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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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.
Firstborne Lucky M-Theory Audio 2025 Switching gears completely from my usual fare here, I freely and unashamedly admit that I am a fan of catchy, melodic hard rock and 80’s inspired metal. That's exactly what we are dealing with in Firstborne’s debut long player, Lucky. Firstborne was um, born out of virtuoso guitarist Myrone, vocalist Girish Pradhan (Girish and the Chronicles, The End Machine) bassist James Lorenzo (White Lion, Megadeth) and drummer Chris Adler (of Lamb of God and Megadeth fame). In 2019, they started jamming which would see them releasing various singles/EPs from 2020 to 2023. In fact, in late 2023 all their individual schedules aligned, and they recorded the ten songs we have here. Lucky was also produced by the acclaimed Machine (Clutch, King Crimson, Crobot). It's a melodious, gutsy, raw with modern polish vocal and guitar shred forward record that not only showcases the elements above but also features Adler’s human metronome-like technique and his ability to groove and let the songs breathe while giving them just what they need behind the kit. He's such an accomplished drummer some might hear this and think he's dumbing it down, but I don't find that to be the case. He's still showing plenty of his killer chops while playing for each song. Musically, I hear nods to Van Halen and the harder edged Dokken stuff, Dio, Mindcrime era Queensryche (that main riff from “Normandy” does Chris Degarmo proud) King's X and the early 90’s bluesy sleaze and hooks of The Lynch Mob. Speaking of The Lynch Mob, I would argue that Girish sounds very similar to that band’s Oni Logan on more than a few occasions with a bit more grit and rasp to his pipes. I don't draw these comparisons to downplay anything they have going on here, I make them to say this - these songs ROCK and are instantly enjoyable transporting me to a better time. If you can resist singing along to the na na nas in the outro of “Only A Fool”, I'm just going to surmise that you aren't any fun at all. That moment alone had me grinning from ear to ear. The guitar work from Myrone is outstanding throughout, whether it's clean tone blues, Lynch/Satriani/Vai wizardry or thrashy chugs on “Human Interrupted” the man can play, you guys. Being a guitar player myself but coming nowhere close to what he can do with six strings, I find his tone clean, heavy, articulate and just enjoyable to listen to. Lucky is as their press release states, “a blend of high-energy riffs, soaring vocals, and thunderous rhythms to create a modern yet timeless sound rooted in classic metal, hard rock, and shred guitar.” I can't argue with any of that as it's pretty dead on. What I like most about this record is that it doesn't steep itself in the “girls, partying and sex” trappings lyrically. As much of this brand of music tends to do. Here it seems to be a bit more introspective, suggesting that we just love each other, and it laments the state of the world in its musings. The one notable exception is the last track “Minefield”, which urges that we’d all be better off shutting off our phones and the TV every now and then and kick back with a beer instead of dealing with the big bad world outside. Again, I can't argue it. Lucky is officially my second favorite release this year so far. Don't sleep on it and cast it off as nostalgic “hair metal” or whatever other ridiculous label you can think of. This album is just a damn fine collection of hard rock leaning metal with enough melody, hooks and masterful musicianship to earn a place amongst one of the most cohesive and catchiest albums I've come across in recent memory. Here's hoping they continue injecting rock n’ roll and its spirit into the arms of us all. Great job dudes… ~TB
Castrator Coronation of the Grotesque Dark Descent Records 2025 Formed in 2013 by way of international waters and the death metal mecca of yesteryear, New York (ever heard of Immolation, Internal Bleeding, Suffocation? Thought so...) Castrator are continuing the long-standing tradition of (I hate this phrase) of all female metal bands. They are joining such luminaries in the field as Derketa, Mythic and Demonic Christ so you know you're in for the extreme side of things. The particular side they dwell on is decidedly East Coast early to mid-90’s death metal. Let's delve into their latest, Coronation of the Grotesque. Coronation follows up their absolutely fantastic 2022 debut Defiled In Oblivion, and this is where I personally became aware of them and in so doing, became an instant fan. The band consists of Robin Mazen (Gruesome, Derketa ) - Bass, Carolina Perez - Drums, Clarissa Badini - Vocals and newcomer/shredder Sara Loerlein - Guitars. What Castrator does so effectively is turn the genre’s mirror on itself. Death metal, especially brutal death metal and more recently “slam” all tend to be, traditionally very unkind to women in the lyrics, artwork, everything. You could easily say it's pretty misogynist. While it's not exactly in the same vein and all about killing dudes, there's a bit of that, but also has lyrical content that points out the evils of man/men/the world in general. For this album especially, there is a focus on a wide range of historical and societal themes that reflect on injustice, victimization, and human suffering. I say go for it. Go for it they do. This release is a very noticeable step forward from Defiled in that the production is less dark and murky with more dynamics and is less bottom heavy throughout, while maintaining a nice balance of the low and high end. Crisp, clear and fittingly intense is the order of the mix here. John Tardy (Obituary) handled the bass at Redneck Studios in FL while guitars and vocals were done by Jordan Milner at Obsidian Audio, additional guitars by Taylor Nordberg (Deicide) at Smoke and Mirrors Productions, and drums by Noah Buchanan (Nunslaughter) at Mercinary Studios, where Buchanan also handled mixing and mastering. In addition to all of this, well known underground death metal artist/phenom Jon Zig handled the cover art. The pedigree of the band and those involved in helping them put it together reads like a list of extreme metal luminaries. So, by now you're probably saying it asking, “All this seems awesome, but what's it SOUND like?” and that's fair. Castrator, as I mentioned earlier, has a very pronounced East Coast bend. Those of you well-schooled in the genre know those hallmarks are low/high growls and screams, somewhat technical and grooving chunky riffs, blasts, double kicks and thrashy tempos followed by plodding breakdowns and utmost brutality. These elements are contained in these ten songs in spades. Clarissa’s vocals are properly deep, and the guitar riffs/leads from Sarah anchor the songs. I can't pick out favorites as I listened to this thing from front to back twice before I even realized I had. This album is engrossing and song oriented with old school flag bearing at its finest. For the sticklers, I'll say that my personal picks for standouts are opener “Fragments of Defiance”, “I Am Eunuch”, “Covenant of Deceit” and near the album's end “Discordant Rumination”. Speaking of closers, they churn out a blistering masterful guitar soloing cover of Exodus’ “Metal Command” to wrap things up! Castrator are not merely a band of women, screw that-they’re just a kick ass BAND, period. With Coronation of the Grotesque, they up their own ante and can easily be considered one of the US’s elite death metal outfits now. ~TB RIYL- Immolation, Death, Suffocation, Internal Bleeding, Dehumanize
Barbarous Initium Mors Creator-Destructor 2025 Oakland CA circa April 2024. That's when brutal death metal sickos Barbarous burst onto the Bay Area scene and now they are poised to spread their blood and guts gospel to the rest of an unsuspecting world with their debut LP Initium Mors. The eight-song affair was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Cody Fuentes in February/March 2025 at Rapture Studios (Spite, Wolf King, Lionheart) and completed with art by the legendary Dan Seagrave (Dismember, Hypocrisy, Morbid Angel). What you're getting here is death metal, plain and simple. Barbarous don't mess around with crystal clear, quantified or overly compressed production here. Throughout the entirety of the album, we get a raw, reverb soaked, cavernous listening experience that actually fits the vibe of the record. There is a bit of polish, but raw and cold are the main feelings this production evokes. Barbarous clearly take influence from bands like Cannibal Corpse, Necrot, Skeletal Remains and Gatecreeper, but what sets them apart is an underlying sense of melody in more than a few guitar lines and a focus on a more plodding and mid-tempo approach instead of bludgeoning us to death with speed of light blast beats. Don't get me wrong, things get plenty speedy, (the title track for example) but it's used sparingly to enhance transitions and not be whole songs. The riffs are never too busy or undecipherable and their understanding of making this style of music groove makes it that much heavier (see “The Tomb Spawn”). The last track “Coupe De Grace” is probably my favorite song here, as it opens with riffs straight from the Ever-flowing Stream handbook and drives it’s point home in a mere two minutes and fifty-two seconds. The whole thing operates within this ethos, and it seems no song lingers for more than four and a half minutes. Brutal death metal that is devastatingly heavy and says what it needs to say and leaves you gasping for breath and tells you to get the hell out of its way when it's done. That is Barbarous here in a big, rotten nutshell. They mean business, they sound convicted, angry and should be taken seriously. Approach with caution, then revel in the blunt force trauma set to music. ~TB
Primal Fear Domination RPM Music 2025 There is no stopping Germany’s Primal Fear They've been going strong since 1997, waving the flag for anthemic and epic true metal, that borders on the power side. There have been triumphs, twin guitar leads and tragedies along the way, (bassist/vocalist Matt Sinner nearly died from a year long illness before completing 2023’s “Code Red”) so they are certainly no strangers to adversity. 2025 sees this denim and leather troupe of heathens return with the thirteen song Domination, and the title is very accurate. Sinner is at the helm of producer again along with vocalist Ralph Scheepers and Magnus Karlsson acting as co-producers. Recording took place in 2024 at Dennis Ward’s Kangaroo Studios and mixing/mastering was handled by longtime cohort Jacob Hansen at his personal studio in Denmark. The result is a heavy modern production that favors live organic sounds and the band's trademark speedy gallop, thunder God double bass, neo classical leads, harmonized guitars and the soaring vocals that have become their trademarks. Speaking of the vocals, Scheepers has never sounded better here, and that is no easy feat considering they are nearly 30 years into their career. I’d be remiss if I didn't mention the excellent guitar work of the aforementioned Karlsson and Thalia Bellazecca. They play off one another effortlessly and can both burn up the fretboards. Musically, this is what we have come to expect from Primal Fear, in that it is traditional power metal of the European variety that echoes the bloodline of Iron Maiden and fellow countrymen Accept, Gamma Ray and Helloween, but that is never a bad thing. These vets put their own unique spin on those sounds throughout the record, the constant is exceptional, skilled, memorable and catchy songs. Opener “The Hunter” kicks things off with a hard-hitting pace and plenty of sing along fanfare. Mid-tempo grinder (see what I did there?) “Tears of Fire” is definitively anthemic and they even throw in an instrumental replete with guitar soloing and synths in “Hallucinations”. Primal Fear are just a touch heavier than their contemporaries and the songs here reflect that, especially the thrashy and uplifting jaunt of “Heroes and Gods”. “Scream” is a plodding, somewhat down tuned chugger that has a mid-break that will melt faces and cause spinal damage. From there we go into another mid-tempo crusher “The Dead Don't Die” with you guessed it, a chorus that will stick in your head for days. The hooks throughout this record just refuse to let go of you, and I’m absolutely ok with that. “Crossfire” follows that up with breakneck speed metal and the reflective piano and strings of album closer “A Tune I Won't Forget” ends things on a bit of a melancholy, yet still memorable note. Power metal is arguably a genre that MANY think only has a few noteworthy acts, maybe even a couple handfuls, (this is not even close to being true btw) but Primal Fear once again proves they belong in the scene’s upper echelon, and they sound positively reinvigorated with Domination. Their press release states, “PRIMAL FEAR aren’t here to reclaim the crown - they’re here to prove they’ve never left the throne of heavy/power metal royalty.” To that I say, hail to the king’s baby! ~TB
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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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There’s no better omen than a Friday the 13th to hit the road in search of noise, danger, and sweaty communion, and that’s exactly what my comrade-in-debauchery and I did. Destination, Boggs Social & Supply, Atlanta, Georgia. A venue I’d never set foot in before but now consider hallowed ground. Boggs is a dive bar reimagined, not some sticky-floored hellhole, but a joint that lures you in with killer food, cheap drinks, and a staff that actually gives a damn. The place gets it. It breathes in neon, exhales soul. I’ll be back, over and over again like a sinner to the confessional. This night kicked off the Savage Master and NITE tour, and from the jump, there was that unshakable buzz in the air, the kind that says you’re about to be baptized in riffs and fury. For NITE, it was their first taste of the East Coast, a long-overdue collision between coasts. And for me, it was my first time finally seeing Savage Master live after years of near misses. Chariots Overdrive, a local Atlanta act I’d never heard of, opened the gates and didn’t just warm up the stage they lit that Sombitch on fire. Their sound is a snarling cocktail of early ‘80s Speed Metal and NWOBHM sweat and swagger. Like Angel Witch and Exciter had a nasty little one-night stand. The real kicker, a Heavy Load cover, thrown down like a gauntlet, raw and righteous. I didn’t see any merch at the show, but I hunted them down online and bought their downloads which is something I hardly ever do. If you’ve got blood in your veins and denim on your back, go find them. Now.
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