Written correspondences with creatives.
It is with great pleasure that Jason Edwards and Monsters, Madness and Magic bring you a short, but sweet interview with Srđan Spasojević himself. It is our hope that this interview brings more light to this underrated, underappreciated and unfairly-maligned work of art. Enjoy.
Read MoreWe were honored to have a sit-down with none other than Richard Riehle. His career has spanned decades, and hundreds and hundreds of roles in every genre you can think of.
One of his most recent projects, Limbo, came out on DVD and On-Demand August 4th, 2020.
Read MoreZ’ is the latest phantom-ridden partnership between Shudder and director Brandon Christensen (Still/Born). The innocence surrounding son Joshua (Jett Klyne) and his new imaginary friend decays into a series of frightening and mysterious accidents as his mother (Keegan Connor Tracy, Bates Motel) uncovers the haunting history of ‘Z’. Sean Rogerson (Grave Encounters, Underworld: Evolution) rounds out the cast as Kevin, patriarch of the Parsons family.
Read MoreOuijageist is an English film directed by John R. Walker (The Amityville Playhouse) and written by Darrel Buxton and Steve Hardy. Our story centers on single mother India as she moves herself and her young daughter into a new home seeking a fresh start after a bad relationship. It doesn’t take long for ill-fortune to rear its head. India finds a mysterious relic buried in her garden and an unseen, malevolent presence is unleashed on her and her loved ones. Is the tragedy around her mere coincidence or is there something dark lurking behind the walls of her new home?
Read MoreMusic has a seemingly magical ability to transport the listener to the artists’ realm of choice. With the striking of the right notes, one can travel time. And that’s exactly what happens when you listen to Dance With The Dead. With melodic riffs, smooth synth, and amazingly archaic artwork reminiscent of your favorite childhood horror films, Dance With The Dead is sure to transport you back to the days when the video store reigned supreme.
I had a lot of positive things to say about Bütcher’s 666 Goats Carry My Chariot. I still stand by my initial assessment that it’s 2020’s best Metal album so far and that it’s an album anybody who fancies themselves a connoisseur of Metal should check out. Speaking frankly, if you don’t dig this album, then you have no taste and should be ashamed of yourself.
Read MoreIt’s probably not lost upon you that we are fans of pulp and metal here at Monsters, Madness and Magic. Much of my free-time is spent scouring for specific occasions in which the two are forged into one. One glance at the album art for Smoulder’s 2019 debut album Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring will produce a raised eyebrow for any seeker of sonic sorcery.
While it’s certainly never fair to judge a book by its cover, great artwork always helps. It’s not long into the listen when Smoulder begins to conjure feelings of Candlemass, but with quite a bit more kick. And a sword. With lyrical themes sure to send seasoned warriors back to the pages of their pulp of preference, Smoulder’s first blows are fatal and deserving of the album of the year consideration. Recently, I had a chance to speak with vocalist Sarah Ann about Smoulder’s surge and upcoming EP Dream Quest Ends.
Against the Wind, the Mercenaries of Metal would continue their march with the release of their second album …Unto the Breach in August of 2019. Equally as mighty as the first attempt and featuring tales of heroes, battles, and buccaneers, the band keeps their oath to the Sword. With songs such as Pendragon, Inquisitor, and The Courage to Die, Sellsword finds themselves galloping, shredding and serenading their way victory.
Monsters, Madness and Magic had the honor of speaking with Sellsword recently about their inception, reception, inspiration, and future.
Read MoreOn September 29th, 2017, a modern gold standard of the spell of symphonic metal was released via Stormspell Records. Palantir’s Lost Between Dimensions takes the arcane elements previously mentioned and produces a perfect representation and, dare I say, reconstruction of the genre. With songs that will send the listener sailing to the shores of Valhalla to the dark void of deep space, Palantir’s blending of sci-fi and fantasy elements is second to none.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Palantir vocalist Marcus Olkerud on the origins of the band, their creative inspiration, and their upcoming participation in the Wacken Metal Battle.
Read MoreIn 1998, one of the stewards of the Synthwave movement was stirring in Cartagena, Spain. Alae Noctis was founded by singer and guitarist Diego “Noctis” and drummer Daniel Garcia. Their blending of retro/dark wave synth with the classic ‘80s riff is sure to send anyone marching, in pide-piper-like possession, on a trip down memory lane. In 2008, Alae Noctis would release their self-titled debut album, a mixture of techo, synth, and electro influences.
Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Diego Noctis of Alae Noctis to discuss their 2016 release Slasher released via Stormspell Records. For those with a taste for horror and the yearning for the tunes of the youth gone wild, it is a must-buy.
Read MoreOriginally started as an art project in the mid-’80s, KMFDM has since gone on to become one of the most iconic and recognizable music acts in the world. The band is currently preparing for an upcoming tour with Ministry and both bands are celebrating the 30th anniversary of "The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste" tour which gave KMFDM invaluable exposure to a US audience. Founder and frontman Sascha Konietzko was kind enough to spend a little time discussing KMFDM’s history and creative process with me.
Read More Thanks to Athan at Metropolis Records, I was able to sit down with Kaizer Von Loopy and Vas Kallas themselves for a short, but sweet interview in which we discussed the influences on the GRIMM SHIZA trilogy, as well as tour plans and other subjects.
Without further ado, I give you Hanzel und Gretyl.
