting a spotlight on his punk roots was not that farfetched. Enter Punk Eternal, the new album from Tatum. What we have here is a love letter to punk, sealed with a pin and mailed direct.

The music on this album hints at the era that may have influenced Bradley. A lot has been made of the early eighties ‘hardcore’ movement but not much has yet to be said about the era that featured bands like Screeching Weasel and Jawbreaker, which would transition the music landscape into the world of Alternative. The music could also be comparable to Danzig’s post Misfits project, Samhain, with powerful guitars, metal flirtations and dark imagery. Much of this can be seen on songs like “Witch’s Fire,” which also demonstrates Bradley’s skill as a guitar player.

Bradley plays all the instruments on this release and the arrangement is well constructed. The thirteen songs showcase Bradley Tatum’s talents as a producer. With his skills, it would be interesting to see how he would work with a full band, to see these different members of a crew follow his helm.

Some of my personal favorites on Punk Eternal are the faster numbers, with “The Trouble With Wings” standing out as a great burst of speed, energy and emotion. “I Don’t Like You Anymore” and “Young and Bold” capture the ethos of punk, the anger and attitude.

The music on Punk Eternal may demonstrate Bradley’s influences, he’s not completely separated from them. A lot of the dark industrial and metal of It’s A Beautiful World seep through. It would be impossible for him or anyone to make an album that would be indistinguishable from one in the past. It would also be fraudulent, to deny that you’ve grown past your influences. Bradley Tatum demonstrates both a strong reverence for the music that has shaped him as a musician. This is not a nostalgia act or a detour from his current situation, but a reaffirmation of his background and history. For a release with powerful dark punk, mixed in with glimpses of metal and industrial, definitely pick up Punk Eternal.

 

Dec 14 2012

6’+ Episode 45 is up!

To quote the description given at the new listing:

“Here’s a cadre of songs to help you get through this, the most horrible time of year. With music from The Men Who Won’t Be Blamed For Nothing, The Coffin Crawlers, Bamboula, Fear and others, this show will help you float above the rising yuletides. Monstermatt Patterson got your name in the Secret Santa. Aren’t you happy?”

Remember to email 6′+ (contact at 6ftplus.com) or leave a comment below about the show, whether you liked it or not. Tell your friends, leave a review on iTunes, but above all – enjoy.

You can find all episodes of 6′+ over at the official site as well as on iTunes and Stitcher . We’re also on Facebook and Twitter.

Dec 11 2012

Build Your Own Krampus Costume

Those of you who remember my article about the Krampus might recall that people dressing up as the character is a holiday tradition in several European countries. Naturally, those living in countries without that tradition will recognize the inherent coolness of the Krampus and will be tempted to introduce others to the concept. And what better way to do that than to construct your own Krampus costume and bust it out at your next holiday gathering. Come to think of it, you can even reuse it as your next Halloween costume!

You might have noticed that I chose the word “Build” instead of “Make” in this article’s title. That’s because this is more of a general guideline on assembling a costume from preexisting materials rather than a step-by-step tutorial on making a costume from scratch. That’s because I want to make this as easy to do as possible. But if you have any sewing skills (or know someone who does that would be willing to help you out), then heading down to a fabric store to see if they have any costume patterns that go well with fake fur (gorilla, bear, etc.) would most likely be the most cost-effective option. The patterns for basic coveralls or a bodysuit could also work in a pinch, but be sure to pick up the patterns for gloves if you can. Just keep in mind that you have to be mindful of certain things when sewing fake fur. Hot gluing strips of fake fur to some old coveralls can make a quick ‘n dirty costume, but you have to be sure to brush the hair carefully in order to cover the seams. But if you want step-by-step directions on making a furry costume, these links can help you. While it’s also possible to mold your own masks and chest pieces, it’s much easier just to buy them. Even if you make your own gloves, you’re probably still going to need to buy some fake fingernails or claws to make them seem scarier.

As I touched on earlier, you’re going to need a furry costume as your base. Buying a complete costume is your best bet, but can also be quite expensive. Just be sure to make sure whether or not the costume comes with gloves and feet before purchasing. Buying separate furry “shirts” and leg pants can be cheaper, but then you have to be careful to make sure that the fake fur’s coloration on both pieces matches. This would also apply to any fur on the monster gloves, feet, and/or mask you purchase as well. However, you can avoid such problems if you use accessories that are completely hairless but have the same color as each other. If that isn’t possible and you don’t mind a little extra work, you can find resources on repainting your accessories on websites like the Halloweenforum. Alternately, you can visit your local costume or magic store to compare the fur colors and types in person (which is more accurate than trying to do so online).

If you look at pictures of Krampus costumes online, you’ll notice that many of them use regular footwear covered by the costume’s long fur. This is presumably done to make it easier for the performer(s) to run around through the streets. You can do the same with your costume if you want, but you can use more decorative feet if you’re just going to stroll around inside at a Christmas party. In addition to the types of feet that I linked to previously in the article, even hooves or black pointy elf shoes would work for a Krampus costume, as evidence here. Assuming the costume you’re using doesn’t have one, you could also invest in a chest piece if you want to. However, as you can see in these pictures, this accessory is completely optional.

Once you have the body squared away, you’re going to need the most important part: the mask. As finding Krampus masks in America is very difficult, you’re going to want to buy a “Devil” or “demon” mask. However, just any old mask of that type won’t work. Using one of these masks simply wouldn’t look right on a Krampus costume. These masks, on the other hand would be perfect. This one even has a Krampus-like extended tongue! Once you have that picked out, you’re all set! Although, you can also add some chains, cowbells, sacks and/or a big stick to the costume if you want to.

If you make your own Krampus costume, please feel free to send Gravedigger’s Local 16 any pictures or video of you in action!

Dec 08 2012

Golem

Golem Golem Golem, I made you out of clay...

Every horror fan has at least a basic idea of what a Golem is. We’ve all heard the story of how a clay humanoid is brought to life by a rabbi (usually due to an inscription on or in the Golem’s head), thanks to it being recounted in so many books on monsters and horror movies. The same basic story remains more or less the same, despite the different legends. But despite that, misconceptions and stretchings of the definition of Golem have been on the rise for quite some time. Remember last year’s “Stone Golem” article? That title wasn’t chosen just so that I could use the “Golem” title this year. Despite the legend specifically referring to clay, many depictions of Golems in popular culture refer to beings made out of stone! Similarly, there was a period in the 80’s when the term was applied to artificially created biological life forms, like a cloned alien baby and a Frankenstein’s monster-style creation.

I suspect the reason for this is due to the influence of Dungeons & Dragons. Flesh Golems, Iron Golems, and Stone Golems were introduced to the game in 1975, with the traditional Clay Golem being introduced separately that same year. It’s worth noting how only the Clay Golem can randomly go out of control, while all other types of Golems don’t. Is it any wonder that the stone variant gained more popularity? The Flesh Golem should be very familiar to anyone who has seen Andy Milligan’s Monstrosity (or Frankenstein).

Interestingly enough, the most famous story involving a Golem (and the inspiration for the Clay Golem randomly going out of control), The Golem of Prague, isn’t as old as it is often claimed to be. Although claimed to be an actual legend from the 16th century, the earliest literary references to the event can only be traced back to the 1800’s! I bring this up merely as an interesting piece of trivia and not as a criticism of any kind.

After all, American folk hero Pecos Bill has similar dating issues, as does gothic fiction classic The Castle of Otranto. Without that last example, I dare say that the horror genre as we know it simply would not exist! So let’s not quibble over the date of origin for that one particular story and instead let’s celebrate it for helping popularize the Golem around the world. It may not be the first story to involve a Golem, but its influence on pop culture can never be denied.

Happy Chanukkah!

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