Shared From Transcending Obscurity: Swedish Death Metal Highlights

Maybe it's the increasingly cold and snowy weather, or maybe I'm just feeling in need of delving deeper into some Swedish death metal lately due to being stuck at home. Either way, I ran across this article on the website of the Transcending Obscurity record label/online magazine a while ago and felt it was well-worth sharing:

https://tometal.com/special-highlights-swedish-death-metal-highlights/

I know absolutely nothing about Transcending Obscurity itself, but after seeing some of the bands they've signed and doing a bit of browsing on their site, it definitely seems like a good place to check out once in a while. This article gives a good round-up of what has been going on in the Swedish death metal scene recently, focusing on bands that are probably a little more obscure than some of the 'big' names of the sub-genre.

I haven't had a chance to listen to probably half of the bands mentioned in the article, but would agree in recommending Interment, Entrails, and Cut Up. A few of the others, such as Under The Church, Paganizer, and Vangheld are on my radar but I don't feel like I know any of their material well enough to comment about it other than liking what I've heard. As for the rest, it leaves a hell of a lot of bands I've either never heard of, or heard of in passing to check out!

If you're interested in Swedish death metal, I'd recommend giving this article a quick scan (at the very least). You'll probably find something to pique your interest.

Exploring the Roots Of Finnish Folk Metal with Wolfhorde

Finland's Wolfhorde is often hailed as blackened folk metal, and I suppose rightfully so as the atmospheric elements of black metal can be heard interspersed throughout their work. In fact, they are a pretty good embodiment of that unique 'Finnish sound' that makes many bands from that particular country identifiable, even if you have never listened to them before. It's a sound that seems to permeate (to some extent) almost every band from Finland, no matter which sub-genre of metal.

Wolfhorde's 2016 release, 'Towards The Gates Of North', was one of the more memorable releases of the year for me and the band is set to release a new EP on December 1st. Titled 'The Great Old Ones', it's a three song tribute to the roots of Finnish folk metal covering a few of the true masters of the genre: Finntroll, Moonsorrow and (early) Amorphis. I'm stoked to hear this in its entirety, as the teaser promises good things:

Körperlose Stimme: Making of 'Souls Of The Forest' video

Körperlose Stimme have just wrapped up a handful of tour dates supporting their debut full-length album, 'Souls Of The Forest', with upcoming dates in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton in the next few weeks.
Personally, I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this album as I've been following this blackened death metal act basically since their inception as a band. If you get a chance, I highly recommend going out to see Körperlose Stimme live. You won't be disappointed.

Körperlose Stimme Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KorperloseStimmeMetal/

Horror Review: Rings (2017)

Although part of the Ring franchise, I’m reviewing the latest installment of the series as a stand alone film. It’s been close to ten years since I’ve watched The Ring, and honestly, I don’t remember enough about it in order to compare it to Rings. It obviously didn’t make much of an impression on me. On another note, I don’t think I’ve watched the Japanese original either.

Rings provides an origin story for Samara, the demonic well-dweller who manifests through television and computer screens. Other than providing some immediate excitement, the opening sequence isn’t really necessary. (The film could have just started with Gabriel purchasing the VCR and videotape). But as most horror fans might agree, a little extra of the ‘scary’ stuff isn’t a bad thing either. We’re reintroduced to the videotape (now digitalized from the VCR tape) and the subsequent “Seven Days” phone call through an experiment being run by Gabriel, a college professor. Setting Julia’s investigation into motion by enclosing it in the premise of a college professor’s experiment actually works well. It provides reasonable explanations for many of the other plot elements that pop up.

Rings raised a few questions. The film doesn’t really explain why Samara was born as an evil manifestation to begin with. Sure, she was the product of a priest raping her mother and keeping her captive in an underground bunker, but this alone (as disturbing as it in itself) doesn’t really account for her inherent evil. Especially since there was always something wrong with the child, even though she was not raised by her birth parents, nor kept in captivity, nor tortured or any other number of things. It’s almost like we’re supposed to believe it was just some random glitch that she was born evil. There’s no clear origin for Samara being a terrifying child before she’s thrown down the well. (The demonic being thing is a little more understandable after being discarded down a well). It’s probably an over-analysis, but a child born out of such circumstances doesn’t automatically become evil.

What happened to Evelyn (Samara’s mother) after Samara was born? Wikipedia says that Evelyn escaped before giving birth, but I completely missed this. And where did she end up from there? Besides wandering around as some sort of pregnant spirit? It’s clear that Evelyn disappeared, but how exactly? No doubt Burke had something to do with it, but providing a little more of Evelyn’s story might have been beneficial. Perhaps in another film?

As for another random question, why does Samara suddenly gain the ability to renew Burke’s sight? Apparently his self-inflicted blindness kept him from Samara’s harm because he was unable to see her, but if she had the ability to restore his sight, why not take revenge before now? I guess someone had to find her remains to ‘release’ her, but from Burke’s words, it wasn’t the first time Samara had manifested in his presence.

Burke isn’t immediately revealed as the priest either, which provides some suspense through the film and allows for the plot twists to develop as they do. The best twist is inevitably saved for last, after it appears that Julia and Holt’s lives have returned to normal after cremating Samara’s remains. The meaning of the braille burned into Julia’s hand is revealed. While Julia’s visions lead her (and the audience) to believe that the cremation would release Samara’s spirit and banish the evil presence that possessed her, it’s revealed not to be so. In an unsettling final scene, Julia’s skin begins peeling away where the word “rebirth” was previously burned in braille. It reveals decaying, waterlogged flesh underneath. Further, Julia begins gagging and pulls an impossibly long (and disgusting) strand of wet black hair from her mouth. A camera shot of the mirror suddenly reveals Samara where Julia’s reflection should be.

Overly analytical and critical questions aside, Rings was actually a reasonably suspenseful watch. There was an easily followed, somewhat developed plot line, believable acting, good effects and a few jump-scares. (A lot of horror films manage to fall short of combining all of these elements). While I wanted a few more explanations and answers at the end of the film, I found it pretty solid, especially if you like origin stories and additional insight into your horror antagonists.

Worth Watching: Probably

Horror Review: Cult Of Chucky (2017)

Released at the beginning of October, the newest film to feature the familiar, foul mouthed, possessed doll, Cult Of Chucky continues the story from the previous film. The Child’s Play/Chucky franchise is another I need to revisit, as I’m not too familiar with it. I haven’t seen all of the films, and the ones I’ve seen haven’t been watched any time in the last few years. As such, I viewed Cult of Chucky more in the context of an individual film than a continuation of the franchise. At least in the sense of watching the films back to back, or in order.

At the beginning of the film, Andy (a familiar character central to Chucky’s story) is revealed to have the severed, burned, mutilated head of Chucky in his home. Chucky is still very much alive in his decapitated form, and still very much the smart-ass we’re used to. It’s also revealed that Chucky’s victim (from the previous installment in the franchise), Nina, is confined to a mental institution as the result of being blamed for Chucky’s crimes. Dr. Foley, the psychiatrist in charge of both the institution and Nina’s treatment, has been working to convince Nina she’s guilty, not believing that a possessed doll exists. Which is understandable. Would you believe someone if they told you stories of a kid’s doll possessed by a serial killer? That being said, Dr. Foley isn’t exactly a likeable character himself, proving to be an opportunistic sexual predator.

When the ‘Good Guy’ doll shows up in a group therapy session, the institution door is literally opened to Chucky’s diabolical and murderous rampages. Predictably, the rest of the film revolves around Nina trying to convince other characters that Chucky is real and capable of committing the subsequent (and pretty entertaining) murders that occur. Andy appears in the film several times, attempting to fulfill his apparent quest to destroy Chucky.

Cult of Chucky leans more toward the slasher sub-genre of horror, unlike some of the other films in the franchise. There is still humor in this one, but definitely less so than some of the previous movies. This, for me, is a good thing. I’m not a huge of comedic horror and the entire premise and character development of Chucky himself is one that I find comedic. And that’s not even venturing into Chucky’s dialogue and actions. So the slasher element, minus some of the stupid comedy present in some of the other films, makes this one decent. It might actually be an accessible movie for someone who isn’t already a Chucky fan.

There are no major surprises or twists, but Cult Of Chucky is still an enjoyable watch. And if you’re excited to see the little bastard come back, the film’s ending definitely sets this up. There’s nothing new or brilliant, but there aren’t any major disappointments or holes either. Overall, if you’re looking for a fun horror watch, give it a try.

Worth watching: Probably

Körperlose Stimme Set to Release Their Debut Full Length

Canadian blackened death metal outfit Körperlose Stimme have announced that they will be releasing their debut full-length album this winter. Titled 'Souls Of The Forest', I'm looking forward to this album. They have previously released an EP titled 'The Dark Man', and have proven themselves as a live band to keep an eye on in the future.

Check out the trailer for 'Souls Of The Forest':

"Only Print Is Real" - An Article You Should Read

I recently read a really good article about the interest in books about extreme metal titled ‘Only Print Is Real: How We Entered the Golden Age of Extreme Metal Books’ by Kevin Stewart-Panko. I believe the article is published in the September issue of Decibel magazine, but I found it through Decibel’s website. As a fairly avid reader, and someone who has a shelf full of music related reading material, I was immediately interested.

I own several of the books mentioned in the article. Sounds Of The Beast is one that I bought but still haven’t managed to read in entirety. Honestly, I found it pretty dry but it is a history book, after all. I bought Lords Of Chaos years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, even on the first read, when I was just beginning to discover black metal. Even if the stories are embellished, it’s an entertaining read and piques the curiousity into investigating the events described further. I also have Swedish Death Metal by Daniel Ekeroth and have read most of it (although completely out of order). It’s one that I really want to take the time to sit down and go through, page by page, while listening to the albums discussed. It’s an amazing resource for anyone interested in the Swedish death metal scene, full of great writing, interesting interviews, rare pictures and comprehensive lists.

One of the statements in the ‘Only Print Is Real’ article that should ring true with any ‘younger’ extreme metal listener is that these books are now allowing events to be placed into context. Which can only happen once some period of time has passed. Many of the authors of these books were there experiencing the beginnings of certain metal scenes. The author mentions that the ‘younger’ fans missed a large part of the history as it was happening, which is entirely true. Although I don’t consider myself that young anymore, I’m certainly young enough to have missed out on most of that history. The article also states that it’s hard to understand the context of albums twenty years later when listening in isolation, but many of these books are now able to provide that context for those who want to know.

Another discussion point of the article that rang particularly true to myself regards creating a different mental atmosphere with printed media, as opposed to the rapid-fire digital information dispersal that so many now rely on. There are merits to both, but I prefer a physical book when I want to delve deeply into a topic. Books allow for so much more focus, free of pop-up ads, distractions and random interruptions. Plus they have a better flow. These are the same reasons why I often still write drafts of ideas, reviews or papers by hand, even though it’s more time consuming.

For anyone who has ever given a thought to the merits of books or physical copies of music as opposed to digital dispersal of the same, this article is worth reading.

https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2017/09/13/print-real-entered-golden-age-extreme-metal-books/#.WblGS9d6DSU.facebook

The Speed Clothes Saga: My Experience

I debated for months whether to publicly air my complaints with Speed Clothes. After chatting privately with numerous other metal women who have had the same issues, I feel that I am justified in doing so. After all, you won’t find an even slightly negative review or legitimate complaint in the online world unless you REALLY dig. Any comments that the company’s owner doesn’t agree with are almost instantly deleted from any of the Speed Clothes social media pages. The ones I’ve managed to see haven’t been out of line, rude or condescending. The posters have asked legitimate questions and posted queries about why they have not received any reply to private messages or emails directly to the company after multiple attempts at contact. Many of these women have also been addressed very unprofessionally (and often downright rudely) by the owner of the company.

Keep reading to see what spawned this...

My experience is no different. Before I even get into that part of the story, I wanted to speak to the quality of the products themselves. I own two pairs of leggings from Speed Clothes, both of which I purchased this spring. One was purchased through another website selling Speed Clothes merchandise and one was purchased through the official Speed Clothes website. Both are the same size. Supposedly. The Månegarm leggings I purchased fit much smaller than the Desaster leggings I purchased. Despite the labels claiming they are the same size. This seems to be a common issue with the products, based on the other women I’ve spoken to who have purchased multiple items. (Buyer beware: apparently the bikini bottoms fit incredibly small). Another issue that I’ve observed is differences in the quality of the spandex fabric itself. One pair of my leggings is crafted from extremely lightweight spandex that goes semi-translucent when subjected to the slightest stretching. The other pair is a better quality spandex, but still not what I was hoping for considering the price I paid for the leggings. I’m used to leggings in that price range being of a similar quality as brands such as Under Armour, so I was slightly disappointed. I own fifteen dollar leggings that are of a higher quality than first mentioned pair. Needless to say, after knowing about Speed Clothes for years I was a bit dismayed to discovered the product quality differences for myself.

Now, to speak to my biggest complaint: the customer service experience. I’ve never been treated so discourteously by any company I have bought merchandise from, small or large. Typically smaller and specialized companies make an effort to communicate with their customers, but don’t expect Speed Clothes to do this UNLESS you write something that the owner doesn’t agree with on one of their social media pages. Then expect an immediate response, likely followed by your comment and the subsequent replies being deleted lest someone else see them. If it’s not glowing praise of the company, it will probably disappear.  Which I find to be a dishonest business practice when the comments are initially trying to address a concern that is ignored through every other method of contact. I wish I had been able to take screen shots of more of the crude replies that I received from Speed Clothes but I was unable to do so before they were deleted by the company’s owner. I didn’t delete any of my comments or replies as I believe in the integrity of standing behind a publicly made statement.

In the above screenshots, multiple comments made by Speed Clothes have mysteriously disappeared before I could take a screenshot. 

My experience begins with placing a pre-order on February 15^th for a pair of leggings that were supposed to be released within a few days. The pre-order date was subsequently changed due to production delays. Initially this wasn’t too upsetting as it can happen. Literally a handful of release date push-backs later, it became concerning as I’d already paid for merchandise I had yet to receive. Throughout the process, I made a few attempts to contact Speed Clothes through email and their messenger service. I received one reply in March and was completely ignored in the following months. After the first few times, I began taking screenshots each time the pre-order release date was changed in case my product was never to be seen. Upon seeing that Speed Clothes had given away a pair of the same leggings that I had ordered through an Instagram post where they were received by the contest winner (and observing that the item was still on pre-order status), I inquired on the Instagram post itself. I was in informed that the ones given away were misprints, which I don’t believe was disclosed on the original contest posting. Dishonesty in it’s finest. At this point I was also told they’d ship later due to trouble with the graphics in one of the very few private messages that Speed Clothes answered. On May 16^th, I made a post on my Instagram account expressing my hopes for a shipping notification, as the release date was listed as May 15^th at that time. This was where it started. In a comment by Speed Clothes, which was quickly removed by whoever posted it, I was scolded and told that Speed Clothes didn’t “appreciate the unfriendly shout out”. I guess it was unreasonable to be slightly impatient three months later…

Not the first, or last, time it was suggested my paid-for order be cancelled. After the conversations that occurred, I was unsure if I'd get my money back in a timely manner if I did cancel. 

Again, this was after multiple attempts at respectfully contacting the company hoping for any kind of reply, timely update or explanation as to what was going on. It was suggested by the owner (or whoever was making Instagram posts on her behalf) that my order could be cancelled, or that I should cancel it myself. Unfortunately I was unable to screenshot the public post where she told me that I obviously don’t understand what a pre-order means, and that any “true metalhead” would understand how pre-orders work. Insulting your customers is not the way to go when running a business. I’ve never had a pre-order item pushed back multiple times and I’ve made too many band merch pre-orders in the last ten years to even count. These have been made through distribution companies, record labels, Amazon, and directly through bands themselves and never have I been treated so rudely by anyone representing any of those companies or bands. Even after a comment was publicly posted by Speed Clothes telling me to message them privately, they continued to ignore any private message.

I’ve chosen to include the relevant screenshots I was able to capture in order to allow others to see how I was treated over something that should not have been an issue in the first place. Personally, I’m not sure I’d even be allowing people to pay for merchandise before it’s available if I expected any kind of delay. It’s only frustrating and disappointing for the customer when deadlines aren’t met. But if dealt with in a respectful manner, further issues can be avoided. I find the kind of replies I received after finally discovering a way to NOT be ignored completely childish, downright rude and completely disrespectful, especially when coming from a business owner and directed at a customer. To delete comments from customers and purposefully erase every slightly negative comment is greasy. If you want to promote on social media, allow truthful and honest feedback. While erasing anything perceived as negative might solve the issue for the time being, I would think it would ultimately hurt the credibility of Speed Clothes itself. If I was running a business, this would be concerning, but apparently the appropriate and respectful treatment of customers is not a priority for Speed Clothes.

I’ve chatted with a few women who have been long-time, loyal customers and they have recently been treated the same (or worse) than I was. This is a company that I will definitely not be supporting again. I finally wrote this rant of a post in the hopes that some of the other metal women out there will be able to take this into consideration if they’re thinking of ordering from Speed Clothes. I’m sure there are positive customer experiences, but it’s also important for the negative ones to see the light of day.  Potential customers should be able to make educated decisions about where to spend their money. Normally I’m someone who attempts to deal with issues one-on-one, through private messages or email communications. And I tried to do so before this situation escalated into what it became. Normally I wouldn’t publicly air complaints in this manner but after hearing from multiple others in the same situation, I felt this needed to get out there. At least others might get a sense that they're not the only ones experiencing these issues.

The following are from the point where I began to screenshot the changing shipping dates. Keep in mind that the original ship date was mid-February.